Okeydokey Opens in Brickell with Local Food and Cocktails

A new food hall that blends fast-casual and full-service experiences is coming to Miami.

The new venue is Okeydokey, a project that is several years in the making, according to cofounder and CEO Stephane Benkemoun.

Born and raised in France, Benkemoun tells New Times he decided to take his entrepreneurial passion from Europe to Miami to take the food hall fast-casual concept and transform it into a more refined experience.

The name, he adds, is a universal phrase that embodies positivity — and is easy to remember.

Slated to soft open today, April 19, Benkemoun says Okeydokey will combine food-hall variety with the ambiance and quality of a full-service restaurant.

"I think today it's common to have a food hall or market where you get a lot of food options, but you're missing the table experience with your friends," he adds. "Our concept — which combines eats, drinks, and beats — lets you have it all under one roof."

Located at 268 SW Eighth St. in Miami's Brickell neighborhood, the building's urban, retro interior houses five full-service kitchens on the first floor, one full-service kitchen on the second floor, three bars, and an outdoor patio and bar that will open in the coming weeks.
A second phase will include opening Okeydokey's third, exclusive floor open to guests 21 and over. The late-night entertainment venue will offer an extensive cocktail program and nightly entertainment featuring live music, DJ performances, and more.

Okeydokey offers guests a true restaurant experience from start to finish, explains Benkemoun. Upon entering, a hostess greets guests before leading them to a table on the first or second floor. Once seated, Okeydokey's tech-forward QR code ordering system allows guests to make selections from any of the restaurant concepts via their mobile devices, or they can opt to interact and place orders with their table's dedicated service leader.

The venue's list of vendor partners was thoughtfully curated to reflect the ethnic diversity of Magic City while also serving as an incubator for local establishments and burgeoning culinary talent. The three-story space features more than a half-dozen restaurants from some of Miami's top restaurant groups.

They include Little Bird by Doce Provisions, a restaurant helmed by chef/owners Justin Sherrer and Lisetty Llampalla, which offers an eye-catching display of rotisserie chicken; Yoso Ramen, a Japanese restaurant serving ramen, poke, and boba teas; Mac, an Asian kitchen helmed by chef Michael Castino; Dal Plin, an Italian concept known for its from-scratch, housemade pasta and hand-tossed pizza; Jaffa, the Israeli restaurant helmed by executive chef Yaniv Cohen that features family-style Mediterranean fare; and Coffee Break, the second-floor coffee shop that serves breakfast, pastries, teas, coffee, and fresh-pressed juices.
In collaboration with renowned Miami bar group, Unfiltered Hospitality, Okeydokey's unique signature cocktails have been created to feature premium liquors with fresh-pressed juices, homemade syrups, exotic garnishes, and wine, beer, and sake.

Cocktails include "Freshly Squeezed," made with vodka, St. Germain, and fresh strawberries; "Sun's Out, Buns Out," an old fashioned with Japanese whisky, canton ginger, cinnamon, and orange bitters; and the "Bye Fe-Lychee!", a tiki-style cocktail with reposado tequila, sake, lychee puree, mint, and grapefruit juice.

"We are excited to finally bring this concept to life," sums up Benkemoun. "This concept is about accepting the eclectic nature of today's society to come as you are."

Okeydokey Miami. 268 SW Eighth St., Miami; okeydokey.com. Soft opening through April 27 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Coffee Break open daily 8 a.m.

Correction: A previous version of this story listed Bar Lab as the company that helped create Okeydokey's cocktail program. The story has been updated to reflect Unfiltered Hospitality as the correct company.