A Table Worth Repeating
North America’s fast-growing dining group makes its Miami mark with design ambition, coastal flavor, and a happy hour built to linger.
By now, you’ve likely heard the buzz—or secured the reservation. Cactus Club Cafe officially opened its Downtown Miami location in February, and as spring settles in, the 35th outpost of the Vancouver-based brand is finding its rhythm inside the Citigroup Center.
The 11,500-square-foot space, designed by ICRAVE, feels calibrated for Miami: layered greenery softens slatted wood detailing, custom lighting glows against commissioned works by neo-expressionist Hunt Slonem, and a central bar anchors the room with kinetic energy. It is stylish but not self-serious, the kind of setting that works as easily for a midweek lunch as it does for late-night drinks.
Executive Chef Greg McCallum’s menu reads like a greatest-hits album of modern North American dining with coastal fluency. Sushi and ceviche sit comfortably alongside Wagyu carpaccio, steaks, composed salads, and a Key lime pie that nods knowingly to its zip code. From 3 to 7 p.m., happy hour draws a polished crowd, while a late-night round keeps the momentum going.
In a city saturated with splashy openings, Cactus has opted for something smarter: consistency, atmosphere, and a table you’ll want to claim again. cactusclubcafe.com
A Two-Coast Crown
La Birra Bar repeats as Burger Bash champion with the internationally lauded “Crispy Dubai,” a study in Argentine craft and global ambition.
For the second year in a row, South Florida’s own La Birra Bar has claimed the People’s Choice Award at Burger Bash during the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, a crowd-powered victory that says as much about loyalty as it does about flavor. This year’s winning entry, the “Crispy Dubai” burger, arrives with international credentials: it was previously named Overall Winner at the 2026 Dubai Burger Championship before making its stateside debut.
The burger itself is a study in texture and restraint. Made with 100 percent Argentine beef, layered with white cheddar, signature crispy onions, and a house sauce that blends family-recipe chimichurri, mayonnaise, and a whisper of black truffle, it lands on a freshly baked artisan bun engineered to hold its own. The result balances crisp, cream, and juice without collapsing into excess.
Founded in 2001 by Daniel Cocchia in Buenos Aires, La Birra Bar has grown from a neighborhood shop in Boedo into one of the world’s most awarded burger brands, with locations across Argentina, Miami, Madrid, and Santiago. In South Florida, the “Crispy Dubai” is now available in Wynwood, Weston, North Miami Beach, Doral, and Fort Lauderdale. labirrabar.com
Crafted After Dark
Mayami reopens with a seamless evolution from dinner to highenergy spectacle.
Mayami is entering its next chapter with a full-scale architectural transformation that reframes the Wynwood mainstay as both design destination and nightlife theater. Reopened by Golden Era Hospitality Group, the 8,500-square-foot venue has been reimagined by Casa Medina Design Studio with a vision rooted in Mexican craftsmanship and material integrity.
Drawing inspiration from Yucatecan haciendas and Oaxacan architecture, the redesign favors hand-troweled plaster walls, sculptural wood detailing, burnished bronze, and artisanal tilework over overt theming. Arched passageways and monolithic forms create a sense of procession, leading guests toward an open-air courtyard that anchors the indoor–outdoor experience. As daylight fades, flickering candlelight and layered textures shift the mood from relaxed dinner to high-energy spectacle.
Founder Philippe Kalifa describes the reopening as an evolution rather than a reinvention, preserving the bold flavors and theatrical programming that built Mayami’s following while elevating the setting itself. The refreshed menu expands its Latin-Mediterranean base with sushi selections and seafooddriven dishes alongside signature plates like a 32-ounce prime tomahawk and short rib a la barbacoa. By night, fire dancers, live performers, and DJ sets once again transform the space into one of Miami’s most immersive supper clubs—now framed by architecture designed to command its own spotlight. mayamiwynwood.com
Balanced by Design
At Mottai, restraint, precision, and pristine seafood define the experience at The Plaza Coral Gables.
Coral Gables has no shortage of polished dining rooms, but Mottai arrives with a clarity of purpose that sets it apart. Now open at The Plaza Coral Gables, the restaurant is the first U.S. concept from Brazil’s Attivo Group, and it feels less like an import than a considered addition to the neighborhood’s evolving palate. The menu, developed by Chef Brian Nasajon alongside Executive Chef Moritz Esser and Sushi Chef Hiroshi Shintaku, centers on technique over theatrics. Cold plates lead with precision: hamachi brightened by white soy ponzu and citrus oroshi; hirame layered with
pomelo and lemongrass. Hot selections lean into depth and texture, from Japanese eggplant glazed in miso mustard and tentsuyu to steamed clams fragrant with sake and chive oil. Signature dishes stretch beyond sushi without abandoning discipline. A seafood-forward Sugi Katsu swaps pork for cobia, paired with ponzu aioli. Pork belly arrives lacquered in hatcho yakiniku, meant to be wrapped in bib lettuce with shaved shallots. From the grill, American Wagyu rib-eye and U4 prawns underscore the kitchen’s confidence with flame and seasoning. At the sushi counter, Shintaku—whose
résumé includes Makoto and Hiyakawa—keeps the focus squarely on balance. Toro, kinmedai, uni, and ama ebi are offered as pristine nigiri or sashimi, with curated chef’s selections.
The room, dressed in marble, deep blue velvet, and subtle crane motifs, transitions easily from business lunch to intimate dinner. Cocktails nod to Japanese influence without overpowering the plate, and desserts, including a mango chawanmushi and molten chocolate fondanta, close the meal with restraint. mottaimiami.com
