Chef-restaurateur Michael Schwartz is adding to his Miami empire with Ella, a Design District café set to open April 1 at 140 NE 39th St., a few steps south of Schwartz’s flagship, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink.
The restaurant is named for Schwartz’s eldest daughter, an 18-year-old senior at Ransom Everglades who is helping with design and creative aspects.
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“I am really into photography and have been interning at The Genuine Hospitality Group since last summer,” Ella Schwartz says. “When they decided to open the pop-up and design it this way, I was really excited because it very much reflects my personal aesthetic — light, breezy, white, simple, etc. We also decided to have one of the focuses be Polaroid pictures of palm trees, the beach, blue water, taken on my Polaroid camera, which I use all the time.”
The plan for now is to have Ella run as a pop-up through summer, with no word on what may come of the space after then.
Ella, which occupies Space 136 at the Design District’s Palm Court, will be open seven days a week, serving breakfast, lunch and late-afternoon food and drink. An indoor counter will seat 10 people, with additional seating for about 40 people under umbrella-shaded tables outside.
Menus will be available later this month. Interior features include artwork from Design District developer Craig Robins’ personal collection, a chalkboard menu wall, and terra cotta herb pots on each table.
Parking is available via valet ($5) on 39th Street or in the Palm Court garage on 38th Street ($3 for first four hours). Follow Ella’s progress at ellapop.me and on Instagram.
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