Once upon a time, summer was Miami’s slow season. Luckily for us, those days are long gone and no shortage of restaurants continues to pop open left and right with no apparent seasonality, making this August in Miami our best one yet. Here are a few exciting openings, which fall under this month’s list of the best new restaurants in Miami, to keep on your radar as more details emerge or mosey on over to stat.
Chick’N Jones
If you’re in the market for Miami’s glorious heyday dive bars, we’ve got just the thing for you. Located inside the Selina Gold Dust Motel, Don’s 5 Star Dive Bar is the brainchild of Kush Hospitality, the group behind spots like Kush and LoKal. The dive bar pays nostalgic homage to the ’70s and ’80s with tributes to Miami’s famous “dons,” and nods to the days of lore throughout the space. Expect themed specialty cocktails like the Don’t F*ck With Don Shula with Mezcal, Campari, and vermouth; Puta Madre Punch with Cruzan Light, Cruzan Dark and mixed juices; and Donnie Hates Yoohoo with Stoli Vanilla, Miami Club Rum Coffee Liqueur and espresso; and beers, wines, and dive bar shots.
As for the food, a bar bites menu features options like School Lunch, a PB&J made with homemade jelly and served with chips; French Onion Dip with potato chips and an award-winning Key Lime Pie with graham cracker, pecan, and lime zest.
Don’s 5 Star Dive Bar is located at 7700 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33138. For more information, visit their official website.
Dune
World-renowned, Michelin-starred chef Laurent Tourondel, known for his reputation as a top chef around the globe, is back with his signature touch and his latest restaurant, Dune by Laurent Tourondel. The restaurant will take over the former Dune at the Auberge Residences in Fort Lauderdale, entirely transforming the existing eatery into an elevated dining experience. While we don’t have details on the menu quite yet, we do know the space, which boasts incredible panoramic oceanfront views and is mere steps from the beach, will undergo massive renovations to both its 11,000 square feet of indoor dining and its 5,000-foot outdoor patio.
Dune by Laurent Tourondel will launch as one of South Florida’s only celebrity chef-driven oceanfront restaurant, and special event venues able to accommodate multiple social, corporate gatherings, beachfront weddings, and other special occasions from 10 to 500 people with customized menus by Chef Laurent Tourondel, in addition to oceanfront meetings and events. A private wine room will also be available by reservation in addition to semi-private and private spaces and dining rooms. Dune by Laurent Tourondel is set to open in early November.
Dune is located at 2200 N Ocean Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305. For more information, visit their official website.
Jia
Jia, the highly-anticipated upscale Chinese dinner club promising elevated Cantonese food and edgy sophistication, has officially opened in the South of Fifth neighborhood. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Weng Choon Lai, Jia focuses on Chinese delicacies with a contemporary twist.
Menu highlights include apps like the Jia Crispy Mushroom Salad with Royal Trumpet mushrooms, preserved red bean curd, arugula, red cabbage, Lollo Rossa, Jubilee tomato and watermelon radish; Tang Dynasty Mini Fish Bun with black cod, shallot, pickled vegetables, and dynasty sauce served on a bao bun; main dishes such as Tea Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Steamed Bok Choy made with beef striploin, bok choy, cilantro, long green hot peppers, and pine nuts; Roasted Mongolian Cumin Lamb Rack with cumin and yogurt; and Claypot 3 Cup Chicken made with farm chicken, Thai basil, rice wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil; and Rice & Noodle options like Black Truffle Sticky Rice with rice, fresh black truffle and truffle paste.
A Dim Sum menu is also worth noting, which includes Crispy Radish Cake with radish and Chinese preserved sausage; Edamame Pan-fried Dumpling with edamame, horseradish, cilantro, and bamboo shoot in a spinach wrapper; Crystal Buddha Mushroom Dumpling with mixed fresh mushrooms, peanut, and crystal flour; and more. As for drinks, the beverage program is run by acclaimed Michael Parish, formerly of Broken Shaker and Sweet Liberty.
Jia is located at 808 1st St, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Le Chick
The duo behind Bar Lab and Broken Shaker, Gabe Orta and Elad Zvi, have officially opened Margot Natural Wine & Aperitivo Bar, a wine bar named after Ernest Hemingway’s daughter with a focus on—you guessed it—natural wines. Located inside the historical Ingraham building, Margot doles out vintage vibes and bygone tunes along with a selection of more than 75 natural wines, low ABV cocktails, and a menu of seasonally rotating dishes crafted by 27 Restaurant chef Jimmy Lebron.
Margot Natural Wine & Aperitivo Bar is located at 21 SE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, visit their official website.