February 2023 Miami Restaurant Openings and Closings

Miami's new restaurants include Queen South Beach, Love Life Cafe, and more.

March 7, 2023

Image: The main dining room at Queen Miami Beach

The main dining room at Queen Miami Beach Photo by Sebastian Bednarski

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While most of the country waited out the cold weather storms, Miamians were busy trying new restaurants. The hospitality industry is booming in the Magic City, with many new establishments opening in every possible sector — from fast-casual lunch spots to lavish places to see and be seen.

Notable openings include Antonio Bachour's new Design District restaurant, Tablé by Bachour, and Tom Aviv's Branja.

Sadly, Miami lost its beloved wine bar, Bar Meli (though No Reservations by Bar Meli's owner, Liza Meli, is in the world), Sour Seed closed in Midtown Miami, and Estiatorio Ornos by Michael Mina abruptly shuttered at the Aventura Mall.

Miamians can look forward to the grand reopening of the News Cafe this week, along with the imminent opening of Val Chang's restaurant, Maty's.

click to enlarge

Dishes at Branja

Branja photo

Openings

Branja. 5010 NE Second Ave., Miami; 786-765-5555; branjamiami.com
Brewlihan Mead Company. 3472 NE 5th Ave Unit 1, Oakland Park, brewlihan.com
Carrot Express. 14538 SW Fifth St., Pembroke Pines; 754-221-0474; carrotexpress.com
DC Pie Co. 8455 NW 53 St., Doral; dcpieco.com
El Chinito. 223 NW 23rd St., Miami; elchinitolatino.com
Fresh Kitchen. 3201 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-239-6005; eatfreshkitchen.com
Giselle. 15 NE 11th St., Miami; 305-358-9848; gisellemiami.com
Hibachi House. 929 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-763-8780; thehibachihouse.com
Just Salad. 800 Brickell Ave., Miami; 866-673-3767; justsalad.com
La Fuga. 2900 Riomar St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-908-7308; shorebreakfortlauderdale.com
Love Life Cafe. 545 NW 26th St., Miami; 305-456-4148; lovelifecafe.com
Midorie. 3444 Main Hwy., Miami; 305-775-2233; midoriemiami.com
Moxies. 201 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-666-6861; moxies.com
Naked Taco. 8888 SW 136 St., Miami; 786-250-3399; lovenakedtaco.com
Nara. 3881 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach; 305-947-0064; naramiami.com
Queen Miami Beach. 550 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; queenmiamibeach.com
Tablé by Bachour. 180 NE 40th St., Miami; 786-842-0551; antoniobachour.com
ThoroughBread Pizza. 236 NE Fourth St., Miami; 786-360-1852; thoroughbread.miami
Zeru. 1395 Brickell Ave., Miami; 786-809-1786; zerumiami.com

click to enlarge

Bar Meli's Liza Meli

Photography by Stian Roenning

Closings

Bar Meli
Estiatorio Ornos by Michael Mina
Sour Seed

click to enlarge
The Tony South Beach hotel, home of the old News Cafe — and the new one

Goldman Properties photo

Coming Attractions

Angelo Elia Pizza Bar — opening at Aventura ParkSquare
Apocalypse BBQ — pop-up opening brick-and-mortar location
Biscayne Bay Brewing — opening a location in downtown Miami
Black Tap — New York burger and shake restaurant opening in Brickell
Bodega Taqueria — locations in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, and more coming soon
Bouchon Bistro — Thomas Keller brings his bistro to Coral Gables
Brasamasa — opening in downtown Miami
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop — automated dumpling shop opening in Wynwood
Café Habana — New York restaurant opening in Brickell
Dream State Brewing — opening at Sistrunk Marketplace
Eataly — coming to Miami
El Vecino — Michael Beltran opening a cigar lounge
Etta — Chicago transplant opening at Miami Worldcenter
Esplanade at Aventura — new dining and shopping complex in Aventura with Jarana and more
Dairy Goods — opening first Miami location
Felice — opening in Brickell
The Forge — David Grutman to reopen this iconic Miami Beach restaurant
Gramps 2 — opening soon
Gramps by the Sea — opening soon
Hell's Kitchen — Gordon Ramsay brings his reality-themed restaurant to Miami
The Henry — Los Angeles brunch spot opening in Miami
Icebox Cafe — opening in the Falls
Julia & Henry's — food hall opening in downtown Miami
The Loyal — New York brasserie coming to Miami
Lucky Cat — Gordon Ramsay is bringing his Asian-inspired restaurant to Miami Beach
Mai-Kai — beloved restaurant reopening in the future
Maty's - Val Chang opens a tribute to her family.
Marina Village — ppening in Fort Lauderdale
Ma/re — opening in Miami
Maple & Ash — Chicago steakhouse opening at Miami Worldcenter
Michy's Kitchen Shack — Michelle Bernstein opening a fast-casual fried chicken restaurant
The News Cafe - iconic restaurant reopens this week
Oro + Elixir — opening in Miami
Pastis — iconic NYC bistro coming to Wynwood
Pubbelly Sushi — expanding with several new locations
Rao's — classic NYC red sauce restaurant opening in Miami Beach
Sant Ambroeus — opening at Bal Harbour Shops
Sports & Social — sports bar and entertainment complex opening in Miami
Sprouts Farmers Market — opening in Miami
Sra. Martinez — Michelle Bernstein is bringing back the beloved restaurant
Stalk & Spade — plant-based, fast-casual restaurant coming to South Florida
Sugar Factory — opening at Firestone Garage
Torno Subito — Massimo Bottura is opening a restaurant on the Julia & Henry's rooftop
Trader Joe's — opening in Edgewater
Whole Foods Market — opening in Edgewater; proposed megastore in Sunset Harbour and new Fort Lauderdale locations
Wicked Lick — Key West nitro ice cream shop looking to open in Miami

Laine Doss is the former food editor of Miami New Times. She has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.

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