22 September 24-30, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES TASTE 2026 | FALL FOOD PREVIEW S ome places from childhood seem frozen in time, and for me, Deli Lane is one of them. Growing up in Pinecrest, I spent countless weekends riding bikes with my mom up Red Road toward South Miami. We’d pass my favorite Red Road strip mall, keep pedaling north, and eventually make that familiar turn toward Deli Lane. The moment our tires hit that little cobblestone street, tucked away from the traffic of South Dixie Highway, it felt like coming home. There was breakfast waiting at the end, of course. But there was also that unmistakable Deli Lane feeling: the shaded patio, familiar plates, and a sprawling menu, where my be- loved “Max’s Omelet” seemed to be waiting for me every weekend. That’s the magic of Deli Lane. For genera- tions of South Miami and Pinecrest residents, it hasn’t simply been a restaurant. It’s been part of the neighborhood’s muscle memory. Which is why news that its longtime home would eventually be demolished hit regulars so hard. But co-founder Jahn Kirchoff wants them to know something: Deli Lane isn’t going anywhere. In fact, nearly four decades after opening in 1988, it’s about to embark on what may be its biggest chapter yet. Deli Lane is preparing to leave its longtime home at 7230 SW 59th Ave. and move across the driveway into the historic Dorn Buildings at the corner of Sunset Drive and U.S. 1. The move became necessary after AvalonBay Communities bought the surrounding property for redevelopment. But instead of disappearing, Deli Lane found a way to stay in South Miami. Built in the 1920s by brothers Harold and Robert Dorn, the three-building complex once included the Dorn-Martin drugstore, South Florida Bank and South Miami Post Office. South Miami designated the Dorn Brothers Buildings a historic site in 2005. Now, one of South Miami’s oldest restau- rants will become part of that history. “We’re almost 40, and the building’s 100, so it’s the icon meets the icon,” Kirchoff says Kirchoff says the new Deli Lane Café and Tavern is undergoing a renovation costing more than $3 million. Working with a century- old structure has brought surprises, including deteriorated concrete columns that recently delayed construction, but the building is get- ting new electrical and plumbing systems alongside a complete interior transformation. “It’s going to be amazing,” he says. Deli Lane must leave its current space by Jan. 1, and Kirchoff expects the new restau- rant to be ready before then. In 1988, Kirchoff and his business partner, Mike, were looking for a catering space when Kirchoff spotted a restaurant for lease. He knew the address from his years working as executive chef at the Depot in South Miami. The space had previously housed Gold Coast Billiards before being converted into a restaurant that lasted only a few months. It then sat empty for more than a year. Kirchoff took a chance. “The rest, they say, is history,” he says. “It took us a while to get going,” Kirchoff says. “But if nothing else, we are persistent.” That persistence extends to his staff. Five employees have been with Deli Lane for more than 30 years, he says, while another eight to 10 have worked there for more than 20. “For all my accomplishments and wherewithal, Mike and I, it’s on the back of the employees that we’ve had,” Kirchoff says. “These folks have supported us, and we’ve, in turn, sup- ported them.” Perhaps the biggest question for longtime regulars is what will change. The answer? Not nearly as much as you might fear. “We’ll add a few, we’ll take off a few, but people, they love what we are, so we’re not going to change who we are,” Kirchoff says. And yes, they’re keeping those familiar plates. The new restaurant will combine Deli Lane and Sunset Tavern under the name Deli Lane Café and Tavern while maintaining dis- tinct personalities within the space. Erez De- sign is creating the interiors, with a tropical Deli Lane side intended to feel almost out- doors and a dramatic tavern centered around soaring ceilings and historic windows. Two trees are planned inside the bar. A new mezzanine seating roughly 65 to 70 people will become a private event and meet- ing space filled with touches of Sunset Tavern nostalgia and University of Miami sports memorabilia. Kirchoff also plans to keep the kitchen open until midnight, filling a late-night dining void in South Miami. And in true Deli Lane fashion, breakfast will still be available all day and night. For longtime customers, leaving that cob- blestone corner will inevitably feel bitter- sweet. Miami has watched countless beloved restaurants disappear as neighborhoods rede- velop around them, and Kirchoff understands that Deli Lane could not survive nearly four decades by pretending the city around it wasn’t changing. “For good or for bad, whatever side of it you’re on, this is a city that is evolving,” he says. “For us to stay, we have to evolve with it.” Its new home will be bigger and brighter, with soaring historic windows, an upstairs gathering space, a late-night kitchen, and a prominent new perch along U.S. 1. But the people, familiar menu favorites, and even those nostalgic plates are moving, too. But nearly 40 years after Kirchoff first opened its doors, Deli Lane isn’t becoming an- other beloved Miami restaurant we have to talk about in the past tense. It’s simply growing alongside the community that grew up with it. Deli Lane Café & Sunset Tavern. 7230 SW 59th Ave., Southt Miami; 305-665-0606; delilane.com. [email protected] NEW DIGS After nearly 40 years, Deli Lane is ready for its next chapter. by Nicole Lopez-Alvar Deli Lane is relocating to a prominent new perch along U.S. 1. Deli Lane Café & Sunset Tavern photo “For good or for bad, whatever side of it you’re on, this is a city that is evolving. For us to stay, we have to evolve with it.”
