14 July 27 - August 2, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Midterm Report These are the ten best new Miami restaurants to open in 2023 — so far. BY NICOLE DANNA J ust when you didn’t think it could get any busier, hyped, or pumped up, Miami’s restaurant scene keeps growing. The coronavirus pandemic didn’t dampen the Magic City’s spirit. It made everyone, including restaurateurs, real- ize how appealing a Miami address could be. Over the years, we’ve seen plenty of influx. Some are transplants from cities like New York and Chicago. Some hail from the West Coast. Others are longtime Miamians who decided to strike out for new territory. Still, others were birthed out of sheer moxie — the product of local chefs and ravenous entrepre- neurial spirits finding the courage to conjure their concepts and thrive. This year saw so many new restaurant openings we had a hard time keeping up with the count. All in all, we’d venture to say more than 100 new establishments opened their doors. A mind-boggling number, to be sure, and so much variety — from fancy New York City sashimi spot Bondi Sushi to Regatta Grove, an open-air, waterfront concept from Breakwater Hospitality — and everything in between. Among the newbie establishments are plenty of hometown heroes, from Giorgio Ra- picavoli’s Eating House, which celebrated with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 13, to News Cafe, a longtime South Beach haunt that reopened in March with a facelift and menu reboot while staying true to its ori- gins. And the New Schnitzel House is a be- loved concept brought back to life by the owner of Gramps in Wynwood. But what are our absolute favorites? The ones we’d name if we had to stop at ten? Glad you asked! Below, in alphabetical order, are our picks for the ten best new restaurants to open in Miami during the first half of 2023. Amelia’s 931 13601 SW 26th St., Miami 305-554-4949 amelias1931.com Chef Eileen Andrade is back to melding Cuban and Asian cuisine with her newly revamped and expanded take on Amelia’s 1931, the diner- inspired restaurant she opened in 2017. She’s also the creator of Finka Table & Tap. The chef’s latest passion project, named after her abuela, goes beyond its origins with a sexy, so- phisticated new look and a full bar. Cuban diner fare no more, the upgraded menu offers a melding of Cuban and Asian influences, fla- vors, and textures, from escargot with umami butter and Cuban bread to a kimchi clam chowder. Composed plates highlight creative fare like boniato gnocchi with rocoto cream sauce, braised oxtail with tamal en cazuela, go- chujang paella, and steak frites dressed with guajillo black bean pepper sauce. For dessert, there’s a play on pan con timba, made here with coconut cream cheese mousse and guava sandwiched between two Maria cookies. Branja 5010 NE Second Ave., Miami 786-765-5555 branjamiami.com There’s something special about Branja, Mas- terChef Israel winner Tom Aviv’s new Miami restaurant. A self-taught culinary savant, he uses both humor and fusion to create dishes such as “falafish,” an unexpectedly light, fried hybrid of falafel and fish, and “fishwarma,” where a mix of spiced, fatty fishes, usually salmon and grouper, replicates shawarma. It’s beautiful, too. The in- door-outdoor eatery located in the bohe- mian retail center that is Upper Buena Vista was designed to evoke Tel Aviv’s acid- washed ‘70s with up- cycled tortoiseshell and Bakelite-style cutlery, reclaimed synagogue bench seating, and a stunning stained-glass ceiling that throws down color all the time but is especially potent during the golden hour. Brasserie Laurel 698 NE First Ave., Miami 305-330-9048 brasserielaurel.com Ariete Hospitality and Michael Beltran offer some of the best dining in Miami, and Brasse- rie Laurel — named this year’s pick for New Times’ “Best Restaurant (Downtown)” — is no exception. Here, French fare is given the Beltran twist via the creativity of executive chef Ashley Moncada, with dishes like beef Wellington, frog legs, and crêpes Suzette made with a modern Miami touch. Open for brunch, lunch, and dinner, the restaurant highlights all the bistro classics you can imag- ine, with sweet and savory crêpes for brunch, a steak sandwich for lunch, and escargot and foie gras at dinner. Calle Dragones 1036 SW Eighth St., Miami 786-722-8370 calledragones.com Dinner and cabaret pair perfectly at Calle Dragones, the Miami restaurant named for the street in Havana’s predominantly Chinese neighborhood that aims to offer diners a new take on Cuban cuisine with Asian elements. Chef/owner Luis Pous, a Cuban native, has seemingly done it all, rising through the culinary ranks to serve as a guest chef at James Beard House in New York City and working in prestigious spots like George V Hotel in Paris and Little Palm Island in the Keys. But his true pièce de résistance? Opening a restaurant that celebrates Havana’s heyday. From the ribs with arepas to a pineapple and lychee Pavlova, every creation holds a story to showcase his heritage and love for Cuba. So where does the cabaret come in? Weekly programming with live performances and music includes “Spanish Fiesta” Thursdays, “Havana Tropical Nights” Fridays, “Salsa Disco Fever” on Saturdays, and “World Carnaval Day” on Sundays for a truly transportive dining experience. Maty’s 3255 NE First Ave., Miami 786-338-3525 matysmiami.com Miami’s Val Chang opened her passion proj- ect Maty’s in March, a concept inspired by her grandmother and memories of childhood dishes. The menu doesn’t separate starters from main plates but instead reads like a list from light to heavy. Some highlight single in- gredients, like the “tortitas” corn fritters, “choclo” Andean corn in a creamy huancaína sauce, or tomatoes with lima beans in an aji limo pepper broth. Don’t miss Chang’s many variations of ceviche, a specialty that rotates according to what is fresh and in season but always served with a colorful presentation. Pastis Miami 380 NW 26th St., Miami 305-686-3050 pastismiami.com Keith McNally opened a Miami outpost of Pastis, his New York City rendition of a clas- sic Parisian bistro, to great fanfare this spring. The restaurant does a dandy job of ▼ Café Photo by Ruth Kim MasterChef Israel winner Tom Aviv opened Branja earlier this year. BRANJA IN UPPER BUENA VISTA WAS DESIGNED TO EVOKE TEL AVIV’S ACID- WASHED ‘70S.
