When Lester's opened in Wynwood two years ago, the coffee shop and wine bar was a welcome addition, selling a carefully curated selection of art magazines and journals and offering Wi-Fi along with a limited (but also carefully curated) selection of beer, wine, coffee, and light fare.
Soon, Lester's was hosting various pop-up dinners in addition to its Moustache Comedy Ride nights, live music, poetry readings, and just about any other form of artistic endeavors that nurture Miami's cultural community. The only thing missing from the evolving Lester's: an equally evolving menu of food and drinks.
Lester's owner Daniel Milewski has enlisted the help of consultant Chris Hudnall to enhance and grow Lester's food and beverage program. The result is a menu full of inexpensive and creative food and cocktails designed to fill your stomach without emptying your wallet -- which in Miami is quite unique.
For instance, while some restaurants charge around $15 for ramen noodles (you know, the stuff college kids eat because they can buy them for under a buck), Lester's version, the Harrison (ramen noodles with cucumber, garlic, red pepper, scallion, and house-made peanut teriyaki sauce), costs only six bucks.
Sandwiches such as the Presley -- a peanut butter and jam sandwich ($6; $2 extra for bacon jam) -- and the Parsons, a mozzarella sandwich with tomato, honey, Dijon mustard, and bacon jam ($7), are fresh, playful, and budget-friendly.
Lester's will also offer a cheese and cured meat platter featuring Manchego, drunken goat, and espresso rub chorizo ($14). Add premium cheese such as ginger Gouda and pecorino truffle for an additional $6.
But what we're most excited about is the addition of beer and wine cocktails, created by Hudnall exclusively for Lester's. The Fizzy Sangria ($6) turns the sangria of the week into a fruity soda of sorts by charging it with gas, while the Guatemalan Guinness ($7) combines the kick of an espresso with the complexity of Youngs Double Chocolate Stout for a potent drink that resembles a mocha with bite. Hot August days call for a Wynwood Shandy ($6), made with Magic Hat #9 and Sprite, and your new morning drink might just be the Lesterlada, a take on the michelada, made with Narragansett, tomato, spices, lime, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce.
Not into beer or wine? House-made root beer, ginger beer, orange soda, and Chinese five-spice soda are offered for $3 each, and a full line of coffee drinks, such as the coffee float, made with cream chocolate sorbet and Coca-Cola ($6), are available.
The entire menu launches Thursday, August 1, but limited items are available now.
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