Want to try Florida’s only 2-star Michelin restaurant? Now there’s a cheaper way
Dining at Florida’s only two-star Michelin restaurant can be intimidating (unless you’re the sort of person who does this frequently, and if you are, we salute you and also sort of wish we were you).
But L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Miami’s Design District understands that such a meal can be intimidating and/or prohibitively expensive. So the modern French restaurant, famous for its luxurious tasting menus, is launching a lunch menu two days a week as a less terrifying entry point for the curious.
This is the first time the brand has offered a lunch option in the United States, said executive chef James Friedberg, who has led the kitchen at the Miami restaurant since 2020.
“We really have a loyal base of fans because of the stars,” he says. “But we also had a lot of interest for lunch, and we want to reach a bigger audience and make that family bigger.”
There are two lunch menus on offer, featuring the seasonal summer ingredients Friedberg loves to showcase. The three-course spring seasonal menu ($89) includes a choice of tempura squash blossom, Ora King salmon, white asparagus or shaved wagyu, with entree choices like chestnut ravioli, wild-caught sea bream, heritage chicken or filet of beef in pastry. Desserts include the goat mousse carrot cake or chocolate crémeux with white chocolate ice cream and Oreo cookie crumble.
The more lavish four-course Evolution menu ($135) offers cold poached lobster, white asparagus and stuffed morels and beef filet with vegetable cannelloni (you can upgrade to a beef filet with Japanese A5 wagyu for $75 should you desire, although that more or less defeats the purpose of “less expensive”). Dessert includes the Black Forest chocolate crémeux or La Myrtille, lemon curd with blueberry compote and lemongrass foam.
And if you think these prices are high, understand that the dinner spring menu is $195 per person, while the spectacular Evolution menu is $305 per person. For lunch or dinner, the best place to sit is at the chef’s counter unless your party is large; the servers are knowledgeable and entertaining as you make your way through your meal.
It’s no accident that the lunch special is starting as Miami’s summer, traditionally a slower time for restaurants, even with the number of food tourists trying to check every Michelin-starred spot off their bucket lists. Friedberg said the restaurant isn’t sure how long the lunch specials will last, but for now, consider them ongoing.
“We’re going to see how it goes,” he says. “We’ve seen good bookings for the first couple of lunches. We’ll see if it’s successful.”
As for those two Michelin stars, retaining them is a pressure that never lets up, Friedberg says.
“We just assume everyone is a Michelin inspector,” he says, laughing. “But we cook for the guests first, so it’s in the back of your mind, but you don’t really think about it.”
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Where: 151 NE 41st St., Miami
New lunch hours: Noon-1:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday starting May 24
Price: $89 or $135
Reservations: Resy or OpenTable
More information: latelier-miami.com or 305-402-9070
This story was originally published May 20, 2024, 4:30 AM.
