The lounge area of Giselle is the place for signature cocktails. There’s also a 14-seat marble bar. Craig Denis

Giselle, the upscale restaurant perched on the rooftop of one of Miami’s hottest nightclubs, is ready for its moment in the spotlight.

A collaboration between all-night party destination E11even and The Restaurant People, Giselle opens Feb. 3, just in time to ensnare the lucky souls who flee south each year when temperatures drop. The concept’s over-the-top look was created by Cape Town-based designer Tristan Du Plessis, who has incorporated elements from around the globe — Italy, Paris, London, Greece, the Netherlands, South Africa, New York, and, yes, Miami.

To get to the restaurant you take a private elevator to the main entrance. Walk through a mosaic-tiled tunnel until you reach the foyer, where you will then forge onward to whichever part of Giselle appeals most.

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A retractable roof covers the whole restaurant, which has indoor and outdoor seating. There’s the 14-seat marble bar, where you can sit and sip cocktails like the Head Over Heels, a blend of E11even vodka, sparkling rosé, raspberry, lemongrass and citrus served in — what else? — a glass stiletto. The drink is designed to be shared, so persuade your companion to try it.

Or you could order the French Kiss, with Sipsmith London dry gin, champagne and lemon, and keep it all to yourself.

The main dining area of Giselle features greenery and wood paneling and can seat parties of any size, from intimate tables for two to tables for 10. Craig Denis Craig Denis Creative

Extending from the bar is a terrace with lounge seating that’s separated from the main dining area, which boasts one of those TikTok- and Instagram-friendly neon signs, this one saying “I’ll be here, if by chance, you’ll be too.” (Just ignore the grammatical situation created by those words and that punctuation and order a drink, OK?)

The central dining area offers table settings of all sizes, from tables for two to big booths that can accommodate 10 in a partially enclosed space.

And then there’s the Dream Room, an over-the-top setting with French lace, baroque style and walls and ceilings with 3D wood-carved details. The space, which has an open kitchen, offers exclusive experiences for guests and is the spot for private dinners or events.

In the baroque Dream Room is an open and interactive kitchen that will present exclusive experiences for guests. Craig Denis

Executive Chef Gustavo Zuluaga designed the menu, which blends Asian, French and Mediterranean cuisines. Appetizers include bluefin tuna truffle cones with 24 karat gold leaf, hamachi crudo, truffle toast and pork ribs. Seafood entrees include Chilean sea bass, branzino and flaming lobster Thermidor, while meat lovers can dine on Japanese A5, a Flaming Australian Wagyu Tomahawk or Peking chicken. There’s also a six-course tasting experience.

Restaurateur and entrepreneur Alan Roth, a Miami partner to The Restaurant People, told the Miami Herald last November that Giselle would capitalize on Miami’s growing reputation as an international hot spot.

“It feels like you could be in any top city around the world,” he said of the new venue. “I hope when people walk into this space they feel like they’re in another world, and they allow their inhibitions to be taken away and experience something new.”

The Head Over Heels cocktail, served in a glass stiletto, is intended to be shared and combines E11even vodka, sparkling rose, raspberry, lemongrass and citrus. Courtesy of Giselle

Giselle

Where: 14 NE 11th St., Miami

Opening: Feb. 3

Hours: 6 p.m.-late Wednesday-Sunday

Reservations: gisellemiami.com

There are three big tables for large parties in Giselle’s Central Dining area. Craig Denis Craig Denis Creative

This story was originally published February 02, 2023 12:00 PM.