Well-known restaurants in New York City that opened in Miami despite the COVID-19 pandemic are reaping the benefits of less constraints, as business is believed to be ‘thriving’ and overflowing with customers and reservations.
While the once thriving hospitality scene in NYC is largely paralyzed by the state’s strict COVID-19 measures, some restaurant owners say Miami has opened up new opportunities to expand and survive amid the pandemic.
NYC’s prestigious sushi chain Kissaki is one of the newest to open in Miami, with restaurateur and owner Garry Kafner preparing to open two new venues this year.
Famous favorites, such as Carbone, Cote and Sant Ambroeus, have already started a store in Miami. Brooklyn’s popular pizza joint Roberta’s and Harlem hotspot Red Rooster also recently opened.
In the restaurants, there is no shortage of patrons, especially Carbone, and they are already seeing a waiting list of three months after they just opened last month.
The Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse Cote is almost impossible to book at, and those who do are limited to 60 minutes to get people moving in and out.
Well-known restaurants in New York City that opened in Miami despite the COVID-19 pandemic are reaping the benefits of less constraints, as the business is ‘thriving’. Carbone in particular already has a three-month waiting list after it just opened last month
Felix Bendersky (above), the owner of F + B Hospitality Leasing, told DailyMail.com that the business in Miami is ‘thriving’ and that restaurants continue to flee New York.
Felix Bendersky, owner of F + B Hospitality Leasing, told DailyMail.com that the business is ‘thriving’ in Miami and that restaurants continue to flee New York.
“There are, I would probably say, about 150 groups in the last 60 days that we have reached out to search for restaurant space,” he said.
‘Some have given up their New York projects to come here. They determine by the time New York returns, they can move further into Miami.
“I think it was pretty insane.”
Bendersky said the stricter restrictions on the hospitality industry in New York are increasing demand in Miami.
“Unfortunately, the mayor and governor of New York was my best promoter, they send all the people to our side,” he said.
‘After the first stop, they had some hope that it would not be long before things would recover. But after being turned off for the second time, it really wiped out many business owners.
“Knowing Florida is not going to shut down … people are just pulling the trigger.”
In Miami, restaurants are allowed to operate 100 percent capacity all winter long, as long as the social distance is maintained.
Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis dropped all restrictions on COVID-19 in September last year.
Harlem’s hot spot Red Rooster (pictured above) also recently opened in Miami
A Korean steakhouse Cote with Michelin stars is almost impossible to book and those who do are limited to a 60 minute time limit to get people moving in and out
The Altamarea group behind Michelin star Marea and Ai Fiori, Manhattan, opened its fifth, Osteria Morini, in early February in Miami.
Under New York’s current restrictions, indoor dining is now allowed at 35 percent.
The industry had to reckon with a harsh winter of only outdoor meals after indoor dining was banned in October when infections began to increase.
This means indoor eateries in New York will be banned for most of 2020.
Garry Kafner, the owner of Kissaki in NYC, now plans to open two new restaurants in Miami this year.
When the pandemic broke out and paralyzed NYC’s restaurant scene under restrictions, Kafner opened in the Hamptons and Connecticut.
“I think a lot of restaurants are very nervous about what happened,” he told DailyMail.com.
‘I think COVID has taken a lot of people off, but it has also created a lot of opportunities. I always tried to move to Miami, but I think COVID speeded it up.
“It’s an exciting situation in Miami. I feel really good about growing. ‘
He now focuses on Florida given how many people fled Miami from New York in the midst of the pandemic.
‘Miami has always been a great place for restaurants. ‘I feel like now, as many of the sectors move here … many families move here … it gives many more opportunities for restaurateurs,’ he said.
“Miami used to be a second home for many people and is now becoming a primary residence.”
Among them is 28-year-old Carlyn Shear, a marketing consultant in New York who has been living in Miami since January.
Shear said that while she still thinks NYC is the biggest city, she made the move because many of the things that made it great are currently unavailable.
She said all her friends also moved to Florida during the pandemic.
‘I recently signed a lease on an apartment here and pay less than half of my rent in NY. My apartment here is probably twice as big, ‘she said.
“West Palm Beach and Palm Beach are this small town, but you have a lot in common with New York, like similar kinds of restaurants and bars and people.”
Famous favorites, such as Carbone, Cote and Sant Ambroeus, have already started a store in Miami
Garry Kafner (above), the owner of the Kissaki of NYC, now plans to open two new restaurants in Miami this year. He focuses on Florida given the number of people fleeing New York City in favor of Miami amid the pandemic
Among those moving to Miami is 28-year-old Carlyn Shear, a marketing consultant in New York who has been living in Florida since January. Shear said that while she still thinks NYC is the biggest city, she made the move because many of the things that made it great are currently unavailable.
New cases of coronavirus in Florida continue to emerge after they surfaced during the holidays.
Hospitalizations and deaths have been declining since the beginning of the year.
The state has now fully vaccinated almost 9 percent of its population.
Cases, deaths, and hospitalizations are also declining sharply in New York, where about 8 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.
This comes from research published last month by the New York City Hospitality Alliance, which showed that the number of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and events in NYC that could not pay their rent has increased since the beginning of the pandemic.
It peaked at 92 percent in December.
The research found that 45.2 percent of the businesses they surveyed did not pay any rent in December and 46.4 percent paid only some. Only 8.4 percent paid all their rent.
Of those who could pay their rent, nearly 50 percent paid half of their rent.
Among the 39.7 percent of businesses that tenants abandoned during the pandemic, 41.4 percent had to pay half of their rent.
A further 41.5 percent gave up less than half of their rent and only 17.2 percent for more than half of the rent.
In the survey, 24.3 per cent revealed that they had not renegotiated their lease with the landlord, but that they were negotiating in good faith.
New cases of coronavirus in Florida emerge after shooting during the holidays
Cases, deaths and hospitalizations are also declining sharply in New York, where about 8 percent of the population is fully vaccinated
Research published last month by the New York City Hospitality Alliance showed that the number of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and meeting rooms in NYC that could not pay their rent has increased since the beginning of the pandemic.