Photo Credit: Hublot
Jean-François Sberro serves as Hublot North America’s President, where he plays a key role in positioning the luxury Swiss watch brand as part of the 10 biggest luxury watch brands in North America. He began his career in France, first joining the prestigious LVMH Group with TAG Heuer in 2004 in Switzerland, before subsequently joining the Hublot team in 2009, working closely with the great Jean-Claude Biver and Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, who served as his mentors. While he’s busy traveling throughout North America and activating the brand with incredible luxury partnerships, he calls the Magic City his home. Aside from his passion for luxury timepieces, he also loves running marathons and has a deep appreciation of art, literature and cinema, and of course, exploring Miami and all of its incredible offerings. Here, he shares his personal guide to the 305, including his favorite places to dine, drink, relax, shop and more.
Where were you born: Marseille, France
How long in Miami: Almost 8 years
Neighborhood: Brickell
Occupation: President – Hublot North America, since 2015
Favorite restaurant: Jaya at the Setai. The place I proposed to my wife in 2011, back at the time when we were living in Switzerland.
Best sushi: Nobu … with Chef Nobu!
Photo Credit: Romain Maurice/Getty Images
Best Italian: Cipriani
Best new restaurant: One of the hardest question, considering the number of new restaurants opening each year in Miami. So the safest answer is probably to say that …. the best new restaurant in Miami is most likely … the latest restaurant opened by Dave Grutman!
Best hidden gem: A super tiny but cute little café in South Beach, called Pinocchio Caffe
Best healthy eating spot: Plant Miami. Vegan food at its best.
Best dessert: Any dessert at Barton G!
Best cocktails: The ones on the cocktail list of the Setai Hotel’s bar
Best happy hour: Every hour I spend with my wife … as long as her champagne glass is full!
Best wine list: The ones we are bringing at Marion, in Brickell. A good warm-up before taking it up a notch at El Tucán
Best place for a romantic date: Casa Tua
Photo Credit: JP Yim
Best nightclub: LIV
Best Sunday brunch: Not qualifying for brunch anymore due to the presence of toddlers in my family but … planning to come back eventually!
Best place for a power business meeting: Boulud Sud
Best rooftop (pool/restaurant): Juvia
Best hotel for out of town guests: The Setai or the Soho Beach House
Favorite shopping venue/boutique: I cannot make up my mind between the Hublot boutique of the Miami Design District or the Hublot boutique in Bal Harbour. It would be like choosing between your two children.
Favorite charity event: The Hublot Best Buddies 70-mile bike ride and the gala that follows. It is amazing to see Anthony Shriver Kennedy and the team raising so much money for kids with intellectual and physical disabilities. It is a true inspiration.
Favorite cultural event: Art Basel Miami Beach and other art fairs, each at the beginning of December
Favorite cultural institution: The Wynwood Walls. Jessica and Joey Goldman have turned Wynwood into the epicenter of Street Art in Florida. Stunning.
Best steakhouse: Papi Steak (even if Drake, Fat Joe or French Montana are not in town)
Photo Credit: Romain Maurice
Best pizza: The Haute Living Pizza (caviar-style) at Joey’s in Wynwood…ideally with Joey himself and the Haute Living gang!
Best spa: The spa at the Mandarin Oriental Miami
Best lunch: Bazaar by José Andrés at the SLS South Beach. Sam Nazarian, the SLS owner, has great taste when it comes to food (and watches as well ?).
Best gym/athletic facility: The Miami Children’s Museum. It’s always a great work out to run after your kids for a half day.
Best massage: The one I get the day following the Miami marathon, at the end of the month of January
Best museum/exhibit: The Pérez Art Museum Miami for its Herzog & de Meuron architecture, as well as its art collection.
Best weekend getaway/staycation: Old Cartagena, Colombia. To me, the most romantic city in Latin America.
Describe your city in three words: The Magic City
Favorite historic/legendary place to see or explore: Villa Vizcaya in Coconut Grove
All-around favorite spot in Miami: On a boat with friends and family, off the coast of Key Biscayne
Best aspect of Miami: The sun, the ocean and the palm trees…A combination that is pretty hard to beat. What more can one wish for?
Photo Credit: Omar Vega
Celebrities
October 7, 2019Julia Roberts Steps Out In "Pretty Woman"-Inspired Polka
