Watch the sun set at this new hidden waterfront restaurant off the MacArthur Causeway
Never let it be said Miami squanders a chance to use even the smallest wedge of its richest natural resources -- sun and sand.
A new restaurant and beach club will take over a tiny triangle of waterfront land on Watson Island, nestled next to Jungle Island zoo. Joia Beach, set to open in January, according to a press release, will have views of the bay from its scenic spot between the MacArthur and Venetian causeways.
That, say the owners, make it an ideal backdrop for an all-day beachside spot with a sunset deck and lounge and a full restaurant by a veteran Mandolin Aegean Bistro chef.
“We are excited about the opportunity to activate this spectacular untapped space with a concept that will really define all that is amazing about living in Miami,” Liquid Hospitality partner Chris Paciello wrote in a release.
Think of it as South Beach’s Nikki Beach day club but with Rusty Pelican’s idyllic water views.
Chef Erhan Ozkaya, a former executive chef at Midtown’s Mandolin and later the short-lived Skorpios, will oversee the restaurant. Details of the cuisine are cloudy at the moment, the restaurant saying only that the food is “European-inspired.”
The beachside club will make the most of its windswept water views. It will have live music with rotating weekly DJs, activities such as full moon yoga, beachside board games, fitness classes, volleyball, paddleboard and kayak rentals.
A dock will accommodate diners who arrive by boat. Otherwise, driving diners will find Joia Beach just west of Jungle Island with a separate entrance.
Joia Beach
Details: 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Watson Island. JoiaBeachMiami.com
Opening January 2020
This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 2:01 PM.
