Upscale Basque restaurant from Mexico City opens its first U.S. location in Miami

In the upscale San Ángel and Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhoods in Mexico City, the Mediterranean-Basque restaurant Zeru is famous for its hot coal grilling.

Now, the brand has opened its third location — its first restaurant in the United States — in Miami.

Zeru — the name means “heaven” in Basque — is now open at the Hotel AKA Brickell with a space of 5,400 square feet on the ground floor. There are indoor and outdoor eating options and a lush bar if you prefer to sit there.

The menu is inspired by the cuisine of the coastal Basque city San Sebastian. This means you can expect plenty of seasonal fish dishes served Gertaria-style (the Spanish village on the Urola Coast is internationally known for its seafood).

But there are other options, too, including several socarrat dishes (socarrat is a technique that means “scorched,” as in the paella at the bottom of the pan) and grilled dishes from a high-end Josper grill including King Crab with saffron and Japanese Kobe strip loin.

Chef and partner Israel Aretxiga says the grilling is what makes Basque cooking stand out.

“The beautiful and simple combination of wood, smoke and flame present since the beginning of gastronomy, is what gives meaning to our cuisine,” he said in a statement. “We apply the traditional techniques of the Basque asador to the finest ingredients to create a unique gastronomical experience of authentic flavors.”

The Zeru Group opened its first restaurant in Mexico in 2009 and was recognized as the sixth best restaurant in Mexico City by MB by Marco Beteta, a gastronomic and lifestyle website in Mexico.

Executive Chef Gabriela Guitrón says Miami is a perfect spot for Zeru’s expansion.

“Authenticity is what connects Miami with Zeru, a place where tradition and innovation meet,” she said in a statement. “Like the Magic City, our restaurant has an identity of its own, an authentic dining experience of flavors and textures that have been preserved and enhanced with ingredients that speak for themselves.”

Zeru

Where: Hotel AKA, 1395 Brickell Ave., Miami

Hours: Noon- 3p.m. Sunday-Thursday; dinner daily at 5:30 p.m.

More information: zerumiami.com or 786-809-1786