Japanese Restaurant, Makoto in Miami Beach Named Top 100 Restaurants in the Country

Makoto, a modern, upscale Japanese restaurant in Bal Harbour Shops, was the only restaurant from Miami-Dade County to make OpenTable’s annual Top 100 Restaurants list. Makoto Okuwa, the restaurant’s chef and partner, leads the restaurant, which opened in 2011, and serves sushi and robata dishes that is cuisine cooked on a fire grill.

Makoto relocated to the third floor of the luxury outdoor mall earlier this year and was updated by international designer India Mahdavi. The space now has indoor and outdoor seating for 244 people, as well as a new terrace and sushi counter. The restaurant’s ownership group’s Stephen Starr responded to the news by praising the Makoto staff.

According to Starr, “The team at Makoto has demonstrated excellence in hospitality from the beginning, and it’s great to have those efforts recognized by our patrons. To be named as one of the top 100 restaurants in the country is an exciting honor and a reflection of our incredible, dedicated staff members.”

With ten restaurants each, Florida and Nevada tied. Fort Lauderdale had two favorites on the list, Louie Bossi Ristorante and Takato, while Tampa had three. To compile the list, OpenTable analyzed more than 13 million verified reviews from 47 cities in 21 states. Only those who book through OpenTable and dine there can leave reviews.

MAKOTO is located at Bal Harbour Shops at 9700 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach.

Let’s Take a Moment for Miami’s First Vermouth Bar-Victoria’s Vinos y Vermuteria

The team behind LoKal, Kush, and Spillover, Matt Kuscher and Kush Hospitality will debut their newest concept, Victoria’s Vinos y Vermuteria, a Spanish vermouth, and natural wine bar located in Coconut Grove. Victoria’s Vinos y Vermuteria will be located at Vicky’s House, a former milkshake stand and beer store for Kush.

The first woman in the industry to design and open a vermouth bar in the United States, Corporate Beverage Director Cristina Suarez, helped launch the establishment. The bar itself has a strong emphasis on Spanish wines and ciders, large-format craft beers, and a variety of unique house-made vermouths.

Suarez has fallen in love with vermouth thanks to her research and education to the point where mezcal is no longer her preferred libation. Suarez states, “We want them to have a special, instructive, and private experience and leave here feeling they have learned something new in a stylish, sexy atmosphere. We’re not expecting them to discover the enthusiasm we might have for vermouths.”

The bar itself is designed to serve as both a “waiting room” for LoKal patrons and a stand-alone attraction, making it ideal for couples out on a date. Along with fantastic pours, it will serve small foods in the tapas manner, charcuterie boards, Chicken Skins, and Sandwich de Mescla, Caviar, Pan con Tomate, and more. Vermouths will be offered in a variety of designs and flavor profiles, with options that are both common and uncommon.

The highlight of Victoria’s menu is vermouth, a bittersweet fortified wine that has been spiked with alcohol and laced with herbs. Kuscher’s signature blend, which is described as “Christmasy and warm on the palate,” as well as a second, lighter variety by Suarez called Titi Marie vermouth are just two of the house-made vermouths served in the new establishment, which was launched in collaboration with Kush’s corporate beverage director Cristina Suarez.

Many natural wines, Spanish ciders (poured in the Asturian manner of extended pouring), large format craft beers, tapas-style small meals, charcuterie boards, “not-so-fancy” tea sandwiches, caviar, and other items are also available.

Victoria’s is officially open today and their hours include Wednesday through Sunday, 5 pm to close.

Michelin Star and Miami Born Chef Officially Opens Brasserie Laurel at Miami Worldcenter

In the recently constructed Miami Worldcenter Caoba apartment tower in Downtown Miami, chef and restaurateur Michael Beltran has officially opened Brasserie Laurel, a French-focused eatery.

Escargot, frog legs, foie gras, deer tartare, beef Wellington, chicory salad, turbot in tomato beurre blanc, and Maine lobster with veal sweetbreads are just a few of the French classics on the menu at Laurel, which was devised by executive chef Ashley Moncada, a former chef de cuisine at Ariete.

