New Miami Restaurant Openings Include Paperfish, Salt & Straw, and Miami Diner

Another week, another round of new restaurants opening in Miami.

This week, check out handmade dumplings at Zitz Sum in Coral Gables. Or grab a scoop of Miami-inspired ice cream with the Coral Gables Salt & Straw.

Other openings include a new speakeasy-themed sushi restaurant, the expansion of Miami Diner in South Beach, and a delivery-only concept that specializes in pairing sandwiches with champagne.

Do you know of any openings that aren’t on our list? Let us know in the comments or email [email protected].

Miami native Jourdan Binder — one of the creatives behind the Anderson and Broken Shaker — has a new delivery-only concept: sandwiches paired with Champagne. His odd-couple idea, dubbed Champs and Heroes, oozes late-20th Century nostalgia (with a nod to the sports icons from Binder’s youth). To bring his “Hall of Fame” and “Instant Classics” sandwich menu to life, Binder tapped chef Nicole Votano of Dirt, Fooq’s, and Mamma Parmigiana, in partnership with Reef Technology’s NBRHD Kitchen. Priced at $12 and up, sandwiches like the “Bird” (a chicken parm hero), the “Dan the Man” (an Italian hero), and the “MJ” (a meatball sub) are delivered in a custom-made, Insta-worthy shoebox with house-made chips and, for an additional charge, a split of Moët or prosecco. Available for order via the Champs website and via most mobile delivery options.

The team behind Meraki Greek Bistro and Meraki Coconut Grove has quietly opened the Miami Diner on Alton Road in South Beach. Located in the space previously occupied by the iconic David’s Cafe, the 110-seat diner specializes in made-from-scratch comfort food served in a retro setting. The restaurant serves all-day breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch — from diner staples like omelets to more inventive fare like a waffle sandwich (ham, Swiss cheese, and fried eggs stuffed between two waffles). Non-breakfast dishes range from pastas and baby back ribs to homemade meat loaf, not to mention over-the-top milkshakes like the “Nutella Ferrero” (made with Nutella, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, Ferrero Rocher chocolate, and a Kinder Bueno chocolate bar). Locals who ask for the “GoLocal” password and key code get a 10 percent discount during weekday breakfast. Open Monday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You’ll know you’re at Paperfish when you see the red torii gates. This new, Tokyo-inspired izakaya specializes in Nikkei cuisine made from fresh, seasonal ingredients. The menu is divided into zenzai (appetizers), raw bar, salads, sushi, and tokusen (entrées). Start with a ceviche or tiradito from the raw bar, then move on tonigiri, maki, and hand rolls that play with Japanese and Peruvian flavors. Appetizers range from $6 to $22; main plates, like the pulpo robata and Wagyu ishiyaki, range from $15 to $38. Vegetarian options are available throughout the menu. Open daily from noon to midnight.

The beloved Portland, Oregon-based ice cream brand that began as a food cart and is partly backed by Duane “The Rock” Johnson has opened its second Miami location. Salt & Straw is now offering its small-batch, curiously flavored ice creams in the newly reimagined CocoWalk. The menu at the Grove location mirrors the one at the recently opened Wynwood shop, featuring Salt & Straw classics alongside specialty flavors designed expressly for Miami. Menus rotate monthly to highlight seasonal creations; the currently offered “Eat Your Flowers” list  brims with vivid flowers, bright fruits, and potent aromatics. Open daily from noon to midnight.

Best known for his time at No Name Chinese, Zitz Sum chef and co-owner Pablo Zitzmann grew up in a German/Mexican household — with a passion for Asian flavors, thanks to frequent visits with his father to the teppanyaki restaurants of Bogotá. Later, the younger Zitzmann’s travels would take him to China, Japan, and Hawaii, experiences that only served to fuel his love of Asian cuisine. Zitz Sum, which debuted during the pandemic as a dim sum delivery service, is a 66-seat restaurant specializing in dumplings, small plates, and Zitzmann’s take on Chinese and Japanese street food with a Miami twist. He works alongside pastry chef and co-owner Natalia Restrepo, who brings a personal touch through her bread program and desserts like Hong Kong-Style French toast. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m.

Nicole Danna is a Palm Beach County-based reporter who began covering the South Florida food scene for New Times in 2011. She also loves drinking beer and writing about the area’s growing craft beer community.