From serving up burgers to dishing out bistro vibes, restaurateur Matt Kush is taking culinary cues from France for his latest endeavor at the Selina Hotel in MiMo. Café Kush marries the intimacy of a cozy Parisian eatery with the grittiness of the historic neighborhood, sprinkled with a dash of Kush’s signature kitsch and humor.
Inside, there are chandeliers and cozy, upholstered booths with Belle-Époque-meets-tropical-Miami prints. Outside, there’s no mistaking the view of the Miami River view for the Seine, though your vantage point of the adjacent strip club is pretty remarkable for different reasons. Couples dining outside are invited to bring a padlock for the cafe’s railing, a ritual born from Paris’ lock bridge.
Café Kush plays it loose with its menu, too. While the frog legs, onion soup and coq au vin are unequivocally French, dishes like the chicken and waffles, frita and black bean dip fall in line with the hospitality company's signature brand of cooking. Whether you’re in it for the cafe’s tried-and-true favorites or craving innovation, the French onion soup burger and grilled cheese and tomato soup dishes are two dishes worth checking out.