12 January 16-22, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ BRICKELL LA MAR TO RELOCATE AFTER TEN YEARS AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL A critically acclaimed Peruvian and Nikkei restaurant located in Miami’s opulent Brick- ell Key neighborhood will relocate in 2025 af- ter a major hotel shakeup. Longtime waterfront spot La Mar by Gas- tón Acurio will relocate to 1451 S. Miami Ave. in Brickell in late 2025. In order to make this grand step, the restaurant will temporarily close over the summer and well into the fall. Although the new location will only be a mile from the restaurant’s current location, the move is monumental for the restaurant, which has been synonymous with the small island of Brickell Key since its opening in 2014. Just over ten years ago, La Mar opened at the Mandarin Oriental in Brickell Key to rave reviews and has been well-received ever since. On its tenth anniversary in 2023, New Times spoke with its executive chef, Diego Oka, to discuss the restaurant’s longevity and celebrate its honor of landing New Times’ Best Peruvian Restaurant 2023. For frequent diners concerned over the restaurant’s fate, the closure was not one made solely on behalf of the restaurant — a major hotel redevelopment is in the works. The Mandarin Oriental recently an- nounced it would close the Mandarin Orien- tal, Miami on Brickell Key on May 31, 2025, to “make way for a new chapter” involving a to- tal demolition and reconstruction. The build is expected to be completed in 2030 as an entirely new Mandarin Oriental, Miami property and the Residences at Man- darin Oriental, Miami. In a statement provided to New Times, Fla- via Daudan-Caponi, general manager of the property, says, “For 25 years, Mandarin Orien- tal, Miami has been a beloved part of this vi- brant city. We are deeply grateful to our guests, colleagues, and the Miami community for their loyalty and support. As we close this chapter, we look forward to celebrating our legacy and welcoming everyone to experience a haven of craftsmanship and culture for one last time.” Thankfully, for fans of the restaurant’s Mi- chelin-recognized Peruvian-Nikkei cuisine, waiting for the restaurant’s return will hardly take as long. Construction is already underway at the new South Miami Avenue location, where guests can expect a more modern dining space with architecture and interiors by internation- ally renowned studio DesignAgency. “While our new home will have the same feel and soul as the original, we’re excited to introduce a more modern take on our vision, where every dish, drink, and design element is elevated to the next iteration of La Mar,” explains Acurio. Guests can also expect updated menus and experiences — but its staples will most likely remain. “It has been an incredible ten-plus years at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, and now we are embracing the opportunity to re- fresh our look and further finesse the La Mar experience,” adds Acurio. Founded by chef Acurio in Lima in 2005 alongside chef Oka (who was part of the orig- inal Lima team), La Mar has since expanded throughout South America and globally in markets, including San Francisco, Miami, Doha, Dubai, and most recently, Bellevue, Washington. It will open in Madrid this year. Therefore, despite this major change, the future of the restaurant chain’s Miami loca- tion seems bright — only the mandatory trip across the Brickell Key bridge will no longer be necessary. La Mar by Gastón Acurio. 500 Brickell Key Dr., Miami; 305-913-8358; mandarinoriental. com. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ FORT LAUDERDALE SWANKY MIAMI SPEAKEASY SET TO BRANCH OUT Sure, speakeasies have a generally hush-hush vibe, but this news is worth shouting to the masses. Swanky Miami Beach speakeasy Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery is heading north to Bro- ward to open its long-awaited second loca- tion. The speakeasy-style bar and restaurant opens at 305 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauder- dale, on Thursday, January 23. Its original location, tucked within the Stiles Hotel on Collins Avenue, has become a late-night go-to for local cocktail aficionados and tourists seeking a sophisticated drink in a cozy setting with an ever-friendly and ex- tremely knowledgeable staff. It’s so tucked away from the masses in SoBe that guests have to ring a bell five times to walk through a revolving bookcase to enter the bar. Now that’s swanky. Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery was founded in Miami Beach by Danilo Božović, who says his Fort Lauderdale expansion is “a dream come true.” In a recent chat with New Times, he adds that he “always liked the market, the vibe, and the town of Fort Lauderdale. Per- haps most importantly, I will keep the quality and standards of the Miami mothership. In many ways, we see this as a test drive for other U.S. cities in the future.” In examining the Fort Lauderdale space, first and foremost, yes, there is a bell to ring | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Mandarin Oriental, Miami photo The Mandarin Oriental, Miami, has been a fixture on Brickell Key for 25 years.
