Restaurants
South Florida Gets a Mediterranean State of Mind
Solei Beach Club Transports Miami Beach to the Mediterranean, One Leisurely Bite at a Time.
June 10th, 2026
Some restaurants rely on spectacle. Solei Beach Club lets the setting do the talking.
Tucked behind the Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel on Miami Beach, the beachfront destination feels like a hidden oasis waiting to be discovered. The experience begins long before the first plate arrives. A winding pathway lined with towering palms, flowering vines and lush tropical foliage creates a natural corridor between South Beach’s Art Deco energy and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.
With every step, the city seems to fade away.
By the time guests emerge beneath Solei’s massive open-air palapa, the mood has completely shifted. Ocean breezes drift through the dining room. Palm trees sway overhead. Coral-colored accents and tropical landscaping create an atmosphere that feels equal parts Miami Beach and Mediterranean escape.
It is the kind of place where lunch effortlessly stretches into the afternoon and checking the time feels almost unnecessary.
That sense of relaxation serves as the perfect introduction to a menu that draws inspiration from across the Mediterranean while maintaining strong ties to South Florida.
Our culinary journey began with the Mezzo Board, a vibrant collection of Mediterranean flavors designed for sharing. Loaded with whipped feta, roasted pepper spread, grilled vegetables, olives, cheeses, fresh fruit, almonds, dolmas and warm pita, the board encouraged exploration rather than simply eating.
Every bite seemed to offer something different. The whipped feta delivered a creamy tang, while the roasted vegetables provided smoky depth. Fresh grapes and strawberries added bursts of sweetness that balanced the savory components beautifully. It was less of an appetizer and more of an invitation to slow down and enjoy the moment.
The Seabass Tacos followed and quickly became one of the meal’s highlights.
Tender, flaky sea bass was paired with grilled artichokes, chimichurri and garlic aioli inside warm tortillas. The fish remained the star throughout, its delicate flavor complemented rather than overwhelmed by the supporting ingredients. The herbaceous chimichurri added brightness while the artichokes contributed a subtle earthiness that elevated every bite.
Light enough for a beachside lunch yet satisfying enough to stand on their own, the tacos perfectly captured the spirit of Solei’s menu.
For guests seeking something heartier, my personal favorite was the Harissa Churrasco Wrap, which delivers in a big way.
Filled with tender skirt steak, halloumi fritto, maduros, red gem lettuce and sundried tomato pesto aioli, the wrap strikes an impressive balance between comfort food and Mediterranean-inspired creativity. The savory richness of the steak pairs naturally with the sweetness of the maduros, while the halloumi contributes a welcome salty bite. Served alongside crisp fries, it offers a more substantial option without feeling heavy.
One of Solei Beach Club’s greatest strengths is that it never feels confined to a single dining identity. Guests can graze through shared plates, enjoy fresh coastal seafood or dive into more robust offerings depending on their mood.
Following our meal, we had the opportunity to sit down with Executive Chef Gastón Javier Sánchez, whose culinary philosophy helps explain why the experience feels so cohesive.
Solei Beach Club – Executive Chef Gastón Javier Sánchez
“We enjoy a backyard that not a lot of people have in South Beach,” Sánchez said. “It’s a paradise oasis, really.”
Looking around at the swaying palms, tropical gardens and oceanfront setting, it was difficult to disagree.
When developing Solei’s concept, Sánchez intentionally looked beyond a traditional interpretation of Mediterranean cuisine.
“I thought pan-Mediterranean would work best,” he explained. “This is a tale of two coastlines, the ancient and the electric. It’s rooted in the intersection of the romance and ritual of the Mediterranean and the rhythm and cultural vibrancy of South Florida.”
That philosophy is evident throughout the menu.
Mediterranean Sea Bass is flown directly from its namesake waters, while local farms and fisheries provide much of the produce and seafood used throughout the restaurant. Sánchez places tremendous emphasis on knowing exactly where ingredients originate.
“I know the coordinates. I know the captain. I know the chain of command that seafood went through,” he said. “That’s very important because both Miami and the Mediterranean are all about the quality of the ingredient first and foremost.”
His appreciation for South Florida’s cultural diversity also plays a major role in shaping Solei’s identity.
“We like to think of the United States as a melting pot, but I like to say South Florida is more like a salad bowl,” Sánchez said. “Every culture holds its own, but they mesh very nicely together.”
That fusion is visible throughout the menu, where influences from Spain, Greece, Italy, France and North Africa mingle effortlessly with the flavors and spirit of South Florida.