Ashley Moncada, the new chef employed by Beltran at the establishment, trained at Ariete during the pandemic that has been going on for the past two years. Her first substantial project is this eatery.

“We see Laurel as Ariete’s younger sister. It’s a new approach to French brasserie food. Think Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, La Tour d’Argent in Paris,” states Chef Beltran.

Tom Lasher-Walker, the restaurant’s beverage director, provides modernized versions of classic cocktails such the Beneath the Sheets, which is created with aged rum and pineapple, and the Corpse Reviver Royal, a late 19th-century concoction made with gin, bubbles, and absinthe. Speaking of absinthe, there is a fountain behind the bar at Laurel where it is readily available. A sizable selection of champagnes and wines in the French and Old World styles completes the menu.

The restaurant’s interior, which is housed inside the flashy Miami Worldcenter, maintains the French concept throughout with its use of deep blue, gold, and dark wood. Two additional Ariete Hospitality eateries, Chug’s Express and El Vecino, will also make their Miami Worldcenter debuts in the upcoming months next to Laurel.

Favorites from Chug’s Diner including croquetas, pastelitos, and coffee will be available at the Chug’s Express “ventanita.” El Vecino, on the other hand, will be an upscale cigar bar that offers a full alcohol menu along with light meals including mussels, a variety of meat and cheese, a greek burger, foie torchon, and a variety of snacks.

The Scapegoat in Miami Beach, the Taurus in Coconut Grove, Ariete, Nave, Chug’s, and most recently, the Gibson Room on Coral Way make up the Ariete Hospitality Group’s fast-expanding restaurant portfolio.

Downtown Miami’s Brasserie Laural can be found at 698 NE 1st Avenue. They are open from 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday.

New Restaurant Set to Open on E11EVEN’s Rooftop January 2023-Giselle

The crew behind E11EVEN Miami, and the renowned restaurant management company, The Restaurant People, are collaborating to deliver Giselle, a brand-new, top-notch culinary experience, to Miami.

Giselle Miami will be a vibrant addition to the local culinary scene, fusing exquisite design, globally inspired taste, elevated cocktail programming, and supreme hospitality-driven service in a warm, sexy, and authentic environment. It will be located on the rooftop of E11EVEN Miami, in the center of Downtown’s Arts and Entertainment District. Giselle Miami, which is scheduled to open in early 2023, will take visitors on a voyage to see the world through Giselle’s eyes.

From her presentation to the sense of mystery she instills in each visitor that enters her doors, Giselle is chic yet eclectic, seductively alluring, edgy, and downright opulent on every level. Tristan du Plessis, a multi-award-winning interior architect based in South Africa, was commissioned by the team to fully redesign the area with high-style decor from countries such as Italy, the Netherlands, Paris, London, Greece, New York, South Africa, and Miami.

Chef Gustavo Zuluaga has created a cuisine that is full of surprise flavors and sophisticated international influences. He adds years of experience to the anticipated concept. Fresh, internationally-inspired food enhanced with Giselle’s distinctive added flair is what guests can expect. The names, flavor profiles, and presentations of an opulent selection of expertly made cocktails and a lengthy variety of high-end wines and spirits will entice guests with memories of exciting journeys and unforgettable evenings out.

The name E11EVEN is closely associated with cutting-edge entertainment concepts, forward-thinking hospitality, and living life to the fullest. In 2014, the award-winning ultraclub E11EVEN Miami opened its doors in downtown Miami, launching the E11EVEN brand.

E11EVEN Life, a subsidiary of hats and apparel that sells over $1 million worth of branded headwear annually, E11EVEN Vodka, a women-owned, ultra-premium spirit in which E11EVEN leased its intellectual property, and other entities make up the current E11EVEN ecosystem. E11EVEN Hotel & Residences and E11EVEN Residences Beyond are two sold-out twin 65-story high-rise skyscrapers in downtown Miami with 850 units. E11EVEN Sound by DAS Audio restores sound to the forefront of the nightclub sensory experience and can be found in venues in 13 countries.

