Miami Restaurants that Opened and Closed May 2025

It's June 4, and I'm only just now catching my breath. Why? It's taken me four full days to wrap my head around the sheer volume of new restaurants, bars, and cafés that have opened in Miami and Fort Lauderdale over the past month. In what feels like a record-breaking May, a whopping 23 new spots opened, and my team and I have been eating, sipping, and scribbling our way through all of them (we have a story for almost every single opening and closing)!

We're talking everything from chains like Huey Magoo's, Cava in Plantation (people are ecstatic), and Outback Steakhouse to splashy newcomers like Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse in Fort Lauderdale and Niño Gordo in Wynwood, the Buenos Aires Asian-fusion grill ranked no. 34 in Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list (very casual). Jay's is now slinging bites in Fort Lauderdale, El Turco opened its second location in the Design District, and the debut of Donatella Restaurant brought a bit of buzz (and controversy) to the scene.

Plus, OTL made its grand return to the Design District, San Lorenzo is serving an entirely menu-less experience in Little River, and Macchialina's team quietly opened Fluke Martini and Crudo Bar, a seafood-forward stunner tucked next door to their beloved original. And if that wasn't enough, Serafina has officially landed at Miami Worldcenter, and Pura Vida has gone big with a new flagship and gelato shop in Coconut Grove that's as beautiful as it is delicious.

Unfortunately, we also lost two longtime local favorites: Iconic SoBe steakhouse Red South Beach closed its doors after 17 years in business in the South of Fifth neighborhood, and Malanga Cuban Café in Pinecrest shuttered after 13 years of malanga soup and savory pan con lechón. This may just be the wildest restaurant month I've ever covered — and I don't say that lightly. So, buckle up and keep scrolling: here's every single restaurant, bar, and café that opened and closed in May 2025 across Miami and Fort Lauderdale. P.S. - Scroll all the way down for every spot opening this year... the one that starts with an "F" and ends with an "an's" is very exciting.

Openings

Avo Miami: 2911 Grand Ave., Ste. 400d, Miami; 786-828-7138; avo-miami.com
Bad Parrot Café: 601 Silks Run, Ste. 1480, Hallandale Beach; gulfstreampark.com/bad-parrot
Blue Café at Superblue Miami: 1101 NW 23rd St., Miami; superblue.com/miami
Cava Plantation: 1714 N. University Dr., Plantation; 954-539-9978; cava.com
Donatella Restaurant: 1350 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-990-2727; donatellarestaurant.com
El Turco Design District: 140 NE 39th St., Unit 238, Miami; 786-703-5866; elturcoturkishfood.com
Fluke Martini & Crudo Bar: 820 Alton Rd., Miami Beach; macchialina.com/fluke
Go Greek Miami: 851 NE First Ave., Ste. 118, Miami; gogreekyogurt.com/pages/miami-worldcenter
Huey Magoo's Palmetto Bay: 14967 S. Dixie Hwy., Palmetto Bay; 786-785-1855; hueymagoos.com
Jay's: 441 NE Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-999-0855; jaysfortlauderdale.com
Maman Brickell: 98 SE Eighth St., Miami; 786-607-4224; mamannyc.com
Niño Gordo: 112 NW 28th St., Miami; 786; 889-8083; instagram.com/xniniogordomiax
Odd Birds Miami: 925 SW Eighth St., Miami; 786-879-6632; instagram.com/oddbirds_miami
OTL at The Moore: 4040 NE Second Ave., Miami; mooremiami.com
Outback Steakhouse: 3749 NW Seventh St., Miami; 305-200-0004; outback.com
Pura Vida Coconut Grove + Gelato by Pura Vida: 3000 Grand Ave., Miami; 305-535-4142;puravidamiami.com
San Lorenzo: 620 NE 78th St., Miami; 786-828-7136; instagram.com/sanlorenzo.miami
Serafina Miami Worldcenter: 652 NE First Ave., Miami; 305-902-1851; serafinamia.com
Skinny Louie: 153 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables; 305-389-2023; skinnylouie.com
Strada in the Grove: 3197 Commodore Plz., Coconut Grove; 305-444-1312; stradainthegrove.com
The Empanada's: 1411 Sunset Dr., South Miami; 305-699-0663; theempanadas.com
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse: 221 SW First Ave., Ste. 1, Fort Lauderdale; 954-299-3661; ukiahrestaurant.com
Wetzel's Pretzels at Macy's Dadeland Mall: 7303 N. Kendall Dr., Miami; wetzels.com

Closures

Bahama Breeze: The Caribbean vibes have faded at two Broward County Bahama Breeze locations, which suddenly shut down this past month as part of a larger round of cuts from parent company Darden Restaurants. The outposts at 2750 Sawgrass Mills Cir. in Sunrise and 3339 N. Federal Hwy. in Oakland Park are no longer serving up mojitos and coconut shrimp, joining a total of 15 Bahama Breeze restaurants that have shuttered across eight states.

Black Tap Craft Burgers: Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, the award-winning New York import known for its towering milkshakes and over-the-top burgers, has abruptly shuttered its Brickell location less than a year after opening. Black Tap Craft Burgers currently has locations in New York, California, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas.

