Less than an hour's flight from the Magic City, the SLS Baha Mar is a playground in the Bahamas that merges the colorful vibe of island life with some Miami-style dining experiences.
The 299-room hotel is part of the large Baha Mar resort complex, which contains the SLS and Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. A Rosewood hotel is set to open soon. All three properties are connected by a sweeping casino and an arcade of high-end shops, galleries, and restaurants. Though the sprawling resorts here might resemble South Beach's in many regards, Nassau is far more laid-back. A stay at the pool is less afternoon rave and more a place to enjoy a book and a frozé.
Along with typical hotel eateries such as Starbucks and a dumpling shop, the SLS offers a trio of some of Miami's best restaurant — each already part of the SBE hotel stable. Michael Schwartz's Fi'lia, along with South Beach hot spots Katsuya and Cleo, have made the 180-mile trek to Nassau's famed Cable Beach area.
This is not Schwartz's first foray into a tropical setting outside of Miami. For half a decade, the James Beard Award-winning chef owned an outpost of his Michael's Genuine Food & Drink at Grand Cayman's Camana Bay, where the restaurant offered locally sourced items such as lionfish.
At Fi'lia in the Bahamas, expect a menu similar to the one in Brickell. Caesar salad, wood-fired pizzas, and
Order Katsuya's ceviche, served in a coconut ($25) and topped with ponzu citrus foam. Its refreshing and bright flavors are wonderful after a day spent at the pool or snorkeling in Nassau's crystal-blue waters. Surprisingly, the restaurant had a lack of locally caught seafood.
At Cleo, dine family-style on kebabs, flaming saganaki, and meatball shakshouka, topped with a soft egg, tomato, squash, and piquillo peppers ($28).
Though the SLS offers a slate of fine restaurants with Miami ties, don't forget to visit the conch shack, located poolside. Find the Bahamas' most treasured dish: conch salad, prepared to order.
SLS Baha Mar. 1 Baha Mar Blvd., Nassau, Bahamas; 866-225-4561; slshotels.com/bahamar.