Hotel Openings

SEATTLE, 13 January, 2025 – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts the world’s largest hotel franchisor, and Reside, a global leader in residential hospitality management, have today announced the opening of two new Washington D.C. properties…

🍴 Vandelay Hospitality opened Le Bistrot Bar Sardine on December 20 in Snider Plaza, Dallas. Chef Elliot Azoulay, trained at École Ducasse and with experience at Paris's La Fontaine de Mars and Marseille's Le Petit Nice, leads the Parisian-style restaurant. The menu includes French bistro classics, complemented by a diverse French wine list and cocktails like Chocolate Negroni and Caviar Martini. Vandelay's portfolio also includes Jack and Harry’s, El Molino, Slider and Blues, and DL Mack’s in Snider Plaza.

🍗 Chef Johnny Lee launched Rasarumah in collaboration with Last Word Hospitality on November 24. Lee previously operated Side Chick and Pearl River Deli, which closed in February, in Los Angeles. Located in Historic Filipinotown, the restaurant occupies a former brassiere factory's ground floor. Rasarumah offers a 40-seat space with a menu featuring Malaysian and Southeast Asian cuisine, including dishes like rojak salad, satay skewers, and banana leaf steamed black cod. The design echoes Penang's cafes, and the wine list includes global selections.

🍽 Big Hug Hospitality, founded in 2019 by David Schwartz and Brandon Marek, will open Mimi Chinese in Miami Beach by December 2024. The Michelin-recognized Toronto-based group offers modern Chinese cuisine inspired by Guangdong, Sichuan, Hong Kong, and Hunan regions. The new location is over 4,000 square feet with 88 seats. Mimi Chinese Miami will offer signature dishes and a beverage program with cocktails, wines, baijiu, and sakes. Schwartz received the Michelin Young Chef award in 2023.

SEATTLE, 17 December, 2024 – Reside, a global leader in residential hospitality management, has today announced the appointment of Walter “J.R.” Dembiec, Jr., as Brand President of ‘Reside, a Wyndham Residence’.  Dembiec is…

🍺 Daniel Boulud, renowned chef with multiple restaurants since 1993, opened his first steakhouse, La Tête d’Or, in Manhattan's Flatiron District on November 19. Located in the redesigned One Madison tower, the steakhouse offers a 120-seat dining room, bar, lounge, and two private rooms. The menu features American classics with a French twist, including a range of steaks like black Angus and Japanese A5 wagyu, seafood platters, and sauces. The wine list highlights reds from Bordeaux and Napa Valley.

🍴 Aqua New York, offering Italian and Japanese cuisines, opened on November 11 in Manhattan's Flatiron District. Occupying a 24,000-square-foot space, the venue seats 432 guests, includes three 10-person private dining rooms, a private lounge with DJ station, and claims the city's longest sushi bar with 22 seats. Aqua Spirit, the 44-seat bar, features sakes, wines, and country-inspired cocktails. This is the third U.S. establishment by Aqua Restaurant Group, following locations in New York and Miami.

🍽 In 2024, the U.S. witnessed numerous restaurant and bar openings, featuring Italian eateries and unique concepts like astrology-themed cocktails and mushroom-based dishes. New York City, Miami, Austin, D.C., Denver, and Nashville saw these openings, with Nashville hosting Fancypants, offering a "choose your own adventure" experience, and D.C.'s Ama transforming from a café to a dinner spot. The article showcases 11 special restaurants from this year.

🍴 Chef Evan Funke expanded his culinary empire with the opening of Mother Wolf in Miami’s Design District on October 5. This marks the third Mother Wolf locale, following Los Angeles' early 2022 debut and a Las Vegas branch opened later the same year. Mother Wolf Miami boasts a 10,000-square-foot space featuring a pasta lab, and offers a Roman-inspired menu with handmade pastas, brick-oven pizzas, and a selection of seafood and meat dishes. The bar complements the dining experience with over 400 wine labels, focusing on organic and sustainable options, and a cocktail menu with Italian influences.

🍴 Washington Street Hospitality, known for Pasta Beach in Boston and Rhode Island, opened Legami in Charleston, S.C. on October 9. Eldredge and Tyler Ropolo, whose parents launched Pasta Beach in 2002, lead the family-operated venture. Legami serves Italian cuisine with a modern twist, offers a two-story dining experience, seating 180 guests, and features a menu crafted by Michelin-starred veteran chef Andrea Congiusta. Beverages are curated by James Ruggiero, including signature items like the Legami Martini.