Miami is more than 4,000 miles from French Riviera, the stretch of southeastern France that touches the Mediterranean, but you wouldn’t know it from stepping into Claudie. The new restaurant channels the Côte d’Azur, from the design to the food, and is led by an executive team native to the South of France.
Claudie is the newest project from Riviera Dining Group, which is also behind Mila —the second highest-grossing independent restaurant last year — and Casa Neos, both in Miami. Their portfolio also includes Ava MediterrAegean in Winter Park, Fla.
Claudie opened February 7 in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, a buzzing destination filled with restaurants and nightlife. It uses natural materials like wicker, wood, clay, and stone and was designed by OV & Co. and Lazaro Rosa-Violán to reflect towns you might find in the South of France.
The menu is inspired by the French Riviera and features escargots such as these, as well as oysters, Dover sole, and wagyu steaks. Photo credit: Ruben Cabrera
The menu is inspired by the French Riviera and features escargots such as these, as well as oysters, Dover sole, and wagyu steaks. Photo credit: Ruben Cabrera
The 2,470-square-foot terrace seats 104 guests and features lush greenery, a large multi-tiered fountain, and a bronze sculpture by artist Ada Da Silva. Inside, the main dining room measures just over 2,400 square feet and seats 134 guests across upholstered booths and rattan chairs, and a mix of bare wood tables and some covered with white linens. An eclectic collection of pottery and paintings line the walls, and large circular light fixtures are meant to evoke the Mediterranean sun.
The indoor/outdoor bar bridges the two areas and seats another 22 guests. There’s also a private dining room that accommodates 34 guests and features an elaborate mural covering one entire wall.
Claudie’s private dining room seats 34. Photo credit: Kris Tamburello
Claudie’s private dining room seats 34. Photo credit: Kris Tamburello
“The roots of Claudie are deeply personal, drawing inspiration from the South of France, particularly the village of Mougins, where I grew up and where my father has served as mayor for decades,” said Gregory Galy, founder and CEO of Riviera Dining Group.
Mougins is a culinary hotspot with many Michelin-starred restaurants, and Galy describes it as having “a way of life centered on slow living, effortless sophistication, and an inherent appreciation for beauty and culture.” That mix of food and lifestyle is what he’s hoping to capture at Claudie.
The menu comes from Riviera Dining Group’s head of culinary, Michaël Michaelidis, who formerly worked with top chefs Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon. It features starters like a tableside gazpacho with basil foam, escargots, beef tartare, and branzino carpaccio. A seafood section includes raw oysters, clams, and prawns, leading into pastas like lobster spaghetti and spinach-ricotta ravioli with lemon and sage.
An elaborate gazpacho presentation is prepared tableside. Photo credit: Ruben Cabrera
An elaborate gazpacho presentation is prepared tableside. Photo credit: Ruben Cabrera
There’s also an open, wood-fired grill that’s enlisted for wagyu steaks, Australian lamb, and Dover sole. A few accompaniments round out the menu, like French fries, truffle pommes purées, and seasonal mushrooms.
The wine list skews French and features an extensive Champagne selection, but there are also bottles from North America, Italy, Spain, and other regions.
Claudie is just a few weeks old now, but Riviera Dining Group is already working on additional projects. Next up is Noora, a new rooftop restaurant and bar that pulls inspiration from the Mediterranean and North Africa and will open later this year above Casa Neos.
The group hinted that more concepts are planned for Miami this year and next year, and they have “plans to enter global markets over the next two years.”
