From Carrot Express opening along Grand Avenue to the Salty's newest Miami location in CocoWalk, which both opened within the past year, restaurant chains are quickly making their presence known in an area known for its homegrown restaurants.
Two newcomers that are about to join this growing list are Craft Miami, a small comfort-food chain that has opened eight restaurants in Miami within the past three years, and Pura Vida, the mega-successful fast-casual healthy food chain that has seen a swift expansion across the state.
Craft Miami's Fast Expansion and Grove Welcome
Opening eight restaurants in three years is no small feat, but Craft's popularity is spreading around Miami and its latest comfort food spot is coming to Coconut Grove very soon.Hailing from Argentina, its fast growth is all thanks to its small yet mighty group of partners, Nicolas Bleckwedel, Nicolas Fanlo, and Bernardo Calvo. "We're just a group of friends from Argentina," Bleckwedel tells New Times. "We had five Craft restaurants in Argentina when the opportunity to open a restaurant here in Miami came up. Our first restaurant opened in July 2021 in Coral Gables, and I don't know how, but we managed to open eight restaurants in three years. Sometimes people think we are a big franchise or something like that, but we are just a small group of friends trying to give the people what they want at a fair price in different neighborhoods and they are really happy with our product."
The eclectic menu ranges from breakfast and brunch specials to Neapolitan pizzas and sandwiches. The variety of choices truly leans on comfort food for different tastes. For starters, the menu includes halloumi cheese (Middle Eastern-style mozzarella sticks), fries, goat cheese croquettes, and the Argentine staple provoleta. Popular mains to choose from include the old-fashioned beef stew, milanesa Napolitana, gnocchi, and baked salmon. The drink menu includes signature cocktails, wines, craft beer, cold-pressed juices, and coffee.
"I think the key to our success is comfort food at affordable prices for the crazy Miami market," says Bleckwedel. "The balance between the quality and the pricing that we offer, I think it's unbeatable. Plu,s we try our best to pick premium locations for our restaurants."
After opening its first South Florida location in Coral Gables in 2021, Craft has expanded to Bayside, South Beach, South Miami, Key Biscayne, Midtown, and Doral Isles. There was also a location in Brickell, but it closed due to its building being sold. Bleckwedel tells New Times they are still looking to reopen in the neighborhood. Plus, before the end of the year, Craft is also coming to Little Havana.
Pura Vida's Largest Location to Open in December 2024
Pura Vida, the fast-growing health café from Miami, will be opening the chain's largest location yet along Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove this year.The restaurant's first flagship restaurant is expected to open in December at 3034 Grand Ave.
With more than 20 locations in South Florida, it has become a fact that if there is a bustling city center filled with shops, there is bound to be a light blue and white Pura Vida around the corner.
While the Florida-based chain, which opened in the South of Fifth neighborhood of South Beach in 2012, is a fan favorite, the Grove is known for small, "mom and pop" health food shops and homegrown restaurants that hopefully will continue to stand the test of time: the Last Carrot, FuzzBee's, and Berries in the Grove, to name a few.
Since the city center of Coconut Grove is rather small, the influx of chains makes competition even more fierce for restaurants trying to either open or even stay afloat.
Craft Coconut Grove. 3324 Virginia St., Coconut Grove; craftmiami.us.
Pura Vida Coconut Grove. 3034 Grand Ave., Coconut Grove; puravidamiami.com.
