Sakaya Kitchen's second location, in downtown Miami, is set to open Monday, December 12.
Chef/owner Richard Hales has been carefully monitoring downtown, looking for the right place and time to expand Sakaya Kitchen. He told Short Order he's bullish on the new venture. "I feel like we are moving into downtown Miami just at the right time, like I did in midtown in 2009."
The restaurant will have the same menu as the midtown location for lunch and dinner, as well as the same color scheme of orange and brown, but there are marked differences in the new downtown restaurant.
It will feature an extended selection of Baketress items. Fresh baked goods will vary daily, but look for a good selection of doughnuts, ice cream, pies, and Sakaya Kitchen's giant Wife Hales cookies. What you won't find are cupcakes, because the market is saturated with them.
Sakaya will also serve Panther Coffee single-origin brews personally selected by owner Joel Pollock. Espresso, latte, cold brew, and drip coffee will be available. Both coffee and baked items can be ordered at a separate, dedicated window designed to speed up the ordering process.
In addition to a selection of bottled beers and wines, Sakaya downtown will feature several beers on tap at insanely low prices. They include Magic Hat ($2) and Monk in the Trunk Native lager ($4).
As for the buzz about Hales scouting other locations to expand the Sakaya brand (we've heard Kendall and Fort Lauderdale are in the running), Hales confirmed he is looking, though he wouldn't pinpoint the locations. "Sakaya Kitchen has room to grow. We're looking in the neighborhoods my food truck Dim Ssam a Gogo did well in as a guide to where we'll be successful."
Sakaya Kitchen downtown will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 9 p.m.
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