Emmy Squared Pizza Fort Lauderdale: Emmy Squared Pizza has pulled the plug on its Fort Lauderdale location, making a swift exit just a year-and-a-half after its splashy debut. The 98-seat restaurant opened in November 2023 on North Federal Highway in Victoria Park, taking over the former Spatch Peri-Peri Chicken space with thick-crust Detroit-style pies and a half-pound, double-stack burger that had already earned national praise.

Groovy's Pizza & Grill: the greasy yet weirdly beloved dive on 27th Avenue, has officially been evicted — and depending on who you ask, it's either the end of an era or long overdue. Located between Coral Way and U.S. 1 on 27th Avenue, Groovy's wasn't known for gourmet fare or pristine conditions. In fact, it was kind of the opposite. The pizza was notoriously oily, the kitchen questionably clean, and the floor always suspiciously sticky. But it also served a crucial purpose in Miami's late-night food ecosystem: it was always open, always cheap, and always there for the students, night owls, and stumblers leaving Coconut Grove at 2 a.m. with nowhere else to go.

Malanga Cuban Café: A favorite of Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes, beloved Cuban spot Malanga shuttered its doors in Pinecrest after 13 years. Malanga Cuban Café, a beloved neighborhood restaurant in Pinecrest known for its freshly made croquetas, malanga soup, and savory pan con lechón, has shuttered after 13 years of serving the community.

Red South Beach: Named the Best Steakhouse in Miami by New Times in 2024, it's the end of an era for an iconic South Beach establishment that was once synonymous with the neighborhood. Red South Beach, also known as Red the Steakhouse, has closed its doors after 17 years in business along South Pointe Drive in the opulent South of Fifth neighborhood.

Coming Soon

All'Antico Vinaio The legendary Florence sandwich shop is coming to Lincoln Road in Miami Beach in 2025
Amal Fort Lauderdale Amal will open in Fort Lauderdale on Las Olas Boulevard this fall with Lebanese cuisine
The Bazaar by José Andrés The chef's popular Miami restaurant will reopen in South Beach this year
Big Chicken Chicken-centric, fast-casual concept from former Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal
Boustan Montréal's largest shawarma chain will open first U.S. spot in Miami with pitas, bowls, and salads
BondSt Famed South Beach sushi spot from the 2000s is reopening in Miami after closing in 2013
Burgers & Shakes Local burger chain will open in late 2025 once Andiamo Pizza moves on Biscayne Boulevard
Buccan Palm Beach's popular modern American bistro will make its Miami debut in Coral Gables in 2025
Cactus Club Cafe Popular Canadian spot will open its first U.S. location in downtown Miami this fall
China Grill Legendary Asian-fusion restaurant that closed in 2012 will reopen at Bal Harbour Shops in the next two years
Chop Steakhouse & Bar Canadian steakhouse will open in Coconut Grove at the former location of the Key Club
Delicias de España Legendary Spanish restaurant and market will open in downtown South Miami in 2025
Eataly Aventura The famed Italian food hall is opening June 12, 2025, inside Aventura Mall
Eataly West Palm Beach Opening fall 2025
Flanigan's Cutler Bay A new Flanigan's Seafood Bar & Grill will open in Cutler Bay at 20971 Old Cutler Rd.
Fooq's The beloved downtown Miami spot that closed three years ago will reopen in Little River in early 2025
Gaia Greek-Mediterranean hotspot will open in Miami's South of Fifth neighborhood in early 2025
H&H Bagels Opening five locations in Miami throughout 2025 and 2026
Hereford Grill Popular Miami steakhouse reopens spring 2025 by the owner of Zucca in Coral Gables
Hills Cafe An employee of the former Beverly Hills Café is bringing back the beloved restaurant
Juvia Miami staple with rooftop views coming to Miami Worldcenter in 2025
La Pecora Bianca trendy Italian spot from NYC is opening in Miami this year with its popular vodka sauce rigatoni
Las' Lap at the Daydrift Hotel The Indian rum bar and restaurant will open in June 2025 in Miami Beach
Luca Steak Chef Rapicavoli is opening a steakhouse in Wynwood in 2026
Melting Pot The fondue chain is opening a second Miami location in 2025 in Coral Gables
Miami Dumpling Shop Contactless dumpling shop coming to Miami Worldcenter
Pastis Palm Beach
PopUp Bagels Delray Beach Viral Connecticut bagel shop known for loaded bagels is opening in Delray this summer
PopUp Bagels Brickell and Aventura Viral bagel shop is coming to Aventura and Brickell after opening in Delray
Prince Street Pizza New York square pie pizza shop opening in Miami Beach in 2025
Raising Cane's Opening in Coral Gables along Coral Way
Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ The legendary Southern barbecue spot is opening its first Florida location in Miami
Sergio's The Cuban restaurant chain is opening in Pinecrest with a coffee window
Shoma Bazaar Hialeah Doral food hall opening a second location
Solana is set to open in the summer of 2025 at the rooftop of the Standard Residences in Midtown
Stalk & Spade Plant-based, fast-casual restaurant coming to South Florida
Sushi Garage Popular sushi spot will open at the Standard Residences in Midtown in 2025
Sweetwaters New restaurant from Rusty Pelican owners headed for Huizenga Park in Fort Lauderdale
Thomas Keller The master chef is opening a restaurant in Palm Beach in 2025
Voodoo Doughnut The popular West Coast and Midwest dessert shop is opening its first SoFlo location in Miami