High design
Maty’s, Mimi Yoga, Ura, Japanese pizza, Inn on Fifth Naples, best bar burgers, FOUND LDN & Paris, MORE
RESTAURANTS • FOUND Table
Andean amor
The Backstory: In May 2023, chef Valerie Chang opened Maty’s, a restaurant serving Peruvian cuisine as comfort food, the kind she grew up eating in her grandmother’s kitchen. Her cooking previously won the city over at Itamae, a Design District darling devoted to Nikkei cuisine and one of the most exciting and creative new restaurants to come on the scene in years. When the James Beard Foundation named her Best Chef South last summer for Maty’s, it confirmed something Miamians already knew — Chang deserves to be ranked in the rarefied strata of local Beard Award-winning chefs (like Michelle Bernstein and Michael Schwartz) who’ve come to define the city’s dining scene.
The Experience: Set inside an airy, spacious Midtown dining room with a minimalist, industrial aesthetic, Maty’s features high ceilings, exposed ductwork, and floor-to-ceiling windows, softened by gleaming white-tile finishes, sage-green accent walls, and blonde wood furniture with globe pendant lighting. The design works to create a calming effect that also allows the food to take center stage. Within the restaurant, Itamae lives on as Itamae AO, an intimate 10-seat chef’s counter offering a multi-course, Nikkei-inspired tasting menu helmed by Valerie’s brother, chef Nando Chang, who was also her business partner at the original Itamae.
Maty’s smartly edited ever-changing menu is arranged in a single column, progressing from lighter to heartier. There’s also a pared-down cocktail menu highlighting pisco; the classic pisco sour made with Peruvian 1615 is the obvious choice. On a recent visit, we ordered ceviche prepared with red onion and Peruvian corn nuts in a divine lime and aji amarillo bath. Scallop crudo with sliced green grapes in a burnt serrano cilantro sauce is as beautiful as it is delicious, if a bit small in size. Corn is a cornerstone of Peruvian cuisine, and thus Maty’s menu, as in the “tortitos de choclo,” corn fritter discs served with pickled vegetables and hot sauce. The dish simply named “corn” is also a hit, a blend of both Andean and local Florida corn, in a sweet, creamy huancaina sauce.
For mains, there’s a beautiful butterflied whole roasted dorado in an aji amarillo beurre blanc, and also (when on the menu) the piéce de rèsistance: wagyu oxtail saltado, a decadent, tender spin on the classic Peruvian stir-fry with crispy potatoes.
Why It’s FOUND: An instant classic for elegant Peruvian cuisine by one of Miami’s stars. –Shayne Benowitz
→ Maty’s (Midtown) • 3255 NE 1st Ave • Daily 5-10p • Reserve.
MIAMI RESTAURANT LINKS: Today is opening day at Coconut Grove outpost of wine bar Magie… and at Chicago steakhouse import Maple & Ash at Miami Worldcenter • Catching up with chef André Beinvenu, now cooking at Fort Lauderdale’s Catch & Cut.
WORK • Thursday Routine
Password, please
Samuel & Jose Tcherassi • co-founders • Ura
Neighborhood you work in: Allapattah
Neighborhood you live in: Coconut Grove
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
We’ll spend most of the day at the construction site in Allapattah for Ura, a new members-only sushi-ya helmed by Tokyo sushi legend Namba Hidefumi that we’re prepping for opening this fall. Ura will feature a 10-seat sushi counter complemented by a state-of-the-art jazz kissa-inspired listening room for guests to enjoy curated records. The sushi room and listening rooms are separated by a beautiful Japanese courtyard garden designed by Swiss designer Enzo Enea, where members will enjoy traditional tea ceremonies and more.
Later today, our master mixologist Shunta Yamakawa-san will host a special cocktail-omakase event for our Ura members, showcasing his distinctive fruit cocktails. (If you’re interested in membership, email us at contact@uramiami.com.)
