Maple & Ash opened its first location in 2015 in Chicago, followed by a second restaurant in Scottsdale, Ariz., in 2019. The Chicago flagship is one of the top-grossing independent restaurants in the country, accounting for more than $35 million in sales last year. The Scottsdale outpost is no slouch at nearly $24 million.
Maple Hospitality Group looks to continue that high-dollar dominance with its latest location, which opened March 13 at Miami Worldcenter, a 27-acre mixed-use development in downtown Miami.
Maple & Ash opened March 13 in downtown Miami. Photo: World Red Eye
Maple & Ash opened March 13 in downtown Miami. Photo: World Red Eye
“We are thrilled to join the Miami community, where diners appreciate refinement alongside a sense of fun and spontaneity,” said Danny Grant, chef and partner at Maple Hospitality Group. Managing partner Jim Lasky called Miami “one of the most dynamic and flourishing culinary markets in the country,” specifically noting its energy, cultural diversity, and appetite for extraordinary dining experiences.
The Miami restaurant is the group’s largest project yet, spanning two stories and 22,000 square feet. The space will welcome two more concepts later this year. Eight Bar, with one location already at Maple & Ash Chicago, is set to open this August, and The Studio, a private hideaway with a laid-back feel, ambient lighting, and speakeasy vibes, is also planned for the premises.
Studio K designed the restaurant, creating several distinct areas across the bar, dining room, salon, and atrium, which features an upside-down palm tree art piece made from more than 10,000 crystal beads. There are also a couple of themed nooks, including a cozy space called Bar Bocuse where guests can indulge in Champagne, caviar, and jamón Ibérico, and Petit Bocuse, where guests can interact with chefs in the kitchen.
A crystal upside-down palm display hangs inside the atrium. Photo: World Red Eye
A crystal upside-down palm display hangs inside the atrium. Photo: World Red Eye
The menu follows the template set forth by the Chicago and Scottsdale locations, with a variety of cooked and raw starters (including wood-grilled octopus, dry-aged meatballs, and hamachi crudo), caviar, and a fire-roasted seafood tower that flips the conventional chilled seafood display by featuring hearth-roasted shellfish finished with garlic butter and chile oil.
The extensive steak selection includes all the standard cuts, plus a butchers’ reserve section with several wagyu options, like olive-fed rib eye from Japan and tallow-aged Winterfrost wagyu from Nebraska that’s priced at $45 per ounce.
Non-steak entrées include lobster spaghetti, Spanish Dover sole, and ricotta agnolotti with truffles. Accompaniments range from coal-roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts to a baked potato loaded with short rib, raclette cheese, and black truffle jus.
Diners who don’t want to pick their own dinner can opt for the “I Don’t Give a F*@k” tasting menu, which costs $225 per person and features a progression of the chef’s favorite dishes, including shellfish, wagyu, and seasonal plates.
This fire-roasted shellfish tower features hearth-cooked seafood finished with garlic butter and chile oil. Photo: World Red Eye
This fire-roasted shellfish tower features hearth-cooked seafood finished with garlic butter and chile oil. Photo: World Red Eye
Maple & Ash also goes big on the drinks menu. The wine cellar is stocked with 2,500 bottles from around the world, and the bar pours classic and modern cocktails, including the IDGAF Old Fashioned made with 21-year-old Scotch, Pedro Ximenez sherry, maple reduction, amaro, chocolate truffle bitters, and 24-karat gold.
The IDGAF Old Fashioned is made with 21-year-old scotch, chocolate truffle bitters, and 24-karat gold. Photo: Haas and Haas
The IDGAF Old Fashioned is made with 21-year-old scotch, chocolate truffle bitters, and 24-karat gold. Photo: Haas and Haas
Maple Hospitality Group also operates two concepts in a downtown Dallas tower. Monarch is an upscale, wood-fired Italian spot, and Kessaku is a sushi and cocktail lounge that sits directly above it.
Grant said that Maple Hospitality Group will soon operate in additional markets and plans to grow its presence from coast to coast over the next 12 to 24 months
“Maple Hospitality Group is psyched for what the future holds for our brands and concepts,” Grant said. “This summer, we are expanding our footprint to the West Coast with a new concept at one of California’s most prestigious hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. Additionally, Maple Hospitality Group will be expanding into Boston and NYC throughout the year and into next year, and we know these openings will excite fans of our concepts.”
