Chef & Restaurateur Javier Ramirez Reveals Top Trends for the South Florida Restaurant Market
Miami has been a hotspot for tourists for decades, but recently, more and more businesses are visiting the Sunshine State — and staying — due to lower taxes, warm weather, and less-dense urban areas. From tech companies, to finance houses, to industrial powerhouses, multiple transplants from New York and the West Coast are setting up shop here. Outside of the tech world, restaurant concepts from these urban strongholds are also migrating to South Florida, shadowing the 9-to-5 businesses taking up most of the media airtime. For instance, Carbone — a swanky Italian restaurant originally opened in Manhattan — just opened its doors on South Beach in January.
What do these shifts mean for the local restaurant scene? To hone-in on and make sense of the current trends, we sat down with a seasoned Miami restaurateur to see what he had to say.
Who: Javier Ramirez
Born in: Venezuela
Resumé: Earned an economics degree, has worked for multinational firms in Venezuela, the U.S., and the U.K., and has now been a restaurateur for years in Florida.
Latest restaurants: Palmar and La Natural
Notable accomplishments: Palmar was recognized as one of the 50 best new restaurants in America & received four stars from the Miami Herald
The Interview
Q: It’s been a year for the record books, to say the least. Coming out of 2020, what are some of the major trends that you are seeing in the South Florida restaurant scene?
Javier: So much has happened, and so much is happening. Most of the media attention has been focused on the negative — restaurants closing or failing due to COVID-19, which of course has been difficult. However, there’s another narrative under the surface where you actually have an incredible number of restaurants opening right now, and at a caliber at which we’ve not experienced before in South Florida.
One of these trends is the influx of restaurants that have been successful in New York, Chicago, or L.A., and are now opening outposts in South Florida. While many people think that they are migrating here due to COVID-19, trying to get out of the cold climate, etc., it’s not the only determining factor. It takes about two years to develop and open a restaurant — and COVID-19 was not on anybody’s radar two years ago. So, what this shows is that Miami was up-and-coming on the scene long before COVID-19 came along. COVID may have accelerated the relocations, but it didn’t start them.
Q: Do you think that these concepts from New York and L.A. know what it takes to succeed in Miami’s market?
Javier: The interesting thing is that now, a lot of people who are moving to Miami from those same areas, are used to eating at these three-Michelin-star restaurants, so the market is going to be there. These out-of-town restaurants opening up now are likely to find success because of that. Not only that, but a lot of them, like Carbone, also try to tweak their concepts and other details to appeal more to the native Miami audience. Of course, this makes it harder for local restaurants to compete. And let’s not forget that the Miami restaurant scene has a strong audience currently because of all the local restaurateurs who have worked so hard to get it there.
Q: With this fresh competition, what can local restaurants do to stay on top of their game?
Javier: To stay on top of their game, local restaurants need to offer something that will differentiate them. They have to understand that they’re not just going up against newcomers, they’re competing against some of the best and biggest restaurants in the country.
To differentiate themselves, it’s not just about being unique, it’s also about providing something that’s exclusively local because that’ll attract attention from newly transplanted out-of-towners too. This is where a lot of Latin American chefs have a great advantage to offer a concept that is unique to their culture, which is something Miami is known for that you won’t find somewhere else (or at a restaurant coming from somewhere else) like L.A. or New York.
Q: For your own two concepts, how are you approaching this new era in Miami dining?
Javier: Well, Palmar has been open for three years — which was a Metro 1 property in Wynwood. It’s been unique from the start, offering Chinese food with a tropical vibe. We like to play Latin-American music, like Salsa, and that’s just something you’re not going to find anywhere else in the world paired with upscale Chinese food.
La Natural, our new concept, is a sourdough pizzeria serving natural wine. We have a couple of dishes on the menu with Latin flair, like our grilled pineapple with chimichurri and the smoked local mushroom with salsa verde. It’s a warm space with a good vibe, something everyone can relate to and just feel comfortable in.
Q: Your new restaurant is in Little River, which is an emerging hotspot for new concepts. Why did you pick the area?
Javier: I think it’s about quality over quantity. I’m not afraid to move away from the popular neighborhoods where people will find us more easily. If you’re offering something exclusive, people will seek you out. Little River is actually one of the nicest areas to be in commercially and it attracts a different kind of crowd. It doesn’t have that crazy feel and access that Wynwood has, which can be a little oversaturated these days. Some people see that as a negative, some see it as a positive. If you’re the person looking for a little more quiet, Little River is it. It’s kind of becoming the new “locals” neighborhood.
Q: How have you been adapting to COVID and how have you been able to survive and succeed?
Javier: Again, quality over quantity. When COVID-19 hit and we had to reduce our capacity, we introduced a tasting menu with a higher price point at Palmar. It was something unique that kept folks coming in and spending a little bit more on a better, more tailored experience. I’m very impressed with how much is available for delivery now, but we made a conscious decision to not go the delivery route. The ingredients we use are higher-end and our prices are double what everyone else’s are on the platform.
Also any restaurant that wants to survive and succeed needs to have something called a social currency. If the topic of what to eat comes up, and you don’t have social currency, you’re done. If you don’t have a word of mouth, you’re done. At La Natural, we don’t have PR, media, a website, or marketing. We almost wanted to create that allure of it being like a secret. People love it that way and actually tell us to keep it like that.
Q: What are some other restaurants being opened by your peers that you are excited to see come to Miami?
Javier: I’m really excited about a Peruvian restaurant in the works by Charles Thomson, a very talented Peruvian chef. There’s also Tigre by Argentinian chef Deborah de Corral which has been in the works in Little River. They’ll both have great offerings.
Q: Overall, what are your predictions for the industry for the rest of the year as we look to the future?
Javier: Miami is on a tear right now. I don’t mean this with any insensitivity to those who have suffered loss from COVID-19, but I think that the pandemic will actually be good for Miami in the long run. People have realized how privileged we are to live in a place where it’s sunny and warm year-round with so much diversity, culture, and natural beauty at our fingertips.
I think in Miami, too, we’re striking a good balance with being careful, but also getting back to our normal lives. We just have to continue doing all the right little things to keep the spread at bay as a community. I am hopeful that Miami will be one of the first cities that will get back to “normal.”
In terms of restaurants moving to Miami, specifically, Carbone, Uchi, and COTE were all signed at the beginning of the pandemic and have started opening now. There are some late to the game that are signing leases as we speak, and we’ll see them open soon. Miami needed a population boost, and it’s happening.
You can connect with Javier by following him on Instagram at @gourmandj.
Opening a Restaurant in the New Normal
As we learn how to navigate this new “normal” due to COVID-19, it’s essential to have a partner who understands the landscape of each of Miami’s neighborhoods, and to have a broker who understands industry-specific details to keep you one step ahead of the game. To secure a space for your own Miami restaurant venture, visit our website at www.Metro1.com to get in touch with someone who can help.