Any bar or restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Given it’s Yamakawa-san's first time in Miami, we'll be taking him to our favorite spots this week, like The Surf Club, so he can try the beef Wellington. We’ll also visit our friend Aitor’s Edan Bistro. He trained at Asador Etxebarri and is serving the best steak in town (not to mention his signature Basque cheesecake).
How about a little leisure or culture?
We had a great time at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Coconut Grove recently; we’re so happy to see how it’s enriched the Miami music scene.
Music is a central piece of what we’re building with Ura. We were mesmerized by the trance we experienced from long listening sessions in jazz kissas around Tokyo; it’s a very specific set of conditions that creates that. While the soundsystem is a crucial piece of the puzzle, format and music selection are just as important. In that sense, Ura's listening room will be a completely orthodox kissa, Miami's first.
Any weekend getaways?
Our getaway of choice is taking the two hour flight to Barranquilla, Colombia, where we were born, and spend the weekend with our Labrador retriever, Cai. Not too far from Barranquilla, though, is Cartagena, also a short two-hour flight from Miami. There’s lots of fun to be had exploring the walled city, the second oldest city in South America. The dining scene has experienced a huge boom lately, and our favorite bar there, Alquimico, is currently ranked eighth by the World’s Best list.
What was your last great vacation?
Our last trip to Japan was very special. We got to choose the hinoki tree from which Ura's 26-foot single-piece omakase counter would be fashioned. For recommendations in Tokyo, we should probably write a book, but we'll confine ourselves to three bookable must-gos (excluding Ura’s masters' Sushi Namba and Cocktailante Oboro, which are members-only):
Jazz kissa Eagle in Yotsuya. One of the longest in operation and most quintessential, Eagle’s the best place to get the orthodox jazz kissa experience. It’s a huge inspiration for our listening room and we’ve spent hours there enjoying Masahiro Goto-san's jazz selections.
Pizza studio Tamaki. Our favorite pizza spot in the world — period. Tamaki-san developed his "Tokyo-Napoli style" pizza without ever visiting Italy. The pizza itself is life-changing, but the appetizers and other small plates, like the lasagna and tiramisu, are equally delicious.
Breakfast omakase at Kaiseki Kurogi. It’s not an easy reservation, but if you land one you’re in for a paradigm-shifting experience. Jose and I have always been in love with the idea of fine dining breakfast, but we’ve always been disappointed — except at Kurogi. The omakase is ultra-seasonal, but expect staples like milk bread toast topped with thinly sliced wagyu and egg omelette, the rice course highlighting two or three different rice varieties, and the kuromitsu kakigori to finish things off.
WORK • Launches
New FOUNDs
As we mentioned in this space last week (and are not above mentioning again), we’ve been running test issues for both FOUND Paris and FOUND LDN and both are looking good. We’re still on track for Q1 launches in both markets.
As with the U.S. editions of FOUND, the central idea is to help locals get more out of their cities (and surrounds). But both Paris and London will be good and useful reads for savvy visitors, too. If you’re in either camp (or have friends who are), use these early-access links to get on the lists:
Meanwhile, we’ve assembled a talented team of contributors on the ground in each city. But there’s always room for more sharp writers (and non-writers with good taste). If you’d like to join the party, drop us a line at found@foundparis.com or found@foundldn.com.
MIAMI WORK AND PLAY LINKS: Star Island home sale for $120M sets new Miami residential record • Why Miami is Florida’s proptech capital • Manolo Blahnik sets up shop in the Design District • Parents in tech want their kids to go into the arts instead • Real men wear leggings • Gen Z has a big budget line for concert tix.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Wellness
Flow state
With its turquoise concrete floors and halo-lit mirrors casting a soft glow, Mimi Yoga is easily one of Miami’s most Instagrammable studios, like stepping into a cloud of wellness and essential oils. It’s no surprise that the Wynwood studio, founded by Mimi Ghandour, developed a cult following after opening in 2022. She met that momentum with a second location that opened last September on the canopy-lined streets of Coconut Grove.
The infrared-heated studios are beautifully designed spaces where you can break a sweat, reset, and walk out feeling a little more mindful (or at least aesthetically pleased).
