The last time we wrote about Julia & Henry’s, we were bidding farewell to 2021 and looking ahead to the most exciting Miami openings in 2022.
At that point, the Downtown food hall transforming a historic, seven-level building had already garnered buzz for signing on splashy chef talent including the James Beard-recognized Michelle Bernstein and José Mendín.
Now, nearly halfway through 2023, the massive, all-day dining and entertainment hub is at last set to open its doors on Saturday, June 3. If the promise of the country’s highest concentration of award-winning chefs gets you going, Julia & Henry’s should be well worth the wait.
When it opens, the food hall will house 26 culinary concepts across three stories of sleek, freshly renovated atrium space. Among them, you’ll find succulent fried chicken from Bernstein, gourmet burgers from Mendín, globally influenced Mediterranean from Tomás Kalika (a South America Best Chef nominee) and patisserie from Yann Couvreur (one of France’s top ten pastry chefs), among others.
On the rooftop, renowned chef Massimo Bottura’s Torno Subito will serve as the development’s crown jewel, proffering authentic Italian cuisine in a space inspired by Bottura’s childhood beach holidays on the Adriatic coast.
On the beverage side, Julia & Henry’s has tapped some of the city’s most beloved brands, including Boxelder Craft Beer Market (an early Wynwood institution) and Karina Iglesias of NIU Kitchen, who has curated a three-story-high wine tower at the base of the venue dubbed La Época.
Aside from its marquee food and beverage offerings, Julia& Henry’s sets itself apart with Jolene Sound Room, a retro-themed, basement-level nightclub helmed by Bar Lab and the three principles behind Club Space and III Points festival. (Jolene also has an esteemed counterpart of the same name in Brooklyn).
The remaining floors four and five of the 1936-era building will serve as a “music-centric creative incubator” equipped with recording studios, communal workspaces and a tattoo shop, according to the latest press release. Guests will be able to grab drinks before heading upstairs up to listen in on live recording sessions.
Located in Downtown Miami at 200 East Flagler Street, Julia & Henry’s was purchased and re-developed by Stambul Development, who abided by strict historic preservation codes to preserve and restore the building’s iconic Streamline Moderne architecture, the last phase of the Art Deco era. An aerodynamic design, long horizontal lines and curving forms were typical of the style.
Food hall hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11:30am to 10pm and Friday and Saturday from 11:30am to 11pm, with happy hours on weekdays from 4 to 6pm.