A buzzy, upscale Italian restaurant hailing from Toronto’s affluent Yorkville neighborhood is making its way down to Miami this fall. Decked out in pink marble and polished chrome, Sofia Design District is slated to open this November in Palm Court, offering classic Italian fine dining in a modern, Neapolitan ice cream-hued indoor-outdoor space.
The concept comes from INK Entertainment, the Toronto and Miami-based hospitality group behind two Mediterranean-inspired Miami hotspots, Byblos (Miami Beach) and Amal (Coconut Grove). Though Design District is already home to numerous upmarket restaurants including popular Italian spots like MC Kitchen and Palat and Pharrell’s ultra-trendy pastel wonderland Swan, Sofia aims to become Palm Court’s “newest signature restaurant,” says INK founder and CEO, Charles Khabouth.
Adjacent to the freshly Michelin-recognized Itamae, Sofia opens with a menu of both new and nostalgic Italian dishes prepared with a refined approach and seasonal ingredients that pay homage to authentic Italian flavors. Expect a selection of antipasti like carpaccio, grilled octopus, citrus salads, ricotta-stuffed zucchini and Crudo.
For mains, Sofia proffers handmade pasta staples like cacio e pepe al Tartufo and rigatoni alla vodka. The pesce section features branzino, aragosta (butter-poached lobster) and gamberetti (wild king prawn), while highlights from the carne mains include wagyu filets, breaded veal and prime striploin, among others.
Garnished with regionally sourced herbs, Sofia’s Italy-inspired cocktails (with names like Nights of Cabiria and Sorrentino) emphasize execution and elegant presentation, while its wine selection features an assortment of vintages and hard-to-find Italian wines. The restaurant will host nightly DJs and live entertainment to activate the flamingo pink, Italian-glam indoor-outdoor spaces designed by award-winning collective Studio Munge.
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Sofia’s hours of operation will be Monday through Sunday for dinner service starting at 5pm, with brunch and lunch to launch in the coming weeks.