Yet perhaps the most revealing part of our conversation came when Sánchez described what truly separates a memorable restaurant from a good one.
“I’ve always thought that a good establishment should have great food, good service and a cool atmosphere,” he said. “But there’s a fourth section that nobody really thinks about, and that’s the experience.”
It’s a philosophy that perfectly summarizes Solei Beach Club.
Yes, the food is impressive. The atmosphere is beautiful. The service is welcoming. But what ultimately makes Solei stand out is the feeling it creates. Guests aren’t encouraged to rush through a meal. They’re invited to linger. To share plates. To order another cocktail. To enjoy the beach, the pool, the breeze and the company around them.
“The Mediterranean is all about communal breaking of bread and spending leisure time with family,” Sánchez said. “It’s about time spent together, the bond and the beautiful experiences and memories that we can possibly help create.”
In a city often defined by its nonstop pace, Solei Beach Club succeeds by embracing something different. Hidden behind tropical pathways and framed by ocean breezes, it offers a reminder that some of the best South Florida experiences aren’t about moving faster.
They’re about slowing down long enough to enjoy where you are.
At Solei Beach Club, the beach may draw you in, but it’s the atmosphere, the flavors and the feeling of having nowhere else to be that will keep you lingering long after the last bite.
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Forget sweater weather. Palace Miami Beach’s new Fall Harvest Menu is bringing pumpkin season to South Beach, and one dish was genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
September 4, 2026
Miami has never needed changing leaves, chilly temperatures, or a reason to order another cocktail.
So when Palace invited us in for an early taste of its new Fall Harvest Menu, launching September 21st, I was curious. Pumpkin on Ocean Drive? Sure. Pumpkin in cocktails, arepas, gnocchi, tres leches, and flan?
Now you have my attention.
The idea is actually perfect for Miami. Palace wanted to capture that nostalgic feeling of fall for a city where September still feels very much like summer. Rather than throwing pumpkin spice into everything and calling it seasonal, the kitchen challenged itself to use actual pumpkin across cocktails, savory dishes, and desserts in ways that made sense for the Palace.
And after tasting the menu, I can tell you this: do not dismiss this as a pumpkin-spice gimmick.
Because I am still thinking about that gnocchi.
Let’s Talk About This Gnocchi
I need to start here because pretending otherwise would be dishonest.
The Brown Butter Pumpkin Gnocchi was not simply my favorite dish on the menu.
It was one of the best things I have ever eaten in my entire life.
Yes, I realize how dramatic that sounds.
I stand by it.
Roasted pumpkin, Parmesan, crispy sage, and pancetta come together with brown butter in what can only be described as a ridiculously good bowl of fall comfort food.
It is rich. It is savory. It has that warm nuttiness from the brown butter, saltiness from the Parmesan and pancetta, and just enough pumpkin to make the whole thing unmistakably seasonal without turning dinner into dessert.
And the crispy sage? Do not underestimate the crispy sage.
This was one of those dishes where I took a bite and immediately had to make sure everyone else at the table understood what was happening.
If you order one thing from this menu, order the gnocchi.
Actually, Palace, I have a request: please don’t take this one away when fall ends.
Yes, We Had to Try the Pumpkin Espresso Martini
If there was ever a cocktail designed for Instagram in September, this is probably it.
The Pumpkin Espresso Martini combines fresh espresso, Licor 43, and house-made roasted pumpkin syrup.
Palace predicted this would be one of the stars of the new menu before it even launched, and I understand why.
The important distinction here is that this isn’t simply an espresso martini buried beneath pumpkin spice. The roasted pumpkin syrup makes it seasonal while the espresso and Licor 43 keep it firmly in cocktail territory.
It feels like fall.
It also feels like Miami.
Which is basically the entire point.
Then Palace Put Pumpkin in a Margarita
Because of course they did.
The Harvest Pumpkin Margarita takes reposado and roasted pumpkin, adds Ancho Reyes and finishes everything with a Tajín-cinnamon salt rim.
And I love that Palace didn’t make its two pumpkin cocktails variations of the same drink.
The espresso martini leans into cozy fall flavors. The margarita goes straight back to Miami with tequila, chile and Tajín.
This is pumpkin season with absolutely no intention of putting on a cable-knit sweater.
Burrata, Hot Honey and Pumpkin Walk Into an Arepa…
This might be one of the more unexpected combinations on the menu.
