Somehow, it’s already February, and 2022 is showing no signs of slowing down the culinary emporium that Miami is rapidly becoming. From microbreweries to outdoor food halls, this month’s calendar of openings is full of intriguing new and upcoming concepts. Below are 14 new spots to try out stat.
Amalia
A Mediterranean-inspired eatery located inside The Lennox Hotel in Miami Beach, Amalia is poised to open in early 2022, with a menu chock full of seasonal, ingredient-driven dishes melding the Mediterranean and Latin American flavors. Helming the kitchen is Argentina native and executive chef Hernan Griccini, whose culinary experiences span over two decades. Stay tuned for more info as we get it!
Amalia is located at 1900 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Batch Southern Kitchen
Part of the team behind Aventura’s Reunion Kitchen & Bar, husband and wife duo Cesar Olivo and Adriana Perez Benatar, have opened their newest spot, Korner 67, with chef Adriana Cisneros helming the kitchen and an abundance of the signature Reunion menu items patrons have come to love.
Expect bites like duck prosciutto croquettes with citrus fig jam; bacon-wrapped dates with goat cheese; zucchini carpaccio with Parmigiano Reggiano and pine nuts; wok-seared shishito peppers; flaming Greek saganaki and so much more. As for mains, a pasta and rice section includes artichoke white lasagna; pear Fiocchi in brown butter and sage; and Asian short rib noodles. Seafood and meat people, you can enjoy dishes such as French wild mussels; charred octopus; bacalhau Portuguese stew; Mediterranean-style chicken; Nikkei lomo saltado; and filet mignon stroganoff. Caviar enthusiasts indulge in Korner 67’s caviar flight featuring white, black, and gold osetra.
Since no menu is complete without cocktails, this one has a long list of them. Think handcrafted cocktails like shishito mule with green mark vodka, shishito cordial, Montenegro, ginger, lime; and prickly caipirinha with soul cachaça, prickly pear, lemon, and club soda; as well as culinary cocktails such as guav-a-lady with Wheatley vodka, St. Germain elderflower, guava cordial, mint and lemon; and white truffle old fashioned made with 1792 small batch bourbon, white truffle honey, and chocolate bitters.
Korner 67 is located at 6769 Main St., Miami Lakes, FL 33014. For more information, visit their official website.
Moréa
LM Restaurant’s latest concept, a Mediterranean oceanfront restaurant dubbed Moréa , is set to open its doors in early 2022. The menu, featuring fresh and simply prepared small plates, mezze, and wood-grilled meats and seafood, hones in on the Mediterranean tradition where meals are meant to be savored and designed to be shared. notable highlights include beet-cured salmon with corn puree, puffed farro, and herbs; clay pot organic chicken with passion fruit glaze, roasted garlic, and lemon; ajillo mushrooms with garlic, Calabrian chiles, and sherry vinegar; roasted cauliflower vadouvan with yogurt, lemon zest, and toasted hazelnuts; seafood paella with bomba rice, sofrito, saffron, shrimp, mussels, clams, roasted piquillo peppers, fresh peas, and socarrat; and fish plaki, fresh catch, slowly roasted with crushed tomatoes, capers and peppers. Design-wise, the space is put together by award-winning artist and Chihuly protégé Doug Frates, who incorporated a two-story glass wall installation along with several signature hanging pieces imported from Italy.
Morea is located at 701 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard at the Paramount Condominiums. For more information, visit their official website.
Ocean Social
Get ready for a whole lot of Andalusian charisma. The team behind Lost Boy Dry Goods has officially opened their very first restaurant, Tropezon, on Espanola Way. Inspired by the Spanish village saloons of the 60s, the eatery welcomes “all slippery souls” to indulge in their tapas-style goodies and gin-heavy beverage program. Their menu, mostly highlighting flavors of the Andalusian region also nods to the Arabic influence of the moors, as well as coastal Mediterranean flavors.
If you haven’t run over there to try them out for yourself just yet, here’s a glimpse at what you’ll find on their menu: Jamón Ibérico de bellota, 100% acorn-fed; gambas al ajillo with skull island prawns, chili crunch and piquillo; empanada murciana with saffron wagyu picadillo, aji panca, and piquillo; and cochinillo suckling pig with oloroso, plum sauce, fennel napa slaw. On the drinks menu, guests will discover an abundance of interesting gin infusions, gin and tonics, cocktails, sherry, Madeira, and more.
Tropezon Miami is located at 512 Española Way, Miami Beach, FL 33139For more information, visit their official website.
Whitman’s New York
Famed New York eatery Whitmans is opening its first Florida location come February 2022. Named after the poet Walt Whitman, it’s no surprise that Whitman’s long-standing culinary heritage reflects quality, classic Americana. Its 1,500-square-foot Miami Beach location will feature much of the same cozy vibes, seasonal elevated comfort food, and upscale-casual atmosphere it’s known for, and will be the perfect spot for easygoing dinners, happy hours, or a quick snack.
As for what you’ll find on the menu: their most renowned highlight is the juicy Lucy, a Minnesotan take on a sandwich featuring two short rib-beef blend patties pinched together around a scoop of pimento cheese. Other than that, expect items like east villi cheesesteak, a chip steak, sauteed onions, and melted cheese on a toasted hoagie roll; The Hound with applewood-smoked bacon-infused batty, arugula, smoked gruyere, and potato crisps on a potato bun; and the Grilled Chicken Club made with free-range chicken, applewood-smoked bacon, bibb lettuce, tomato, pickles, and special sauce.
Whitman’s New York (in Miami Beach) is located at 959 West Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Ya Mas!
The latest move from hospitality powerhouse Memphis Garrett, the mind behind No Man’s Land, Poke House, and Blue Wave Sushi? Ya Mas! aka “cheers” in Greek. Recently opened in Fort Lauderdale, the eatery pays homage to Mykonos’ and Santorini’s upbeat tavernas with a rustic-chic indoor/outdoor space and dishes reflective of modern interpretations of Greek, Turkish, and Israeli cuisine. Expect dishes like mussels with nduja, white wine, and sundried tomato; farro salad with muhammara, sundried tomato, and herbs; lamb meatballs with toast tomato tzatziki and feta crumble; and harissa buffalo wings; all drummed up by executive chef Austin Blake. As for boozy drinks, beverage director Chevy Farrel will be creating a cocktail menu focused on simple and straightforward classics, beers, wines and a selection of specialty spritzes.
Ya Mas! is located at 1103 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. For more information, visit their official website.