Mason, Midtown's New Late-Night Diner, Opens Monday

Beaker & Gray chef Brian Nasajon will open his second restaurant, Mason, this Monday, June 4. Located in the former Gigi space, adjacent to the Shops at Midtown Miami, the late-night diner will serve comfort food, from bagels and breads to smoked deli meats and sweets, until 2 a.m. daily.

"The idea is to bring in this really authentic, old-school-diner feel, but in today’s world," Nasajon told New Times this past February.

Incorporating Nasajon's Uruguayan and Jewish roots, the result is a 2,500-square-foot, art deco-inspired space stocked with sandwiches, salads, cured meats, and sweets, all made in-house.

“I think about what my younger self would want to eat and how to make it with quality ingredients," he says. "I want to create an atmosphere where people can sit with their family and friends or hang out for hours working on their laptop."
The restaurant is outfitted with champagne-pink leather booths, dark wood tables, and a white marble diner counter, as well as an open kitchen designed with sparkly subway tiles. Metal tables and chairs are available for alfresco dining.

The menu is massive. A peek reveals bagel bites stuffed with nova lox and dill cream ($13); mac 'n' cheese made with Parmesan, cheddar, and fontina ($13); New England clam chowder with bacon and crispy potato ($12 to $16); and a chef salad with ham, pastrami, and pesto ($17).

In true deli fashion, Mason offers sandwiches piled high with pastrami, beef, or ham ($16), as well as a selection of egg plates such as pastrami hash ($16) and the Goopy Egg, served with manchego, sour cream, and a bagel chip ($14).

Pastry chef John Maieli is behind Mason's sweets. He rounds out the menu with Belgian waffles; buttermilk pancakes; challah French toast; cookies, including chocolate crackle, white chocolate macadamia, and oatmeal; jars filled with soft-serve, cookie dough, and mousse; and vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry milkshakes ($8 to $13).

As you dine, sip cocktails by Beaker & Gray's Ben Potts, who helped finance Mason. He'll offer the A Mason Grace, made with sparkling rosé, blonde ale, and Belvoir; and the Green Tea Cobbler, containing green tea, honey, and Tio Pepe sherry ($11). Freshly squeezed juices include orange, pineapple, watermelon, cucumber, grapefruit, mango, and carrot ($6).

In a few months, Nasajon will open an adjacent commissary, which will host cooking classes and other interactive food-focused experiences.

"Mason is meant to be a place where you can dine multiple times a week," Nasajon says, "and always have an enjoyable experience with great food in a comfortable setting.”

Mason. 3470 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 786-618-5150; masoneatery.com. Open daily 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. beginning Monday, June 4.