Now, the address is being split between two new tenants: Motek will move into the former Maty's dining room, and its sister bakery, Sesame, will take over the adjoining Itamae Ao side. Both are expected to open sometime this fall, though no date has been announced. (By the way, check out New Times' 8 Most-Anticipated Miami Fall Restaurant Openings.)
Two Restaurants Under One Roof
The original Sesame opened in October 2024 in North Miami's SoLé Mia development, a 5,000-square-foot café and bakery with seating for 165, a blush-tiled counter, and a patio shaded in bougainvillea. That location focuses heavily on pastries and brunch, with dishes ranging from shakshuka and French toast to wild mushroom toast and tuna croque madame, plus Jerusalem bagels and pistachio financiers.Midtown's Sesame will reflect the brand's roots but with a different emphasis. While breads and sweets will remain on the menu, the spotlight here shifts toward savory plates, think salads, sandwiches, and warm dishes meant for sit-down dining.
Sesame's current menu includes small plates like mezze samplers, halloumi kebabs, and zucchini latkes, alongside sandwiches such as fish schnitzel with harissa aioli, tuna melt on a baguette, and Jerusalem bagel grilled cheese. Heartier dishes range from croque madame with truffle béchamel to a seared tuna steak and eggs, while pastas like rigatoni al arak and sourdough square pizza round things out. Salads and soups complete the lineup.
Motek Keeps Expanding
Motek has grown quickly since launching in downtown Miami's Seybold Building in 2020, with outposts in Brickell, Coral Gables, Aventura, Boca Raton, and Miami Beach. The restaurant is known for shakshuka, hummus, kebabs, schnitzel sandwiches, and the Arayes Burger, a two-time winner at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival's Burger Bash. Beyond Miami, the company has expanded to New York, recently opening a Motek in Williamsburg with another in Flatiron on the way, plus an Upper West Side restaurant slated for 2026 and a Sesame Bakery planned for Battery Park.The company says the new Midtown locations will mirror the neighborhood's character: bright, open, and community-driven. "Midtown is where people live, work, and come together — and that's exactly what Motek and Sesame are about," the team said in a statement.
Motek & Sesame Midtown. 3225 NE First Ave., Miami; motekcafe.com and sesamebakery.com.
