The June Hit List: Zeru, Bondi Sushi, Pez, and More

Vying for a spot as one of the best Spanish restaurants in Miami, Zeru Miami, on the ground floor of the AKA Hotel, is serving up authentic Basque and Mediterranean cuisine that will transport your taste buds. The concept comes out of Mexico City, and the name “Zeru” – which means “sky” in the Basque language – captures the heavenly experience that awaits.

While the menu is mostly Basque, you’ll still experience a tour of other regions of Spain with dishes like Andalusian gazpacho, Navarran asparagus and Tudelan artichokes. Don’t miss out on ordering one of their crispy socarrat rices (essentially the crunchy bottom of a paella), a handful of pintxos, and Spanish seafood delicacies – whole fish like turbot, branzino and dover sole – that highlight the expert Josper grilling techniques of the Basque region.

Michelin-starred chef Michael Beltran has opened a new cigar and cocktail bar at Miami World Center, joining his restaurant Brasserie Laurel and the quick-service Chug’s Express ventanita. Drawing inspiration from his Cuban upbringing, Beltran envisioned El Vecino as a haven where cigars can foster a sense of community – a concept that had been burning in the back of his mind for some time. Whether you’re a cigar aficionado or a curious explorer, El Vecino’s curated selection of cigars were chosen to bring a sense of exploration and enjoyment, paired with a thoughtful cocktail menu and Ariete Group’s approach to premier hospitality.

The timeless space is adorned with vintage decor, a walk-in cigar humidor, warm lighting, and plush furnishings that invite you to unwind, and with a state-of-the-art air purification and humidification system, even those who aren’t smoking will feel comfortable. Wine director Adrián López developed the craft cocktail menu and an impressive wine list carefully chosen to complement the cigar selection. El Vecino will also offer memberships, providing perks like private lockers, members-only events, and preferred access to other Ariete Hospitality Group restaurants.

Call (786) 412-1811 for more info.

Back after a three-year hiatus due to COVID, Baja-style Mexican seafood spot Pez has reopened in Downtown Miami. Pez offers a casual menu of cold raw bar items like tostadas with ceviche and authentic raw shrimp aguachile, plus a selection of seafood tacos, charcoal-grilled whole fish and seafood stew. Many of those tacos and hot plates are characterized by smoky flavors thanks to open-fire grilling.

The team behind Pez is from Tijuana – including chef Javier Plascencia, who developed the menu and was recently awarded Chef of the Year by Guía México Gastronómico for 2023 – and key ingredients are imported from the northwest of Mexico, including smoked tuna, chiltepin chiles, and shellfish like callo de hacha and chocolate clams, to name a few. Of course, an authentic Mexican meal wouldn’t be complete with ice-cold beer or an agave-based cocktail. Pez’s beverage menu of margaritas, micheladas, and tequila and mezcal cocktails was brought to life by Broken Shaker alum Gil Borenshtein.

Julia & Henry’s is the new seven-story culinary and entertainment destination opening in a historic Flagler Street building on June 3. It’s no coincidence that it’s named after Miami’s founders, Julia Tuttle and Henry Flagler, as the revitalized venue seeks to pay homage to the city’s history while serving as a catalyst for a new social scene downtown. With 26 culinary concepts – including the highly anticipated rooftop restaurant by 3-Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura coming later this year – it’s meant to be an all-day destination for locals and tourists alike.

At the heart of Julia & Henry’s is a three-story, open-atrium food hall with concepts from award-winning local and international chefs, including Miami’s own Michelle Bernstein (bringing her famous fried chicken to Michy’s Chicken Shack, plus a Latin-inspired all-day lunch spot called Luncheria) and José Mendín (with a gourmet burger joint called June and a globally inspired gyoza concept called HitchiHaika), alongside chefs behind two of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, Tomás Kalika (debuting Mensch, a casual twist on his high-end Mediterranean restaurant Mishiguene) and Renzo Garibaldi (introducing a U.S. location of Osso, a butcher shop and rustic barbecue). From day one, you’ll be able to enjoy a natural wine bar, a craft beer market, a cocktail bar, and a basement-level retro sound room from the Broken Shaker team, and there’ll also be a music-centric creative incubator with recording studios and communal workspaces on floors four and five opening soon.

For more information and menus, click here.

At Andy’s, everything from meats to local fish and produce is cooked by live fire on traditional Santa Maria-style grills. Located at the former two-story site of local landmark Ernie’s B-B-Q, Andy’s Live Fire Grill was brought to life by the founder of Anthony’s Runway 84 and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Anthony Bruno, along with fellow restaurateur Michelangelo Mozzicato (meaning menu items like Anthony’s Meatballs and Chicken Parmigiana are exactly what you’d expect from the Anthony’s family). Menu favorites include the grilled oysters, Australian lollipop lamb chops, and cast iron half-chicken. In addition to the staple offerings, the chef’s team crafts daily specials based on the best and freshest ingredients they can source that day. After lunch or dinner, head upstairs to Andy’s rooftop bar and lounge for live music and entertainment.

