Located in the burgeoning Upper Buena Vista neighborhood, just north of Wynwood and the Design District, the modern Italian restaurant offers a small but robust selection of breakfast and lunch plates.
The kitchen is led by chef/owner Pippo Lamberti, who hails from a family of restaurant owners in the Northeast. Lamberti worked at Café Boulud in Palm Beach before opening Palat earlier this year.
“In Italy, people don't rush through their meal," Lamberti says. "They make dining an experience. In America, brunch is the biggest reflection of this idea, so we want to encourage our guests to leave the day-to-day hustle and bustle at the door and embrace great company and excellent food here instead.”
On Sundays, the restaurant's main dining room opens its windows wide to the nearby outdoor patio, creating a pleasant warmth inside.
From the menu, begin with three different crostinis: avocado and egg, eggplant caponata with truffle cheese, or peas and bacon. Then, continue with the brunch burger stuffed with a fried egg, shiitake, manchego, and tomato jam. You'll also want to order the tortilla Española for the table to share. Comparable to a frittata, it's an egg-based tart with potatoes, onion, and a smear of
Other brunch items include the grilled cheese on sourdough with avocado and bacon, the eggs Benedict topped with crab meat, and the roasted chicken sandwich with lemon pepper horseradish mayo. If you're looking for less brunch and more lunch, consider the mushroom tagliatelle with truffle butter, or the lasagna with béchamel. Prices range from $7 to $20.
Top the meal off with a dessert from the sweets section. Options include French toast with berries, Nutella crepes, waffles, and yogurt parfait.
In addition, the restaurant serves Florida stone crabs, homemade focaccia, and a sweet brûléed grapefruit. There are also bottomless beverages, including mimosas, bellinis, and red sangria ($20). Upgrade to unlimited rosé or white wine for $26.
Palat. 4702 NE Second Ave., Miami; 786-953-7577; palatmiami.com. Brunch is served Sundays 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
