If you’re familiar with the Italian restaurant Cipriani, which includes locations around the world, from Miami and New York to Hong Kong and Venice, the recently opened Mr. C Coconut Grove (2988 McFarlane Road) deserves a spot on your dining bucket list.
That’s because fourth-generation hospitality leaders, brothers Ignazio and Maggio Cipriani, are behind the operation, opening Florida’s first Mr. C property with a restaurant and bar, a rooftop pool and a lobby lounge. Miami’s Mr. C incorporates South Florida’s tropical flair into the property. The hotel also brings the brothers’ famed cocktail, the Mr. C, to the city, created at the first Mr. C hotel in Beverly Hills in 2011.
“I was looking for something refreshing, simple and perfect for the warm weather,” Ignazio Cipriani says.
The prosecco-based drink combines vodka, sweet mandarin purée and a squeeze of tart lemon juice. “Tangerine has that wonderful taste that everybody loves,” he says. “Personally, I think the drink pairs really well with any of our crudo options [at the hotel’s restaurant, Bellini].”
The drink is served everywhere on property, including the pool deck, the Il Giardino courtyard and even inside rooms, but the best spot to sip the cocktail is during a meal at the brothers’ restaurant, Bellini. Influenced by their travels throughout Italy, Bellini features a menu hand-selected by the brothers, featuring a mix of their favorite foods alongside items unique to their upbringing, including baked polenta, tuna carpaccio with avocado mousse, risotto and gnocchi of the day, and Italian charcuterie and cheese.
Il Giardino, a European-style garden patio, and the Bellini Bar follow suit, offering smaller menus of Italian classics as well as the Mr. C cocktail.
“[Our customers] love it,” Cipriani says. “It’s the perfect cocktail to sip while at the pool, in our Il Giardino garden, or accompanying some light dishes. It’s refreshing but with a kick.”
Mr. C
Ingredients
2 ounces mandarin purée
1½ ounces Yacht Club vodka
2½ ounces Cipriani Prosecco
½ ounce lemon juice
Directions
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake lightly and pour into a rocks glass. Top with additional Cipriani Prosecco to make it extra bubbly for summer nights.
