There’s nothing quite like 27 Restaurant & Bar at the Freehand hostel in Mid-Beach. The Freehand stands out among five-star luxury hotels as the best spot in town to chill by the pool with a craft cocktail from the house bar, the Broken Shaker. And the restaurant is just as much of a mold breaker. No glitz or glam here—rather, this historic two-story house, built by famed architect Russell Pancoast in the 1930s, has a homey feel and low-key vibe, with a mix of old tiles and wood and hipstery prints and patterns. The phenomenal menu melds Middle Eastern and Asian flavors with American and European dishes, such as yogurt-tahini kale and Florida middleneck clams with miso and lemongrass, and at the bar, it’s easy to indulge in citrus cocktails, strong takes on old favorites, and inventive drinks with specialty reductions.