The Pumpkin & Burrata Arepa brings together hot honey, toasted pepitas and crispy sage with pumpkin and burrata.
And this is where I started appreciating what Palace was trying to do with the menu.
Pumpkin isn’t being treated like a flavor that automatically needs cinnamon, sugar and whipped cream. It’s an ingredient.
That was intentional. Palace’s team told us they specifically didn’t want pumpkin to feel forced. They started with dishes and flavors that already made sense for the restaurant and incorporated pumpkin where it could complement them rather than take them over.
That philosophy makes a lot more sense once you’re actually sitting there eating your way through the menu.
And then you remember you’re on Ocean Drive.
In September.
Eating pumpkin and burrata.
Miami is weird. I love it here.
Save Room. Seriously.
Just when you’ve eaten enough pumpkin to reasonably believe you’ve reached your limit, Palace brings out dessert.
And apparently, no, you have not reached your limit.
The Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake layers those fall flavors with mascarpone, dulce de leche and candied pecans.
Then there’s the Pumpkin Coconut Flan, finished with coconut caramel, toasted coconut and candied pepitas.
I particularly like the decision to bring coconut into the flan because this menu works best when it stops trying to imitate fall somewhere else and starts asking what fall should taste like here.
Pumpkin and coconut?
On South Beach?
That makes sense.
This Is What Fall Looks Like in Miami
There is something inherently funny about celebrating fall in South Florida.
Our leaves aren’t changing.
Nobody needs a fireplace.
And if you wear the cute fall outfit you saved on Pinterest in September, you’re probably going to regret it before you make it from the parking garage to the restaurant.
But we still want the season.
That’s exactly what Palace tapped into.
“Miami is full of people who grew up somewhere else,” the Palace team explained, noting that there’s a nostalgia surrounding fall even when South Florida’s weather refuses to participate. The Fall Harvest Menu is their way of bringing some of that feeling to Ocean Drive.
And honestly?
I’ll take brown butter pumpkin gnocchi over sweater weather.
Come for Palace. Stay for the Food.
Palace obviously doesn’t need an introduction when it comes to entertainment. The restaurant has built its identity around the larger-than-life drag experience that has become synonymous with the venue.
But there’s another message behind this menu that Palace clearly wants people to hear:
Pay attention to the food.
The team acknowledges that many guests initially know Palace for its drag and entertainment, but they want the cocktails and dishes to become just as memorable as the show.
After this tasting, I get it.
Because I expected a fun seasonal menu.
I did not expect to leave contemplating how quickly I could reasonably return for another bowl of pumpkin gnocchi.
And yet, here we are.
What You Absolutely Need to Order
If you’re heading to Palace for the Fall Harvest Menu, the Brown Butter Pumpkin Gnocchi is non-negotiable. I don’t give “one of the best things I’ve ever eaten” status lightly.
The Pumpkin Espresso Martini is the obvious cocktail order if you want the full fall experience, while the rest of the menu proves pumpkin deserves considerably more culinary respect than we’ve given it after years of turning it into coffee syrup.
The Fall Harvest Menu launches September 21 at Palace Miami Beach, bringing pumpkin cocktails, savory dishes, and desserts to Ocean Drive.
No sweaters required.
Just please save me some gnocchi.
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UKIYO Miami Beach Is About to Make Conveyor Belt Sushi Seriously Sexy
September 2, 2026
There are new restaurant openings we want to check out, and then there are the ones that immediately make us think: I NEED TO GO.
UKIYO is definitely the latter.
Opening this October at 818 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, the newest concept from NOAH Hospitality Group takes Japan’s iconic kaiten, or conveyor belt sushi, tradition and gives it a Miami makeover.
We’re talking premium seafood from Japan traveling through the dining room on a custom-designed conveyor belt, live culinary performances, tableside cooking, a roaming dumpling cart and a gorgeous 7,431-square-foot space designed to keep the experience moving all night.
And judging by the first renderings and menu details, UKIYO already has our attention.
UKIYO’s custom kaiten conveyor belt will serve as the centerpiece of the new Miami Beach restaurant. Courtesy of Casa Medina Design Studio/UKIYO.
Not Your Average Conveyor Belt Sushi
Inspired by the Japanese concept of ukiyo, meaning “the floating world,” the restaurant is designed around movement.
The conveyor belt isn’t simply there to deliver sushi. It’s essentially the stage.
Handcrafted nigiri, sashimi and specialty rolls will continuously circulate through the dining room, while chefs work in view of guests and new creations make their way from the sushi counter onto the belt through choreographed presentations.
