North Beach dream
Ezio’s, Cafe Avanti, The Colony Palm Beach, best Miami Shores & North Miami restaurants, Hamptons summer preview, MORE
RESTAURANTS • The Ask
Since we launched FOUND, we’ve been asking all new subscribers to tell us their favorite restaurant. Thousands of you have obliged, for which we are grateful. (It’s a great list!) Today, as we prepare to draft the first-ever canonical list of FOUND’s favorite Miami restaurants (the FOUND 45), we’re asking those of you who haven’t shared your favorite restaurant to reply to this email and give up the goods. A bonus line or two explaining why you love the restaurant is welcomed, but not essential.
WORK • Thursday Routine
Boss babe
RACHEL WEISSMAN • founder • The Mahj Boss
Neighborhood you live in: Miami Beach
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Thursday mornings start around 630a, making sure my daughter is up, grabbing my coffee, turning on the news, checking emails, and catching up on texts from the night before. Then it’s off to work out with my trainer and heading to my first mahjong lesson of the day at a private home.
After teaching, I get to sit down for my weekly mahj game with some of my closest friends, catching up on life, kids, and everything in between. Then it’s a quick check-in at home and I squeeze in a manicure before heading to Coconut Grove, where I host mahjong nights at Sadelle’s every Thursday through June 18. If you haven’t come yet, you should definitely consider it. The food is delicious and the vibe is fun and relaxed. What could be a better way to end your Thursday and start the weekend?
What’s on the agenda for today?
Today starts with Pilates at La Gorce Country Club followed by breakfast with a friend at Carrot Express and a little time to unwind before running a few errands. Also squeezing in some prep for an upcoming work event at Miraval in the Berkshires. Then it’s off to ZZ’s Club Miami in the Design District. Ending the day with family dinner at Slim’s (intel) in Bal Harbour, the perfect mix of work, friends, family, and celebration.
Any bar or restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
On the weekend we love to eat at Cafe Avanti, an Italian spot that’s been a favorite of Miami Beach locals for 40+ years. The owners, Louie & Jess, a father-daughter duo, are truly the best in the business. If we’re not at Avanti, we’re heading to The Grill at Bal Harbour Shops and if it’s a no-makeup, baseball hat kind of night, it’s definitely Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill, another local favorite. If you know, you know.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I recently went to the Dolce & Gabbana exhibit at ICA Miami (through June 14) with a few girlfriends and it checked every box. Absolutely amazing and not to be missed. Afterward we headed to Le Specialità (intel) for brunch, then stumbled upon the Peel soft serve truck — and if you love bananas, trust me, it did not disappoint.
Any weekend getaways?
We love heading to Palm Beach for a quick getaway, and our favorite spot is The Colony Hotel (intel). First stop is always Sant Ambroeus at The Royal Poinciana Plaza for lunch, then a stroll through the shops before checking in and heading straight to the pool. Truly the best people watching around.
Later in the day, we head to Worth Avenue for some shopping, sneak in a quick nap, then dinner at either Palm Beach Grill, Renato’s or Swifty’s at The Colony Hotel. Repeat for two days and the battery is completely recharged for the week ahead.
Also getting excited to spend my summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. Always look forward to James Taylor on July 4, a tradition with friends that started years ago, and this year especially excited for Paul Simon, Jon Stewart, and Ziggy Marley with Trombone Shorty, just to name a few. Sitting on the lawn with a picnic and glass of wine is easy, fun, and the weather always feels magical.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I am a big supporter of JAFCO (Jewish Adoption & Family Care Services) and recently attended their annual luncheon on the University of Miami campus with over 400 women in attendance. It was such a beautiful and inspirational day, highlighting the incredible work they do for children and families in our community. JAFCO provides a safe and loving home for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, or difficult family situations, while also offering family preservation programs, mentoring, and support services to help keep families together whenever possible. Their impact on so many lives is truly remarkable and very near and dear to my heart.
I am also a huge supporter of public education in Miami Beach, having chaired the Quality Education Committee, held nearly every position within the PTSA, and volunteered countless hours at all three public schools my children attended. Supporting our schools and community has always been incredibly important to me.
YOUR BRAND HERE: 93% of FOUND subscribers recommend products, services, and/or experiences to friends and family. Hit reply or email sales@itsfound.com, and we’ll get to work on your next great sponsorship campaign.