The property, which is connected by a sky bridge, has a pool club, a Chopra Spa, and 5star dining. E11EVEN Crypto was launched to create various NFT collections on the Ethereum blockchain, starting with the sold-out 11 Captain’s Club. E11EVEN Music is a record label and artist/producer management company, and its first artist, 11APE, was born meta-primate #11 in the Bored Ape Yacht Club. The newest project is Giselle  Miami

The address of Giselle is 15 NE 11 St., Miami, FL 33132.

New York Based Seafood Restaurant to Open in Miami Beach

Miami Beach will welcome the seafood restaurant Catch in 2023 thanks to the New York-based Catch Hospitality Group.

At 200 South Pointe Drive, the restaurant will take up 22,000 square feet. New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Aspen, Colorado are the current sites of Catch.

The restaurant space at the Continuum is owned by Los Angeles-based Black Lion, and Catch Hospitality, led by partners Tilman J. Fertitta, Mark Birnbaum, and Eugene Remm, negotiated a 15-year lease with Black Lion. The deal’s landlord and renter were both represented by Jeremy Hakala of Newmark’s Miami office.

According to Fertitta, “On the heels of two successful openings on the west coast, we are ready to continue our expansion. Miami Beach has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years, and the city’s evolving dining scene makes it the perfect time to bring our iconic brand to one of the greatest destinations in the world.”

Both indoor dining and a patio with a retractable roof will have an equal number of seats available. The Rockwell Group, based in New York, will create the design.

Steak, sushi, and seafood will all be offered on the menu. Private and semi-private events will be possible to be held at the restaurant.

Other well-known eateries like Prime 112, Carbone, Joe’s Stone Crab, and Milos will be close to Catch.

Black Lion acquired space for a restaurant in September in Miami’s Zaha Hadid-designed condominium One Thousand Museum. For the owner of the commercial property, it was his tenth purchase in South Florida.

MM Club Miami Now Accepting Reservations

MM CLUB, a private club accessible only to MM members and guests, is officially open for reservations. Located on the second floor beneath MILA Restaurant, the MM Club was curated by Michelin Star Chefs Michael Collantes and Michael Michaelidis with a concise menu and customized mixology inspired by the Mediterranean as well as Japan.

MM is intended to be the first lifestyle membership club to create a network of luxury restaurants, lounges, and other entertaining venues within the members-only access to the private area.

By giving its member’s priority access when visiting all locations, including out-of-state venues, MM reimagines how individuals navigate through dining experiences. Adding a whole new level of value to what member benefits stand for, MM is a symbol of class, refinement, and good taste. The annual cost for the membership is $5,000.

Gregory and Marine Daly, the restaurant’s creators who are French, own and run it on behalf of Rivera Dining Group. Mila “overnight became one of the top-grossing restaurants in South Florida,” according to Gregory Daly, despite having to close shortly after its opening in 2020 because of the COVID-19 epidemic. Since the restaurant’s opening, he calculates that more than 220,000 patrons have come through the door annually.

Take a Look Inside the Design District’s Newest Italian Restaurant with a Pink Flair – Sofia

With the opening of Sofia in Miami’s Design District, the team behind Miami favorites Byblos and Amal has continued to grow throughout South Florida. The chic, predominantly pink restaurant is a Toronto import that offers fine Italian cuisine.

In close proximity to the recently Michelin-recognized Itamae, Sofia debuts a menu of both contemporary and classic Italian meals that are produced with a refined technique and seasonal ingredients to honor the true flavors of Italy. A variety of antipasti will be available, including Crudo, grilled octopus, citrus salads, and ricotta-stuffed zucchini.

For entrées, Sofia serves traditional handmade pasta dishes like rigatoni alla vodka and cacio e pepe al tartufo. Among the standouts from the carne mains are wagyu filets, breaded veal, and prime striploin, among others. The pesce area also includes branzino, aragosta (butter-poached crab), and gamberetti (wild king prawn).

Sofia’s Italy-inspired cocktails stress execution and graceful presentation, and its wine list includes a variety of vintages and difficult-to-find Italian wines, which are garnished with locally grown herbs. The restaurant’s flamingo-pink, Italian-glam indoor-outdoor settings was created by award-winning group Studio Munge, and they will be brought to life every night with DJs and live performances.

