Pauline & Little Torch Brings a New Pulse to Miami Nights at The Shelborne By Proper

Miami has a new date-night destination, and it’s serving more than just good looks. At The Shelborne By Proper, the newly reimagined oceanfront icon on South Beach, the debut of Pauline and its moody, seductive cocktail lounge Little Torch marks a new era for Miami’s culinary and social scene.

Starting your night off with handcrafted cocktails at Little Torch, followed by a Latin American and Caribbean style dinner that was as soulful as it was sophisticated, and ending in a lobby lounge that transformed into the kind of dance floor where you can move in preparation for your night to begin or your post-Miami night out.

Little Torch, with its surrealist interiors, instantly felt like Miami’s next go-to date spot. Low lighting, plush textures, and a certain unspoken flirtation in the air make it the kind of place where one martini easily turns into three. The signature Shelborne Martini was a standout—smooth, balanced, and dangerously easy to love.

From there, guests moved into Pauline, where Culinary Director Abram Bissell—a Florida Keys native with a Michelin-starred pedigree—brought his refined creativity to the coast. His menu is a love letter to the Latin-Caribbean flavors of South Florida, full of color, warmth, and story.

If you were to go and only order the Sopa de Calabaza and the house bread, you’d already be satisfied—rich, flavorful, and comforting enough to make you forget there’s more to come. But then came the Tres Conchas, a tower of oysters, scallops, and crab that arrived like art. The Rock Shrimp Fideos and Charred Avocado Salad demonstrated that texture and technique can still feel indulgent. The Charcoal-Roasted Hearts of Palm with black truffle mangu was another highlight—unexpected and deeply satisfying.

The evening closed with Fior di Coco “Coco Flameante”, a dessert as dramatic as it was delicious. The firelight flickered across the tables as DJ Cut Copy took over the lobby area. Soon, guests drifted from dinner to dancing, as the atmosphere shifted from elegant to effortlessly electric.

From start to finish, the debut of Pauline and Little Torch was food that told a story, cocktails that flirt with your senses, and a rhythm that keeps you dancing long after midnight.