The August Hit List: MAMO, MaryGold’s, Lulu’s, and More

MaryGold’s chef Brad Kilgore was recently named Miami’s Best Chef for 2023 by Miami New Times, but if you needed one more reason to make a Resy here, the Wynwood restaurant has unveiled new summer menu items. Indulge in their entirely new raw bar selection, featuring deliciously dressed oysters, fluke and scallop crudo, and prawn cocktail. Refreshed entrées with seasonal flavors include ricotta pillows with summer sweet corn and pickled cherries, mahi meunière with artichoke and maracuya (passionfruit), and charred baby leeks with tarragon and caramelized coconut. Or you can simply stop by for new happy hour specials that aren’t available on the main menu, like grilled chicken wings in flavors like ancho chili rub, crispy garlic, and lime.

Amelia’s 1931 is back, as a more tuned-up concept in an expanded space – a pandemic project three years in the making. Now double its original size, and chef Eileen Andrade’s most upscale restaurant yet, Amelia’s has grown from a small quaint diner by taking over the dry-cleaning space next door. Hence the vintage dry-cleaner façade, complete with a large commercial washing machine and a wall of cleaned clothing meant to serve as the speakeasy-style curtain into the dining room.

The new menu showcases Andrade’s signature fusion of Cuban and Asian flavors with dishes like escargot in umami butter, kimchi clam chowder, and boniato gnocchi with rocoto cream sauce. Save room for dessert.

Call 305.554.4949 for more info.

This SoHo-based spot has arrived in Brickell, bringing a modern twist to Italian nostalgia. MAMO takes its name from the family nickname of one of the partners, Mikaël “Mamo” Mammoliti, and is inspired by his Italian grandfather, Angelo “Mamo” Mammoliti. Enjoy a traditional menu of antipasti, pizza, pastas, fish and meat mains, and more. The upscale Italian eatery brings all the warmth and intimacy of a special night out – white tablecloths, Italian movie posters, marble bar and all.

If you were secretly a little disappointed when Eating House 2.0 reopened with just dinner service, the new version of Giorgio Rapicavoli’s beloved restaurant is finally firing on all cylinders, with lunch and brunch hours. Their cult-favorite brunch is now available all weekend (Saturday and Sunday) – those classic Cap’n Crunch Pancakes and upgraded chicken and waffles included. Plus, lunch service has started Tuesday through Friday, with new options like a fried chicken sandwich, French dip burger, crispy rock shrimp salad, salt and vinegar tater tots topped with everything crème fraîche and caviar.

Call 786.580.3745 for more info.

Nestled in Pineapple Grove, Lulu’s Cafe & Cocktails is a welcoming Delray hangout serving brunch seven days a week, plus a full menu of healthy bowls and salads, shareable plates, and American comfort food entrees. Cocktails are made with fresh juices and simple spirits so you can wash back your clean eats with quality drinks. The service is fun, friendly, and easygoing – making it a true local watering hole, of the sort that embodies the William Butler Yeats philosophy that “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t yet met.” Where else can you come to have a good time, anytime from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.?

Basque cuisine is blooming in Miami, and Casa Xabi, in the Grove, is the latest addition. At the helm is chef Xabier Oteiza (Xabi, for short) from San Sebastián, who drew inspiration from his hometown’s iconic tapas and pintxos scene. The menu focuses on the cuisine of northern Spain’s Basque region, including seafood and meat plates, rotating daily specials, and a Spanish wine selection. We’ve heard good things about the croquetas, arroz with bogavantes (rice with European lobster), and salpicón de langosta y pulpo (a refreshing ceviche-like medley of octopus and lobster).

Call 786.641.5102 for more info.

This all-American bar and grill from Groot Hospitality provides a reason to come by almost any day of the week. Let’s see … there’s Burgers & Bordeaux on Tuesdays and Full Throttle Fried Chicken every Wednesday, featuring an off-menu fried chicken with all the fixins. (Don’t miss the jalapeño biscuits.) On Thursdays, satisfy your classy and casual sides all at the same time with the Martini Frites special that includes a martini of your choice and unlimited shoestring french fries. Finally, start your weekend right with a luxurious Champagne & Oysters Happy Hour from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday.

Joining outposts in California, Arizona and Texas, The Henry, from Beard-nominated restaurateur Sam Fox, has brought its all-day American fare to Brickell City Centre. The expansive space seats 260 and features leather banquettes, white marble tables, warm wooden flooring, an indoor-outdoor bar and greenery.

The menu includes starters like chilled seafood, short rib potstickers and umami brussels sprouts; hearty salads, burgers and sandwiches; and entrees including seared ahi tuna, wagyu bolognese, and a selection of steaks on the grill for dinner. The restaurant also serves breakfast every morning from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and a more substantial brunch menu on weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you’re on-the-go heading to work in the business district, you can even walk up to the ventanita for coffee and pastries starting at 7 a.m. until 9 a.m.

Call 786.471.0070 for more info.

Located in the lobby of YOTEL Miami, Vela Miami is a new all-day restaurant that satisfies cravings from breakfast to dinner (taking the place of Mazeh, the Middle Eastern restaurant that came before it). Go global with grilled halloumi strips, blistered shishito peppers, and British fish and chips, or savor more local flavors, like fried yuca wedges or a citrus salad with mango and blood orange. And don’t forget to visit Vela Sky, their rooftop lounge, for views of Downtown Miami paired with refreshing drinks.

When you’re looking for a fun night out while feeling like you’ve been swept away to somewhere else entirely, there’s Bagatelle – giving Miami diners a taste of Gaul. Specifically, the South Beach restaurant invites you to indulge in the vibe of the French Riviera. It’s the type of place for a big group party (think bachelorettes) or even smaller solo celebrations where you simply want to have a good time as dinner inevitably transforms into a dance floor.