Ah, fall. That magical, brisk and cozy time of year that lasts about six hours in Miami before it’s hot as hell again. Fall is also when new Miami restaurants tend to arrive en masse as chefs and hospitality groups get warmed up before The Coming Of The Season.
This fall, we’re witnessing the continuation of a trend we’ve seen in Miami since the pandemic as major restaurant groups from across the globe plant roots in the 305. We’ll also be getting several reborn versions of local favorites, places we’ve definitely been missing.
How do you plan for the fall restaurant arrivals? Don’t worry: As reliable as pumpkin spice everything this season, we’ve got you covered with our roundup of the most anticipated new restaurant openings this fall in Miami (listed alphabetically).
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1. Aviv
Miami Beach
Philly chef Michael Solomonov returns to Miami with this Israeli concept on the ground floor of the 1 Hotel South Beach. The restaurant promises to “blend ancient charcoal cooking methods, mezze plates, easy-drinking cocktails” and offers an extensive wine list.
Expected opening: October
2. Casa Gianna
Downtown
Contemporary and traditional dishes will dominate the menu by chef David Caceres in the Gale Miami Hotel & Residences. There’s a piazza off the main dining room and also a caffè è pasticceria, which, essentially, is Italian for you’re about to gain 10 pounds.
Expected opening: October
3. El Cielo at Casa Vigil
Upper Buena Vista
Buena Vista’s Argentinian wine bar-restaurant adds a Saturdays-only speakeasy rooftop bar with a cocktail program that “draws inspiration from mythical figures, such as sages, virgins and gods.” The design takes inspiration from Dante’s journey through paradise, with lots of Renaissance-style murals. So get ready to party like it’s 1099?
Expected opening: September 28
4. Fooq's
Little River
We loved Fooq's even when it occupied a closet-sized dining room in a dingy section of downtown, and then we missed it dearly when the pandemic took it. Now Fooq’s is moving decidedly upscale into a 9,000-square foot space in Little River. The menu again features Middle Eastern and Moroccan flavors like kebabs and Persian stews.
Expected opening: Late fall
5. Habibi Miami
Overtown
Caracas-born chef Wladimir Arévalo boasts a background at Doya, Motel and Baleen, so it makes sense that he created a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu at Habibi. Expect shareable dishes like shish-barak dumplings with wagyu beef cheeks, lobster lavash tacos and roasted chicken with herbed yogurt.
Expected opening: October 10
6. Japón at The Setai Miami Beach
Miami Beach
Chefs Vijayudu Veena and Iván Monzón team up for a concept that promises an “immersive journey into Japan’s rich culinary traditions and vibrant culture.” Each dish comes with suggestions on wine or sake pairings--or both if you’re feeling like tomorrow doesn’t matter.
Expected opening: October 1
7. Marion
Brickell
The downtown hotspot Marion spent the summer behind a veil of construction equipment and is now ready to reveal its $4 million makeover. It includes a fancy AF champagne display and a tequila room. The menu by chef Kylian Goussot gets a refresh too, albeit still Asian-Mediterranean fusion.
Expected opening: September 19
8. MIMI Chinese
Miami Beach
Big Hug Hospitality, which runs Toronto’s beloved Sunny’s Chinese, brings its MIMI Chinese concept to the beach. The menu is said to take inspiration from regional Chinese cuisine while also offering modern interpretations of traditional dishes.
Expected opening: November
9. Oro
Miami Beach
Lincoln Road gets a 15,000-square-foot rooftop restaurant from chef Victor Muñoz. As you might expect, the dining room will have a golden hue throughout. The menu spans the globe, with tom kha crudo, dry-aged Rohan duck and caviar served with fermented banana peel on a plantain waffle.
Expected opening: October 19
10. PASTA
Wynwood
Peruvian chefs and husband and wife duo Juan Manuel Umbert and Janice Buraschi are opening a modern Italian eatery that’ll copy the format of their restaurant in Lima. If the Peruvian restaurant’s menu is an indication, expect razor clams with ‘nduja, pappardelle with pork cheek ragout and a pistachio tarte.
Expected opening: October
11. Prince St Pizza
Miami Beach
New York’s Prince St Pizza, now with locations from coast to coast, relocates from its booth in the Oasis food hall to Lincoln Road, where it’ll continue serving its traditional New York and Sicilian pies.
Expected opening: Fall
12. Rosemary’s
Wynwood
Rosemary's earned lots of fans in New York City for putting out affordable and excellent Italian dishes, with much of the ingredients sourced from the rooftop farm. It’s now headed to Wynwood for a concept that largely stays true to the original.
Expected opening: November
13. Sparrow Italia
Wynwood
Scarpetta alum chef Alejandro Porben is creating a menu that’s a “modern take on Italian dining.” The restaurant group behind the concept, Noble 33, already runs a Sparrow in London and operates restaurants across the globe.
Expected opening: October
14. Sra. Martinez
Coral Gables
Chef Michelle Bernstein’s original Sra. Martinez in the Design District earned lots of accolades (and was the standard birthday celebration spot of this writer) before closing in 2012. It moves south this fall to Coral Gables with a Spanish-inspired menu and cocktail program.
Expected opening: November
15. Sunny's Steakhouse
Little River
One of the finest pop-ups born from the pandemic, Sunny's Steakhouse, finally gets a permanent home in Little River. This time chefs Carey Hynes and Aaron Brooks will team up on a menu similar to the pop-up, with classic cocktails, wood-fired meats and handmade pastas that’ll travel with the team from the sadly departed Jaguar Sun.
Expected opening: October