MIAMI WORK AND PLAY LINKS: Lack of private schools holding back Miami corporate migration • Nobu Residences Miami launches sales with $1B in reservations • $80M revamp for Virginia Key marinas on tap • Publix bringing TikTok viral dot cakes to Florida • Are people really making $500K a month on ShopMy?
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Dry-aged vibe
The Skinny: The team behind New York’s iconic Roberta’s, co-owners Brandon Hoy and chef Carlo Mirarchi, planted a flag in Miami at the end of last year with Ezio’s, an upscale Italian steakhouse inside a stray North Beach new build luxury condo, bringing a new level of fine dining to the area.
The Vibe: Sleek and airy, with distinct touches of warmth. The high-ceilinged dining room encased in glass is unquestionably shiny and new, but a color palette of warm woods and hunter green with deeply veined marble, patina mirrors and leather finishes appropriately set the scene for a stylish, elevated steakhouse in the subtropics. A purple palm frond-like Venetian glass chandelier crowns the room where there’s a handsome bar near the entrance crawling with pothos vines and a wall lined with cozy two-top booths in a tropical flora pattern. There’s also outdoor patio seating beneath pretty pink and green striped umbrellas.
The Food: A meat locker displaying beautifully marbled dry-aged steak greets you at the door for a glimpse of what’s to come as the crowning jewel of a meal at Ezio’s. The restaurant’s custom dry-aging program runs the gamut from a 60-day aged Imperial Ranch bone-in wagyu strip to a 55-day 27-ounce bone-in ribeye. On a recent visit, we opted for the 12-ounce Snake River Farms wagyu zabuton, which I can confidently say was in the top three of any steaks I’ve enjoyed, beautifully charred crust, tender, juicy, and flavorful.
The rest of the menu consists of raw bar, classic primi dishes with a twist, and pastas. It’s a menu with so many temptations, I found it hard to curb my desires. Considering team Roberta’s, I couldn’t resist the pizza fritti, a luxuriously fried confection topped with simple tomato sauce, whipped buffalo milk ricotta and basil. We started with East Coast oysters, but conch ceviche is also on offer. The cantaloupe with prosciutto was another simple, yet beautifully executed hit, with macadamia nuts and basil. There’s also a fairytale eggplant with sour cherry agrodolce and a selection of fresh salads, from a spring greens Caesar to Ezio’s riff on a wedge, prepared with guanciale, roasted tomatoes and stilton. The one weak link may have been the pasta where the sauce for the rigatoni carbonara and linguini cacio e pepe was nearly identical and a little too thick.
The Drink: With over 100 wines on offer much of the selection focuses on Italian regions. In addition to a sophisticated and varied list of martinis, cocktails are creative, elegant and unexpectedly memorable. Take the Italian in Jaurez, blending mezcal with amaro for a perfectly balanced aperitivo with a kick or the Serpentine made with cachaca, herb oil, vermouth and a mist of absinthe.
The Verdict: A welcome addition not only to the North Beach dining landscape, but Miami as a whole, Ezio’s is excellent destination dining, serving some of the best dry-aged steak in town — or anywhere. –Shayne Benowitz
→ Ezio’s (North Beach) • 580 72nd St • Wed-Sun 5-10p • Reserve.
MIAMI RESTAURANT LINKS: Happy endings: Santorini by Georgios finds new home, relocating to Gale South Beach • New Coral Gables Italian food hall, Zuccaly, to debut this summer • At W South Beach, Mr Chow has shuttered after nearly 20 years • Saint Ambroeus coming to Design District
CULTURE & LEISURE • Group H
Saudi Arabia v Uruguay • Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens) • Mon @ 6p • sec 118, $780 per ($356 lowest avail)
Uruguay v Cabo Verde • Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens) • Sun, 06/21 @ 6p • sec 118, $638 per
Ariana Grande • Amerant Bank Arena (Sunrise) • Tue, 06/30 @ 8p • sec 118, $985 per
GETAWAYS • The Hamptons
Hamptons summer preview ‘26
Seven new spots for Hamptons summer dining consideration, plus a bonus pop-up.
