Updated: These Miami restaurants are permanently closed after the COVID-19 pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic shut down Miami’s hospitality industry in March. With dining rooms closed, many restaurants shifted to takeout, curbside pickup and delivery models.
As the city and county reopened with new safety guidelines, some restaurants tried to capitalize on street closures to increase their suddenly desirable outdoor seating. Miami Beach closed nine streets, including parts of Ocean Drive.
But many restaurants just couldn’t survive at a time when diners weren’t sure what was safe and what wasn’t. Other eateries were already on the edge of shutting down, and the COVID-19 closures hastened the inevitable goodbye.
Here are the Miami restaurants we lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To report any others, email Connie Ogle at cogle@miamiherald.com
JohnMartin’s Irish Pub
The Coral Gables favorite, known for its weeklong St. Patrick’s Day blowout, shuttered for good during the pandemic. But owners John Clarke and Martin Lynch told the Miami Herald that they were planning to close permanently after 31 years but the coronavirus hastened their decision.
Tony Roma’s
The last Tony Roma’s in Miami-Dade County, located in Sunny Isles Beach, closed in March shortly after the lockdown. There’s still a Broward location at Sawgrass Mills Mall.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill
The location in Kendall at 12100 SW 88th St., Miami and the Doral location at 8700 NW 18th Terrace are both permanently closed.
Sweet Tomatoes
The location at Town & Country and all other South Florida locations of the buffet-style restaurant closed after deciding that reopening self-service dining rooms would be a challenge in the current environment.
Bird & Bone
Chef Richard Hales’ restaurant inside the Confidante Hotel closed suddenly in March. The chef Is now suing the hotel for breach of contract.
Obra Kitchen Table
Obra Kitchen Table in Brickell served foodies for two years before announcing on Instagram that it was closing: “Our memories and experiences that were created at our kitchen table are worth more than anything. . . . Obra will forever live in our hearts, and of course, our stomachs!”
Café Roval
Time Out reports that the lush Miami restaurant is closed for good, though its sign reads that the shutdown is temporary. The date-night spot was voted the no. 3 most romantic restaurant in the country by Yelp and Forbes.
Gregory’s Diner
The team behind Mandolin Aegean Bistro took over the restaurant of The Vagabond hotel with this winner of a concept with elevated comfort food. Now they are shuttering to make way for Mr. Mandolin, which will offer Greek street food.
Red Robin
The franchise closed 35 stores in April, most of them in mall locations, which doomed the Red Robin at The Falls.
California Pizza Kitchen
The only California Pizza Kitchen in Miami-Dade, located on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, shut down citing the pandemic and “related lease challenges with our landlords.” There are open locations in Pembroke Pines and Fort Lauderdale.
Shula 347 Grill
The Coral Gables spot closed late in June, but owners assure that a new concept will open after Labor Day in the same location across from Sunset Place.
Ortanique on the Mile
After 21 years, this Coral Gables institution decided to shutter because it never recovered from the hit it took during the 20-month streetscape construction, which was closely followed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
La Sirenuse Restaurant & Champagne Bar
The classy spot at the historic Surf Club in Surfside has closed after three years and won’t reopen.
Cake Thai Kitchen
The hole in the wall on Miami’s Upper East Side is closing for good, Chef Cake says, because of the pressure of the COVID shutdown as well as a few failed attempts at expansion.
Concrete Beach Brewery
Wynwood’s Concrete Beach Brewery is closing for good — but the new tenant coming to take its place. Dogfish Head, which was bought by Boston Beer Company in 2019 and has a residency in the Concrete Beach tap room, will take over the space at some point later this year
David’s Cafe
The longtime Cuban restaurant, changing locations since it left its original spot on Lincoln Road where it was founded in 1977, has closed and will not reopen, according to a social media post by the owner. A long list of court filings shows the restaurant was well on its way to closing before the pandemic first shut county dining rooms in March.
La Dorada
The Coral Gables restaurant, a favorite of celebrities like Isabel Pantoja, Camilo Sesto and José José, will close at the end of September -- another victim of the economic crisis created by Covid-19.
International Smoke
Ayesha Curry closed her Aventura BBQ restaurant International Smoke in the summer. It has since been replaced by another restaurant helmed by Chef Michael Mina, her partner in the shuttered restaurant.
Balloo
Chef Timon Balloo was named a semifinalist as one of the best chefs in the country in February after opening his namesake Balloo in downtown Miami in late 2019, where he cooked the fused cuisine of his Chinese, Indian and Trinidadian roots. Balloo, which remained open for takeout and delivery through late September, has closed and will not reopen downtown.
Grand Lux Café
This restaurant at the Aventura Mall, owned by Cheesecake Factory Inc., will shut down for good at the end of 2020. Sister restaurants in Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise and Town Center in Boca Raton will remain open.
Kaido and Ember
Two restaurants by one of Miami’s best chefs will not reopen after the pandemic.
Brad Kilgore, Miami’s only James Beard award finalist since 2013, closed his two newest restaurants in the Design District, Ember and its upstairs sibling, Kaido.
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 9:56 AM.