Classes range from restorative flow to high-energy Vinyasa and Pilates. I’m hooked on the morning athletic flow that builds at just the right pace. Music starts off low and slow, easing you in with a tropical house vibe before picking up energy — not so much that it feels like a club, but just enough to keep you moving. A little flamenco, a Bad Bunny salsa remix — somehow, it just works.
And that final savasana moment when a cold, essential oil-infused towel is pressed onto your forehead is pure bliss. Along with talented teachers, it’s those small details that keep me coming back. –Katelin Stecz
→ Mimi Yoga (Wynwood/Coconut Grove) • $30 drop-in or $195/monthly.
CULTURE & LEISURE • 10S NE1
Celtics v Heat • Kaseya Center (Downtown) • Fri @ 7p • section 107, $281 per
Miami Open • Grandstand Session 3 • Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens) • Wed @ 11a • section 14 row 1, $132 per
Matisyahu • Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center (Ft Lauderdale) • Sat @ 8p • orchestra, $76 per
GETAWAYS • Naples
The other side
After a two-hour drive from Miami through the Everglades, Naples unfurls with a touch of sophistication (the neatly landscaped Mediterranean Revival downtown district) and a touch of the rough-and-tumble (locals streaming down the avenue on longboards, barefoot in cutoff jeans on their way to the beach).
On Fifth Avenue South in the heart of downtown Naples, the Inn on Fifth is a stylish perch for a weekend getaway with the best of the city’s shopping, dining, and nightlife just outside its doors. A more cosmopolitan retreat than the typical Naples beach resort, it’s still only a few short blocks to the Gulf’s sugar soft sands. Occupying a pair of Mediterranean Revival-style buildings on either side of Fifth Avenue South with chic awnings shading Juliet balconies, the hotel’s interiors feature Art Deco-inspired furniture atop shiny marble floors.
The hotel is home to a rooftop pool and relaxing spa with a sauna and steam room, but the best amenities are those that come with Club Level suites: a lounge with complimentary breakfast, evening hors d’oeuvres, and a top-shelf self-service bar, plus an exclusive rooftop with a hot tub.
Guest rooms contain both classic and modern stylings, with glamorously plush velour upholstered sofas and beds with tufted leather headboards. Bathrooms are spacious and sumptuous with black and white Italian marble framing rainfall showers and (in most rooms) bathtubs.
For dinner, there’s Ocean Prime, the hotel’s steakhouse for prime chops and fresh seafood. Dimly lit, it’s outfitted in deep tobacco hues with glass-encased wine cellars and architectural chandeliers, while floor-to-ceiling windows offer views onto the bustling avenue. There’s also a Truluck’s onsite and within walking distance, the city’s best restaurants: Bistro 821, Tulia, and The Continental.
Once you’ve fully recharged amidst the nature and relaxed pace of a long weekend in Naples, the only thing left to do is make sure you’ve got a full tank of gas to make it back across Alligator Alley to our side of Florida. –Shayne Benowitz
→ Inn on Fifth (Naples) • 699 Fifth Ave South • From $799/weekend night.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Chef Jeremy Ford opens new restaurant Salt + Ash at Hawks Cay Resort in the Keys • Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne closing next month for major reno • American launching twice-weekly MIA-XSC (South Caicos) route on 3/15 • Emirates now flying upgraded 777s to MIA • The wisdom of pre-flight facials.
ASK FOUND
First, a quick primer on how this works: You send us the pressing questions of the day (on dining, services, living in Miami and surrounds). We all put our heads together (us at FOUND, + you, FOUND subscribers, who are also FOUND) in search of truth and beauty.
Today, three FOUND subscriber PROMPTS for which we seek intel:
After London and Paris, where should FOUND launch next?
What shops are you keeping an eye on for spring lines?
What’s your spring Caribbean getaway?
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@itsfoundmiami.com.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Bar burgers, elevated
Nine places for the best bar burger. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundmiami.com.
Champagne Bar at Four Seasons Surf Club (Surfside), dry-aged, classic, pairs perfectly w/ fancy champagne