Live culinary performances will add another layer of entertainment throughout dinner.
NOAH Hospitality Group founder Philippe Kalifa says that sense of experience was intentional.
“For me, hospitality has never been about simply serving food. It’s about creating emotion.”
His goal? To create a restaurant people remember not just for what they ate, but for how the entire evening made them feel.
We’re listening.
The Menu Is Where Things Get Really Interesting
Executive Chef Nono Shigetomi will lead UKIYO’s kitchen, with premium seafood sourced from carefully selected fisheries across Japan and fish coming from Tokyo’s Toyosu and Tsukiji markets.
The signature Ukiyo Roll alone sounds like it deserves a visit: tuna, salmon, hiramasa and Hokkaido scallop topped with soy-glazed wagyu and umami crunch.
“Freshness isn’t our goal, it’s our starting point,” Shigetomi said. “Every ingredient is selected with intention because great sushi begins long before the fish reaches the plate.”
Beyond the conveyor belt, the menu ventures into robata, tempura, crudo, carpaccio and Japanese comfort dishes.
Expect cumin-soy glazed wagyu and yakitori-glazed chicken from the robata grill, plus a rich paitan ramen loaded with braised duck, sous vide chicken, pork chashu and pork wonton.
There’s also crispy yakisoba finished with ankake sauce and seafood fried rice made with seasoned takikomi gohan rather than standard steamed white rice.
And then things get even better.
Did Someone Say Tableside Kamameshi?
UKIYO’s traditional kamameshi will be cooked fresh at the table in individual kama pots.
The rice is prepared with dashi, soy, sake, mirin, hijiki, carrot and mushroom, then finished with grilled marinated skirt steak and a Jidori egg.
But there’s another menu feature that may have already won us over.
A roaming dumpling cart. Yes, really.
A signature House Dumpling Cart will travel around the dining room carrying a rotating selection of freshly handcrafted beef, pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetarian dumplings. Guests can choose them pan-fried, steamed or deep-fried.
We have a feeling “No, thank you” is going to be extremely difficult when a cart of hot dumplings rolls up to the table.
Japanese-inspired lanterns and warm woodwork lead guests toward UKIYO’s open culinary experience. Courtesy of Casa Medina Design Studio/UKIYO.
And Just Look at This Place
The food may move, but UKIYO’s design gives you plenty of reasons to stop and look around.
Casa Medina Design Studio is behind the 7,431-square-foot restaurant, blending traditional Japanese influences with the darker, sexier energy of Miami Beach after dark.
Rosso Lepanto stone, emerald-toned leathered marble, aged brass, handcrafted millwork and warm Japanese-inspired lanterns fill the interior. A flowing water feature reinforces the restaurant’s “floating world” inspiration.
And at the center of everything sits the custom conveyor belt.
Based on the renderings, chefs will work within the heart of the restaurant as the belt winds around the dining room, placing the food preparation directly into the action rather than hiding it behind the scenes.
It looks intimate, dramatic and just theatrical enough.
UKIYO’s dramatic bar pairs sculptural stone, handcrafted millwork and softly illuminated Japanese-inspired details. Courtesy of Casa Medina Design Studio/UKIYO.
Sushi at 10. Cocktails at Midnight?
This is still Miami Beach, after all.
UKIYO isn’t positioning itself as somewhere you grab an early sushi dinner and head home.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant plans to remain open until 2 a.m.
And that gorgeous bar suddenly makes a lot more sense.
The restaurant is being designed as a meeting point between Japanese hospitality and Miami’s international, nightlife-driven personality. Traditional techniques and Japanese ingredients form the foundation, while theatrical presentations, dramatic interiors and late-night hours give the concept a distinctly Miami edge.
It’s easy to imagine coming for sushi and staying considerably longer than planned.
When Does UKIYO Miami Beach Open?
Unfortunately, not tomorrow.
UKIYO is scheduled to open in mid-October 2026 at 818 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach.
Dinner will be served from 6 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, with Friday and Saturday service continuing until 2 a.m. The restaurant will be closed Mondays.
And yes, SFL Insider will be getting an early look.
We’ll be heading to UKIYO ahead of its official debut to experience the restaurant firsthand, which means we’ll be back with the sushi, the cocktails, the space and, most importantly, a full investigation into this roaming dumpling cart.
For now, UKIYO has officially made our list of Miami restaurant openings we cannot wait to try this fall.
October, hurry up!
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