Where to eat during Art Basel Miami Beach.

If you thought the latter end of the year was all about Thanksgiving, Hannukah and Christmas, you clearly don’t spend much time wafting around with the denizens of the art world. Because, for these tasteful men and women, the beginning of December marks not just the first taste of chocolate from the advent calendar, but the launch of Art Basel Miami Beach, at which more than 200 international galleries come together to showcase their wares. And lots of well-dressed people go to lots of lovely parties. In honour of the occasion, we felt it only right to recap some of our Style Council members’ favourite eateries in the city. If you’re out in Miami – and have any time left between the gala dinners, private views, assorted bashes and general hob-nobbing – be sure to check these places out.

This 150-seater restaurant on the edge of the Design District was conceived as something of a home away from home by its founders, the husband-and-wife duo Ms Anastasia Koutsioukis and Mr Ahmet Erkaya, when they opened it in 2009. That is, it uses the domestic scale of its arhchitectural setting – a charming 1930s house – to celebrate their joint cultural heritage in a range of delectable Greek and Turkish dishes. The Style Council’s Mr Chris Glass is a particular fan: “The kefte are a must,” he says. “They’re juicy and flavoured just-so. And best, they remind me of having lunch on the Mediterranean."

**Visit Mandolin Aegean Bistro on the Style Council **

If Mr Francis Mallmann’s name rings a bell, it’s probably because you’ve watched him cooking incredible Patagonian feasts on an open fire on Netflix’s epic food series Chef’s Table. In his Miami restaurant Los Fuegos (“The Fires”) of course, you won’t get quite the same outdoor experience, but the asado menu is nonetheless excellent, and authentically cooked – whether you order from the wood oven, plancha or grill. Plus, you won’t have to invest in an alpaca poncho just to make it through dinner. Style Council member Mr Sven Schumann reckons Mr Mallmann makes “the best roast potatoes I have ever had”. So why not pop down there and see if it’s true?

Visit Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann on the Style Council

We live in a rather insincere world, don’t we? So what does “genuine” refer to in the context of this neighbourhood restaurant in the Design District? Perhaps it’s best to refer here to chef-patron Mr Michael Schwartz’s own words: “To me, the secret to good food is… good food.” You’ll see what he means once you’ve feasted upon his menu of seasonal dishes prepared with the freshest ingredients possible, with highlights including oysters and grouper ceviche from the raw bar and the spectacular wood-oven roasted whole chicken (find it on the dinner menu under “Extra Large”). Style Council member and super producer Mr Pharrell Williams is, however, partial to Michael’s salads – in fact, he has one customised to his needs. You can ask for it too, he says – just drop his name to your waiter.

Visit Michael’s Genuine Food and Bistro on the Style Council

Here’s where we would normally trot out the old cliché: “when in Rome…” But actually, let’s make it a little more straightforward. You’re in Florida, so you owe it to yourself to eat some fried chicken at least once. And the Style Council-approved place to do so is Yardbird, which describes itself as “a house of worship to farm-fresh ingredients, classic Southern cooking, culture and hospitality”. It’s hard to argue with that, nor this glowing recommendation from Style Council member and new Cleveland Cavaliers signing Mr Dwyane Wade: “They have so many great dishes with a twist,” he says. His favourites? “The fried chicken and waffles, as well as their meatloaf dish.”

Visit Yardbird on the Style Council