Sofia hopes to become Palm Court’s newest signature restaurant, according to INK founder and CEO Charles Khabouth, despite the fact that the Design District is already home to a number of upscale eateries, including well-known Italian restaurants like MC Kitchen and Palat and Pharrell’s ultra-trendy pastel wonderland Swan.

The Sofia restaurant will be open every day of the week starting at 5 p.m. breakfast and lunch service will start soon following the supper service, which will start now.

Lettuce Entertain You Launches Aba at Bal Harbour Shops

Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, a Chicago-based restaurant chain, has officially opened its first Bal Harbour Shops location with Aba, a well-known Mediterranean eatery.

Aba’s cuisine, which was developed by Top Chef alum CJ Jacobson, and Marc Jacobs, an executive partner, features tastes from all across the Mediterranean with inspirations from Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, and Greece.

The everything Jerusalem bagel with smoked salmon spread, hamachi, and charred avocado, as well as the shawarma spiced skirt steak, are some of the standout dishes on the menu. In addition to a full bar program, a “reserve” cocktail list with higher-end portions, and a large selection of zero-proof alternatives, the wine list and bar program offer options from all around the Mediterranean and Southern California.

Aba was initially launched by the group in Chicago in 2018 to great acclaim, winning restaurant of the year from Eater Chicago readers. The popular group will open two restaurants in South Florida; the RPM Italian concept is expected to open in Palm Beach in 2023. Since 1971, Lettuce Entertain You has opened more than 130 eateries, including Beatrix, Shaw’s Crab House, Mon Ami Gabi, and RPM Italian.

With climbing ivy, olive trees, and vintage lighting, including authentic Parisian street lamps and gilded Moroccan fixtures, the 250-seat restaurant maintains its Mediterranean theme. The room is divided into two halves by an arched passageway with textured walls and leather, wicker, and teak furnishings. Both floors of the two-story building have outside dining areas, while the second-floor mezzanine has a bar and additional seats.

The Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Avenue, Unit 101, is where you can find Aba. Every day from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., the restaurant is open for dinner; later this month, lunch and brunch will be added.

Major Food Group Officially Opens Italian Restaurant in Miami’s Design District-Contessa

The upscale, well-known Italian concept Contessa has officially debuted in the Miami Design District thanks to Major Food Group, the renowned hospitality company that is responsible for bringing Carbone, Rao’s, and Dirty French Steakhouse to Miami.

Contessa is a classic yet utterly modern Italian restaurant created by MFG Co-Founders and creative powers Jeff Zalaznick, Mario Carbone, and Rich Torrisi. It is inspired by the old-world refinement of Northern Italy’s famed villas and estates.

Visitors at Contessa Miami can begin their dinner with one of the several antipasti starters, which include Proscuitto, Chianina beef carpaccio, and squash carpaccio. Of course, the menu features a number of sumptuous pasta dishes, such as the fiery lobster cappelli, the tortellini in broth, the rigatoni carbonara, the fusilli Genovese, and the rigatoni carbonara. Entree choices include grilled branzino, the traditional veal Milanese, and a 40-ounce dry-aged Fiorentina steak. The meal is finished with a variety of sweets such as gelato and cakes with pistachio, amaretto, and gianduja chocolate.

Contessa’s original location made its debut on the rooftop of The Newbury Boston last year, and it rapidly established a reputation as one of the most opulent and outstanding Italian restaurants in America.

It was hailed as the city’s “crème de la crème” of restaurants by the opulent publication Boston Common. Boston Magazine has also raved about the restaurant stating that it is one of the best Italian restaurants in the city.

Contessa Miami promises exquisite Northern Italian cuisine in addition to MFG’s renowned warm, charismatic, and polished hospitality, which is specially tailored to the city the company has called home since 2021. At that time, the company began a historic run of restaurant openings in the area, including ZZ’s Club in the Miami Design District and Sadelle’s in Coconut Grove.

Over 40 restaurants, pubs, hotels, and private clubs are now managed by the organization across the world. The company has numerous new openings scheduled for South Florida over the next six months, in addition to Contessa Miami and a variety of upcoming projects in the United States and internationally.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and is housed in a two-story building in the renowned neighborhood at 111 NE 41st Street.