The Weekly Dish: Starr Catering heads to Oceana Bal Harbour … & more

Residents of Oceana Bal Harbour will have another reason to celebrate. Starr Catering Group, founded by restaurateur Stephen Starr, is getting ready to open Ballerina, an indoor/outdoor space at the recently completed condo development. Pastry chef Antonio Bachour will open in downtown Coral Gables, and more.

The Weekly Dish is a TRD recurring feature that showcases the latest in South Florida’s restaurant openings, leases and sales.

Ballerina | Bal Harbour

Starr Catering Group is wrapping up the buildout of Ballerina, a residents-only restaurant opening at Oceana Bal Harbour.

The company and Piero Lissoni designed the space, which will be open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serve alcohol. It’s set to open in August, according to a spokesperson for the developer.

The 100-seat restaurant is next to the building’s pool deck and spa, and near the Jeff Koons sculpture called “Seated Ballerina.” It will serve seasonal menu items with Mediterranean influences.

Ballerina, led by chef Mark Tropea, will also offer poolside food and drinks, in-condo room service and catering accessible via the building’s app. Starr Catering also runs Verde at the Perez Art Museum Miami. Starr, who is not involved in the Bal Harbour restaurant, sold his stake in the company in 2015. His South Florida restaurants include Upland Miami and the Continental Miami.

Consultatio USA completed Oceana Bal Harbor last year after launching sales for the 28-story, 240-unit development in 2013. The 5.5-acre property features two sculptures by Koons, pools, a beach club, cabanas, a spa, restaurant and tennis court. Oceana was designed by Arquitectonica with interiors by Piero Lissoni and landscaping by Enzo Enea.

Rendering of 2020 Salzedo

Bachour Bakery | Coral Gables

Award-winning pastry chef Antonio Bachour will open a bakery, restaurant and pastry academy at Codina Partners’ 2020 Salzedo.

Bachour will open in a 5,200-square-foot space, including a courtyard, at the mixed-use complex. Ana Barcelo, who just left Koniver Stern to join CBRE, represented Codina in the lease. The bakery is slated to open during the second quarter of next year, according to a press release.

The project includes more than 49,000 square feet of Class A office space, about 7,000 square feet of retail space and a 16-story luxury apartment tower.

Plant Food and Wine | Wynwood 

“Raw food wizard” Matthew Kenney is being sued for more than $1.4 million for unpaid rent and for allegedly breaking an agreement to not open a competing restaurant, according to the Miami Herald.

The chef, cookbook author and restaurateur has been sued in New York, Oklahoma City, Maine, Los Angeles and Miami. Now, he’s facing a suit from his former landlord, the Sacred Space owner Karla Dascal, who took control of Plant Food and Wine in Wynwood. In addition to the unpaid rent, Dascal is seeking eviction, alleging that the celebrated vegan chef violated a non-compete agreement by opening Plnthouse at 1 Hotel South Beach.

Kenney’s marketing manager told the Miami Herald that the suit from Sacred Space has “never been served on us.” [Miami Herald]

New wing at Aventura Mall

Tap 42 | Aventura 

Tap 42 is set to open its biggest restaurant in Aventura.

The 6,300-square-foot eatery will be part of Aventura Mall’s expansion and is set to open later this year. It will have an additional 1,200-square-foot patio overlooking the mall’s open air plaza. The restaurant will feature distressed wood, rustic lighting and a large bar with plant features.

Tap 42, owned and operated by Tapco Restaurant Group, has used EB-5 financing to fund its expansion, as The Real Deal reported last year. It opened in Midtown Miami earlier this year, and another location in Coral Gables last year, also with the help of EB-5 funds.

Within the Aventura Mall’s 315,000-square-foot expansion will also be Topshop Topman, Zara, Pomellato and Under Armour, as will restaurants CVI.CHE 105, Serafina, Pubbelly Sushi, Harry’s Pizzeria and Blue Bottle.

Stewart’s Restaurant | Fort Lauderdale

A classic American concept will open its first Florida restaurant at the Galleria in Fort Lauderdale.

Stewart’s Restaurant, known for its root beer floats, burgers and Stewart’s Soda, will open later this year at the mall.

Earlier this year, Keystone-Florida Property Holding Corp. withdrew a controversial proposal to build seven condominium buildings around the Fort Lauderdale mall.

Joe & The Juice | Brickell

Denmark’s Joe & The Juice will open at least four stores in Miami.

The juice bar chain, which sells smoothies, coffee, breakfast items and sandwiches, is building out a nearly 2,000-square-foot space at Brickell City Centre, another at 2315 Northwest Second Avenue in Wynwood, and at 1451 Brickell. [The Next Miami]

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Stephen Starr is managing the restaurant at Oceana Bal Harbour. His former company, Starr Catering Group, will be running Ballerina.