Mellow Mushroom, the stone-baked pizza chain with a "stoner" theme, is opening its first Miami-area restaurant early next week.
The restaurant, located at 5701 Sunset Dr. in South Miami, is set to open Monday, February 23, according to Mellow Mushroom Miami's first (and so far only) tweet.
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The Atlanta-based pizza chain, which was founded in 1974 from the "free-wheelin' hippie culture of the 1970s," has grown from one shop to more than 150 locations, but somehow the restaurant never gives off a chain vibe. That could be because each Mellow Mushroom is unique, displaying original artwork and unique style and architecture. Of course, some things are consistent, such as the chain's mascot -- Mel O. Mushroom -- and his sidekick, Dude Shroomington. Check out the Shroomtopia comic for more about Mel O's backstory.
The restaurant is also popular for its tongue-in-cheek references to stoner culture with pizzas given trippy names such as the Kosmic Karma, made with feta and mozzarella cheeses, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Roma tomatoes with a pesto swirl ($12.49 to $24.49); the Magical Mystery Tour, a pesto pizza with button and portobello mushrooms, feta and mozzarella cheeses, spinach, and jalapeños on a pesto-basted crust ($12.99 to $24.99); the Funky Q. Chicken, topped with barbecued chicken, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, caramelized onions, and applewood-smoked bacon ($12.49 to $24.49); the Holy Shiitake, made with olive oil, shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella and montamore cheeses and then drizzled with garlic aioli and black truffle oil ($12.49 to $24.49); and the Thai Dye, with grilled curry chicken, mozzarella cheese, Roma tomatoes, onions, fresh basil, cucumbers, and Thai chili sauce ($12.49 to $24.99).
In addition to pizza, Mellow Mushroom serves 52 craft beers and will have the first "Alien Tap" in South Miami, where diners can serve their own beers from tableside taps.
The South Miami Mellow Mushroom marks the 18th Florida location for the chain, with a Fort Lauderdale location slated to open soon.
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