José Andrés Group has just opened Aguasal and Bar Centro at the Andaz Miami Beach this week, marking two-thirds of the chef's planned takeover of the mid-beach property's dining.
Aguasal and Bar Centro mark the Spanish chef's expanded presence in South Florida, joining his existing Zaytinya at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach. The third piece of the puzzle, the Bazaar by José Andrés, will join them at the Andaz at a later date, bringing the acclaimed molecular gastronomy concept back to Miami Beach after its 2023 closure at SLS.
Aguasal, which takes its name from "agua salada" (saltwater), serves coastal Mediterranean food with Florida ingredients.
Aguasal photo
Mediterranean Meets Miami at Aguasal
Aguasal occupies the ground floor of the mid-beach hotel and offers indoor and terrace seating. The restaurant, which takes its name from "agua salada" (saltwater), serves coastal Mediterranean food with Florida ingredients.The dinner menu features kumamoto oysters with harissa mignonette and Meyer lemon, mussels saganaki with feta cheese and chives, and whole snapper prepared two ways. The kitchen also turns out grilled leeks with stracciatella and sumac, roasted cauliflower with tahini and pomegranate, and hanger steak with harissa roasted carrots.
The dining room uses earth tones and natural materials, including teak furniture, splitstone floors, and tropical plants. The design emphasizes organic, flowing shapes throughout the space.
Expect Spanish pastries and "Xuixo," a viennoiserie pastry from the city of Girona in Catalonia, Spain, at Bar Centro.
Bar Centro photo
From Café to Cocktail Lounge at Bar Centro
Bar Centro is on the upper lobby level, with ocean views. During the day, it transforms from a Spanish café to a cocktail lounge at night.Morning offerings include fresh juices, Spanish pastries, and "Xuixo," a viennoiserie pastry from the city of Girona in Catalonia, Spain. Evening menus feature cocktails like the "Key Lime Pie Daiquiri" and "Reverse Carajillo," plus food items including José's mother's croquetas and pressed bikini sandwiches.
The bar features curved wooden walls and a sculptural bar with a concave stone backbar. Seating includes lounge and club chairs in the indoor-outdoor space.
The Bazaar remains focused on shared plates that mix traditional and avant-garde techniques, presented with the dramatic flair that became its signature.
The Bazaar by José Andrés photo
The Bazaar Returns
The Bazaar by José Andrés closed its SLS South Beach location in 2023 after 11 years. The restaurant earned much acclaim in Miami and throughout the country for its mix of traditional Spanish flavors and molecular gastronomy techniques, including liquid nitrogen cocktails and modernist tapas.The Bazaar will join Aguasal and Bar Centro at the Andaz Miami Beach, though no opening date has been set. The new Bazaar will blend traditional and avant-garde approaches at the Andaz location. Sam Bakhshandehpour, global CEO of José Andrés Group, said the restaurant will feature "beloved classics and a few new surprises."
Aguasal & Bar Centro. 4041 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, at Andaz Miami Beach; aguasalmiamibeach.com and thebazaar.com/location/bar-centro.
