A renovation to the Opium Group's SET nightclub, which debuted this spring, sought to turn the 500-person mega-club into a lounge focused on V.I.P. service. Mark Lehmkuhl of Ghosthouse Designs lined the 8,000-square-foot space with smoky mirrors, marble bars, and 16 V.I.P. tables and placed the DJ booth at the head of the room. Tables come with a dedicated "butler" for the evening who will service the table and provide other tasks such as lighting cigars or escorting guests to the bathroom. High-tech touches include iPads with programmed information about the cocktails and an overhead zip line called a "flight attendant" that delivers bottles to tables.
Located at the former Graves Museum of Archeology and Natural History, the Gallery of Amazing Things combines art and collectibles with 19,000 square feet of event space for as many as 500 people for receptions or 250 for banquets. The venue has five galleries and a foyer that can be used for events, as well as a loading dock and an on-site kitchen.
Southern California chain Umami Burger opened its first location outside of the state in May with a spot on Alton Road in South Beach. There are 52 dining room seats, plus additional banquette, bar, lounge, and patio seating, for a total capacity of 145. The restaurant offers a signature burger, the Cubano Burger, with a pork and pork belly patty, mojo mustard, house cheese, pickles, prosciutto, and smoked ham.
Cipriani opened its first outpost outside of New York and Los Angeles in May with a new 8,000-square-foot location on Brickell Avenue. With a private space for 55 people seated and 100 standing, the main level features 22-foot ceilings, glass chandeliers, and blue and white nautical-themed details throughout. The lower level, slated to open in July, will seat 160 and host 250 people for receptions. A patio offers views of Biscayne Bay.
The second Miami-area SushiSamba opened in April at the Westin Colonnade Hotel in Coral Gables. Designed by CetraRuddy, the 6,500-square-foot restaurant includes a lounge, two bars, outdoor dining, and a private dining room for as many as 80 people.
Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys has added four food and beverage outlets as part of a million-dollar culinary update. Ocean, adjacent to the pool, is the new main dining room. The space accommodates 110 people inside and opens to a 50-person patio near a fire pit. Tiki Bar is a poolside bar, and Island Time is a lobby café that serves coffee and pastries. Upgrades planned for later this year include an expanded adults-only pool with private cabanas and the alfresco restaurant Sand Bar. A new restaurant concept is in the works with a design specifically suited for event buyouts.
The gastropub Biscayne Tavern opened at the B2 Miami Downtown hotel in April. From Jeffrey Chodorow's China Grill Management, the 90-seat tavern serves locally sourced comfort food such as duck shepherd’s pie, seafood Cobb salad, and braised short rib sliders. A private dining room seats 12 guests.
Mancini Modern Italian, a 168-seat restaurant from restaurateur Jack Mancini, opened on Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard in April. The 168-seat restaurant has an open kitchen, a wood-burning Neapolitan oven, a semiprivate chef's table, and alfresco patio seating. The restaurant is available for private parties and offers off-site catering services for special events.
Suitable for executive retreats, eight new luxury villas are now available at Delray Beach Marriott. The villas are available with as many as three bedrooms and offer features such as private check-in, kitchenettes with premium appliances, large verandas, and a private pool and Jacuzzi.
On the mezzanine level of Moonchine Asian Bistro is a new saloon and dessert bar concept, Sweet Saloon. With a speakeasy theme, the lounge serves creative cocktails and shots of actual moonshine as well as desserts such as ice cream tempura. The lounge—which includes a bar, stage, and audiovisual equipment—is available for events of 100 people, and a garden patio accommodates 75.