Who says brunch is only for Sunday funday? Sometimes you want an excuse to eat creative, hearty breakfast-y lunch plates and down bottomless drinks in the middle of the week. Now you can enjoy bottomless brunch at Sugarcane on a daily basis from opening time until 4:30 p.m. A Midtown Miami staple for well over a decade, the brasserie-style restaurant is beloved for its sushi and raw bar options, open fire-grilled fare, and globally inspired small plates. At brunch time, that includes signature dishes like Sugarcane’s Duck & Waffle (duck confit and fried duck egg on a waffle with mustard maple syrup) and the Cuban Benedict (poached eggs over roasted pork, smoked ham, swiss cheese, pickles and caramelized onion with mojo and smoked paprika hollandaise). For $35 per person, you can get unlimited red or white sangria or prosecco rosé, but keep it classy – there’s a 2-hour limit on those bottomless beverages, folks.

Call (786) 369-0353 for reservations.

Designed as a $20+ million underwater-themed palace, Sexy Fish serves up Asian-style seafood and sushi plates fitting of this opulent ocean-inspired setting. Chef Director Bjoern Weissgerber has introduced three new omakase menus, depending on how much you’re looking to splurge: the classic Hiro tasting menu for $90 per person; the seasonal Sekushi tasting menu for $140 per person; and the premium Ludicrous tasting menu for $250 per person. The latter highlights decadent dishes with the highest quality ingredients – including tuna belly, premium sashimi, BBQ King crab and Wagyu smoked kimchi – and is presented on an ornamental octopus stand with 14 legs, each holding a different premium bite. If you’re looking for a more affordable, expedited option, visit Sexy Fish during lunch to try their $32 three-course Kuikku menu that includes a starter, main, and dessert.

The Capital Grille chain may be known for its steaks, but regulars know not to sleep on the menu’s signature burger – which is why we should be excited that only the fourth Capital Burger location in the country has arrived in Coral Gables. Finally filling the California Pizza Kitchen space on Miracle Mile that sat empty for way too long, the casual-yet-classy burger joint (it is a Capital Grille offshoot, after all) serves a menu of burgers made with a blend of short rib, chuck, and brisket; boozy shakes; apps; plus a few steaks and other items you’ll recognize from the Grille proper. The signature Capital Burger comes French onion-style with caramelized onions, bruleed Wisconsin Grand Cru Gruyere cheese, and shallot aioli – a solid, satisfying choice that surprisingly doesn’t take you to “I’m so full I regret that” territory even though it sure sounds like it.

Call (786) 437-3741 for reservations.

Another NYC import with six locations across the boroughs, Bondi Sushi has opened in South Beach – the first of three coming to Miami (locations in Midtown and Brickell are in the works). They’re popular in New York for their fresh, affordable (keyword here!) sushi – with quality fish at fair price points. The 12-piece omakase tasting menu for $75 is a popular choice, but you can also order nigiri and hand rolls by the piece, along with their cult-favorite crispy rice. Bondi also takes sushi delivery to the next level with combo boxes, bowls and 8-piece rolls, plus a new exclusive-to-Miami Luxe Box that includes crispy rice; maki; nigiri liked striped jack, chutoro with kizami wasabi and caviar, king salmon and lean tuna; and a chirashi salad.

The Miami Beach restaurant is their biggest yet, with a 24-seat sushi bar and an outdoor patio with blue Italian parasols and banquette seating. The cocktail menu at Bondi has also been curated by its NYC sister concept, award-winning omakase restaurant Noda and cocktail bar Shinji’s. For the best sushi deals, Bondi offers express lunch specials and weekday happy hour.

Everyone knows Argentina is the motherland of bold red wines and fine meats. For a taste of it here in Miami, Loretta & The Butcher has the feel of a quaint Buenos Aires bistro serving everything you’d want from an Argentinian restaurant – provoleta, empanadas, milanesas, and of course, plenty of meat. Fittingly, the wine menu features a long list of Argentinian reds, a few others from Italy and California, plus a handful of whites, roses and bubbles.

The origin story is a fun one: co-owners Mariano Codaro (who hails from Argentina) and Costa Grillas (who’s of Greek descent but obsessed with Argentinian malbecs) dreamt up the concept on one of their many wine expeditions to Mendoza. Over four bottles of wine, they discussed every detail of the restaurant they envisioned opening together – from the type of wood handles the steak knives would have, to the local farm they’d source their entraña from, to the sneakers the servers would wear. Loretta was the name of the host at the vineyard that fateful night, and her husband who’d gone hunting earlier that day prepared a meaty feast for them – thus, the name was born. The restaurant’s outdoor deck is a fun spot to watch the passersby in the heart of the Grove. If you’re feeling especially carnivorous, order the meat parrillada, which comes with skirt steak, grilled short ribs, chorizo, morcilla, and chicken thighs, but make sure you came with enough hearty eaters to share it with.