Philly chefs migrate south
Stephen Starr opened Slim’s steakhouse at Bal Harbour Shops (March 17) and has at least three more Florida projects planned — Carbone remains the hardest March reservation in Miami, signaling high demand for legacy fine‑dining spots. (inquirer.com) (uncoveringflorida.com) (miaminewtimes.com)
Starr Restaurants has been operating in Florida since 2009 and company statements and local reporting say Stephen Starr “plans at least three more projects” in the state, including a branded Pastis slated for West Palm Beach. (msn.com) Starr’s group has leased roughly 13,300 square feet of indoor and outdoor space at the Nora Hotel development in West Palm Beach to house the Pastis location, with developers and commercial filings pointing to a late‑2026 opening window. (therealdeal.com) Carbone Miami — consistently ranked the hardest Florida reservation in March because of art‑fair season and spring break demand — sits at 49 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach and typically opens service at 5:30 p.m., with bookings filling weeks in advance. (uncoveringflorida.com) The restaurant enforces reservation rules on Resy and warns of a $50 per‑person cancellation fee for late cancellations, underscoring why diners use alerts, concierges and multi‑week booking strategies to secure tables. (resy.com) Philadelphia chefs beyond Starr have also expanded: Michael Solomonov opened Aviv at 1 Hotel South Beach on March 14, 2025 as his major South Beach debut, while Michael Schulson brought Double Knot to Wynwood in 2025 and has filed permits to open a Delray Beach outpost at 22 W. Atlantic Ave. (blog.resy.com) Edgewater oyster bar Mignonette, run by chef Danny Serfer, closed after nearly 12 years with its last service on Saturday, March 28, 2026 — a local loss noted by long‑time regulars and by coverage tracing the restaurant’s 2014 opening and neighborhood reputation. (miaminewtimes.com)
