Chef Michael White is best known for fine-dining restaurants during his time at the Altamarea Group, when his New York City concepts racked up several Michelin stars and featured his signature style of coastal Mediterranean cooking.
His next challenge: Opening a neighborhood restaurant in Coral Gables, Fla.
When it debuts this December, Mika will be White’s first standalone restaurant in Florida, following a couple of hotel collaborations. Lido Restaurant at the Four Seasons hotel in Surfside opened in 2021, and Mirabella, a coastal Italian restaurant at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, opened last fall.
Mika is situated within Plaza Coral Gables, a mixed-use destination with upscale shopping, dining and entertainment.
To make it happen, White teamed up with partners Alex Pirez — founder of the luxury design-development firm Mocca Group and a restaurant investor responsible for Major Food Group’s Miami expansion — and Matt Safchik — a seasoned food and beverage operator from Miami. The trio chose Coral Gables because they saw an opportunity to serve a local audience and contribute to a growing pocket of South Florida’s food culture.
“One of the things that attracted us to Coral Gables is its strong sense of community and the opportunity to cook for locals who we hope will feel at home at Mika,” White said.
The restaurant’s interior measures 8,195 square feet and flows from a bar and lounge into a spacious main dining room, with varied seating options used to maintain a sense of intimacy. A 600-square-foot private dining room is available for special events.
After years running award-winning restaurants in New York City, Michael White has turned his attention to Florida. Photo credit: World Red Eye
Bishop Design — an agency with offices in Miami and Dubai — collaborated with Mika’s owners to create a space that draws inspiration from the Mediterranean and blends a raw, weathered aesthetic with refined elegance. Design elements include natural tones and textured layering, with tall coffered ceilings, terracotta tiles, distressed wood and burnished metals, plus leather and velvet accents.
The menu will feature White’s trademark coastal Mediterranean cooking, including crudos and house-made pasta, paired with South Florida’s local seafood and produce. A few of White’s specialties, like langoustine carpaccio, fusilli with octopus and bone marrow — a favorite at Marea in New York’s Columbus Circle — and rosemary sea salt Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Wines will flow freely, backed by a 1,700-bottle cellar.
Though best known for his fine-dining chops, White is excited to ply his skills in a neighborhood restaurant, where the team wants to focus on a self-described blend of humble hospitality with unapologetic food in a convivial setting.
“As a chef, I’ve always believed that food has the power to bring people together, no matter the setting,” White said. “After years of running fine-dining restaurants, I was drawn to the idea of creating an upscale neighborhood spot where people can still enjoy exceptional food, but in a more contemporary, approachable atmosphere where hospitality is the cornerstone.”
