11 September 25 - OctOber 1, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | Off Site 2.0 Popular Little River brewpub changes hands. BY NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR F or years, Off Site has been one of the Upper Eastside’s most unas- suming yet beloved watering holes, tucked in Little River on the edge of Miami Shores, where lo- cals lined up for pastrami sandwiches, fried chicken, and cold beers that punched far above their weight. But as of this fall, Off Site, as we know it, is evolving into something big- ger: Off Site 2.0. The change comes as longtime owners Adam Darnell (Boxelder) and Steve Santana (Taquiza) hand the keys to Miami-born brewer Theo Castillo, founder of No Seasons Brewing. Castillo’s story is distinctly Miami. “I’m from here, born and raised and everything,” he says. “I moved back down about two years ago to launch my own brand.” That brand, No Sea- sons, is already one of the most buzzed-about names in beer, even without a taproom. In just a year and a half, Castillo’s beers earned na- tional nods from Vine- Pair and Hop Culture as one of the best new breweries in the U.S. The secret? He built a brand before he built a brewhouse. “I was learning from other people’s mistakes,” he ex- plains. “How can I get my brand started without a million dol- lars in debt and years of buildout? With my knowledge and resources, I could launch right away through distribution and start building No Seasons without the overhead.” Today, Castillo still brews his large-scale distribution batches at Magnanimous Brewing in Tampa. “It’s just easier logistically,” he notes, but every recipe, design, and detail comes from him. “It’s all my recipes, my vision. Our motto is people and beer. I wanted to create a brand that highlights the people behind hospitality as much as the product in the glass.” Off Site wasn’t always the plan. Castillo first worked behind the bar part-time while hustling to get No Seasons cans into local res- taurants and shops. He eventually brewed a few batches on Off Site’s small system and hosted low-key events, treating the spot as a kind of unofficial home base. “I was really just an employee here, but it gave me a place to connect with people and keep No Seasons visible,” he says. “Then I noticed little changes, like fewer hours; it was a tough summer. I think Adam and Steve were just spread thin. So I told them, ‘Hey, I’d be interested in buying it.’ It’s the perfect size for me.” Now, that side gig has turned into owner- ship. Castillo is reimagining the space as No Seasons Brewpub, while keeping Off Site Kitchen alive as the food anchor. Don’t worry, the soul of Off Site isn’t going anywhere. “I’m keeping the staff, giving them raises, and bringing back the pastrami,” Cas- tillo says with a grin. “But I also want to push the food further. Think specialty sandwiches like a smoked French dip on Thursdays, col- labs with local chefs, and sourcing bread and produce from Miami farms and bakeries.” He’s also expanding the beer program. Alongside his Tampa-brewed distribution beers, Castillo plans to brew small-batch, ex- perimental beers in-house. He also plans to collaborate with local brands, develop recipes that push Miami’s palate, and create drafts you won’t find anywhere else. “This way, I don’t miss a beat with distribution, but I get to experiment right here,” he says. Plus, Castillo doesn’t plan to close during the transition. A full grand opening is slated for late October, complete with fresh signage that puts No Seasons up front while keeping Off Site Kitchen proudly on the wall inside. “I’ll be here every day,” he says. “I’m not a chef, but I get to buy into one of the dopest food concepts in town and build on it. It’s about creating a space where people feel con- nected. For me, it’s always about the people and the beer.” When Taquiza’s Santana and beer maven Darnell of Boxelder opened Off Site in 2021, the menu was as minimal as it gets. It was all inspired by their one perfect fried “Super Good Chicken” sandwich, which had become popular at their Boxelder pop-up. The menu soon expanded to include burg- ers, housemade hot dogs, smoked chicken wings, and plenty of specials, which made the space a Little River gem. If you lived nearby, you’d be lucky enough to call Off Site your neighborhood hangout; the kind of place where a fried chicken sandwich and a beer doubled as the edible equivalent of a hug. The accolades followed, with Off Site winning Best Chicken Sandwich in New Times’ Best of Miami Awards in both 2022 and 2024. With Off Site 2.0, Miami’s craft beer scene gains something rare: a hometown brewer re- turning with national recognition, deter- mined to make the brewpub a major player in Miami’s food and beverage scene. “No Sea- sons is the beer. Off Site is the food. Together, it’s the brewpub Miami deserves.” Off Site Kitchen x No Seasons Brewery. 8250 NE Second Ave, Miami; 786-360-4237; offsite. miami and noszns.com. [email protected] ▼ Café Café “I’M KEEPING THE STAFF, GIVING THEM RAISES, AND BRINGING BACK THE PASTRAMI.” Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar Miami native Theo Castillo stands outside Off Site in Little River, which he will turn into Off Site Kitchen x No Seaons Beer
