What To Know Before You Dine at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami
It’s not every day that you get to dine at a two Michelin star restaurant. And here in Florida, we only have one reigning restaurant at this caliber, namely L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon.
It’s a contemporary French-inspired tasting menu concept by the late, legendary Joël Robuchon, where you can watch the chefs work their magic from a counter seat facing the open kitchen. Whether you’re looking for an introductory experience at a more affordable price point or want to go all out for a once-in-a-lifetime meal, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami offers a range of dining styles to choose from – but how do you know which one is right for you?
We’ve put together this primer to dining at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami to help you figure out which reservation slot to book based on the kind of experience you’re looking for, what to wear (always a consideration for such a special meal), what to order when you’re there, and how to find this gleaming, unmarked restaurant hidden inside a designer shopping mall.
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When and Where to Book
First things first — you’ll want to book a seat at the Chef’s Counter for the true L’Atelier experience that Robuchon originally envisioned for his guests.
With 34 counter seats facing the open kitchen, L’Atelier (meaning ‘workshop’) was designed to offer a view of the action in the kitchen so diners can see the chefs’ creative process. Robuchon was inspired by the sushi counters of Japan and the tapas-style service of Spain to deliver a similarly interactive, relaxed fine dining experience, but with a modern French cuisine inspired by the naturalist leanings of the former.
Interestingly, the service staff and sommelier remain behind the counter throughout the evening as they look after you. Somehow, they’ve all made sitting at the fine dining restaurant’s interactive counter feel simultaneously upscale yet casual.
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with lunch service also available on Friday and Saturday (lunch is your best bet for a meal here under $100 per person). While the restaurant is known for its tasting menu format, if you prefer an a la carte experience, make sure to book your reservation for Sunday through Thursday, when a selection of hot and cold appetizers, main courses, Joël Robuchon Signature Creations, and desserts are all available to be ordered a la carte.
What to Wear
One of the first things you might wonder about dining at a two Michelin star restaurant is what to wear. While some fine dining restaurants of this caliber might ban jeans or require a blazer, there isn’t a strict dress code at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. The restaurant describes your ideal attire as “smart casual.” That means you can take the excuse of dining here to get dolled up if you choose, or wear something more comfortable for the lengthy meal. Just make sure you’re presentable. You’ll want to avoid flip flops, gym clothes, beachwear, revealing clothes and caps. Essentially, don’t let it look like you walked in off the street to eat here on a whim.
Where to Park and How To Find the Restaurant
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is in the Design District, which luckily for you, is that rare Miami neighborhood with plenty of garage and valet parking. For parking, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is located in the southeast corner of Paradise Plaza (pro tip: type Paradise Plaza Garage into your GPS), behind the Chanel store and right next to Balenciaga.
Once you’ve parked and walked over, don’t think you’re lost if you can’t find the restaurant marquee for L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. Instead, look for L’Atelier’s sister restaurant, Le Jardinier, and go up to the hostess stand there. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is actually right upstairs. You’ll be led up a winding staircase to the attached ruby-red restaurant.
What to Order
The restaurant offers three tiers of tasting menus to choose from depending on your appetite and budget — a seasonal 3-course, seasonal 4-course, and the 8-course Evolution Menu, which is the crème de la crème of L’Atelier’s offerings.
Sure, you can order a la carte and try a dish or two for a taste of the kitchen’s skills (remember, this is only offered Sunday through Thursday). But in our point of view, if you’re coming here, leave it up to the chefs, who’ve already curated a selection of their top dishes this time of year.
Good to know: If you’re going the Evolution route, everyone in your party must choose this same tasting menu, but you can make substitutions based on dietary restrictions if needed (the kind of flexibility we appreciate). If there are specific signature dishes you don’t want to miss, Robuchon specialties like crispy langoustine or poached egg with caviar are always available to order as add-ons.
Served at the start of your meal, L’Atelier’s freshly baked bread basket prepared by the in-house bakery team will instantly steal the show. Spoiler alert: You’ll also get some other surprises along the way, like Robuchon’s legendarily silky pomme purée and a takeaway treat from the bakery team, too.
If you enjoy a good glass of wine, we also highly recommend ordering the generous wine pairing, guided by L’Atelier’s head sommelier, who’ll explain the story behind every pour.
Lyssa Goldberg is a Miami-based freelance writer and content strategist. She loves telling stories about food, wellness, and travel, and you can find her byline in Parade, The Points Guy, U.S. News & World Report, American Way, Mashable, Time Out, and more. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Resy, too.