→ SAG HARBOR: This summer in the Hamptons, some of the toughest seats to snag aren’t at a flashy waterfront restaurant. They’re at Babe’s, a tiny 20-seat classic all-day American diner in Sag Harbor serving pancakes, burgers, and milkshakes. It’s a project from Julian Cavin (Greenberg’s Bagels) and his wife Martine Langatta, plus record exec Jonny Shipes and his wife Arielle Shapiro. The place is backed with local ingredients from Quail Hill and Balsam Farms, shaped by former Almond chef Anthony Petty. Expect myriad egg dishes, a classic Reuben, even a chocolate-banana milkshake in tribute to the late, iconic Cyril’s BBC boozy shake. Open, walk-ins only.
→ SAG HARBOR: The casual dining theme continues at Miracle, the American restaurant from Michael Nolan of East Hampton’s Fresno and the original, long-departed Miracle Bar & Grill in Manhattan. He has transformed the former Vin Sur Vingt plot into a dark, gray-toned dining room with a bar and freestanding circular tables. The menu is by chef Jesus Gonzales who also oversees Fresno; dishes include a Balsam Farms roasted beet salad with a lemon-feta vinaigrette, and a Duroc pork tomahawk. The cocktail program highlights classic cocktails retooled with seasonal ingredients, with sweetness largely coming from fresh fruit. Reserve.
→ SAG HARBOR: Zagara, opening inside the Faraway Sag Harbor hotel today, is a seasonal coastal Italian restaurant led by chef Jarad McCarroll (previously of London’s Chiltern Firehouse). It leans into seafood-forward dishes like black sea bass tartare with horseradish cream and dill oil, and lemon risotto with mascarpone, basil, and pine nuts. The room leans heavily into pearlescent wood beams, Venetian plaster, antique mirrors, scallop-trim shelving, and Ginori porcelain meant to evoke the feeling of dining inside a seaside villa.
→ SOUTHAMPTON: After last fall’s fire and a full new buildout, Namiro Sushi reopened this month with a new six-seat sushi counter and its original lengthy list of maki rolls plus a few additions, like a soy-ginger-marinated salmon with asparagus and leeks. Reserve.
→ BRIDGEHAMPTON: Apart from its light, seafood-forward fare, one of the main draws at Nourish by The Roundtree (which stands in for Arthur & Sons) is the drinks from lauded New York bartender Takuma Watanabe of Martiny’s. His menu will highlight local and seasonal produce in his signature minimalist Japanese style, with additional attention to zero-proof offerings. The restaurant comes from Roundtree owner Sylvia Wong, who has enlisted Bali-born, French-trained chef Dewa Wijaya to build a wellness-driven, East End ingredient-focused menu. Expect hydrangeas, reclaimed wood, and a whitewashed indoor/outdoor aesthetic. Reserve.
→ EAST HAMPTON: Lion’s Nook represents yet another road back toward approachable dining. Alex Rossi’s Springs Tavern has quietly become one of the few dependable year-round restaurants out east, and this follow-up, which is taking over the old Rowdy Hall space, is designed to bring that same formula into East Hampton Village itself. Expect tavern energy, and fairly priced American plates.
→ MONTAUK: Chelsea Living Room has taken over Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa’s Dune Lounge for the summer. The vibey American restaurant moves in with its martini-heavy formula and caviar-laced bar snacks, plus dirty martinis, pickletinis, pigs in a blanket, and a lobster-and-caviar toast designed for the new seaside space.
→ POP-UP: The Hamptons is increasingly hungry for high-end sushi, particularly chef’s-choice omakase. This year Kevin Garrison, who helms Sushi Koju at the Ace Hotel Brooklyn, will pop up at East Hampton’s Maidstone Inn for four nights: July 6 & 20 and August 17 & 31. He’ll serve an 18-course menu for $300 per person to 10 guests per night seated at a communal outdoor table. He’s planning signature plates such as local fluke sashimi with ponzu sauce finished with shaved black truffle and 10-day-aged cold-smoked king salmon nigiri crowned with ossetra caviar. Each guest will also receive a citrus-flavored gin-based complimentary drink, The Maidstone Spritz. Reserve.
GETAWAYS LINKS: In Key West, Ocean’s Edge Resort & Marina flipping to Hilton Key West Resort & Marina, reopening 07/01 • New Grand Hyatt Resort Cancun sets 11/17 opening • All aboard Mexico’s only luxury train, the Chepe Express.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Restaurants, Miami Shores & North Miami
Our 9 favorites in the neighborhood. Paid subscribers access the complete Nines archive.
Luna Pasta e Dolci (above), handmade pasta in intimate dining room that sells out for a reason, reserve