Miami Restaurateur David Grutman to Add Three New Eateries this Spring on Alton Road

By: TJVNews.com

For those who are heading south to sunny Florida in the next few months to either flee the coronavirus restrictions or just to get away for a while, there is good news on the food front.

Miami is known for having some of the best restaurants in the world, but now the choice of where to grab some fine fare is getting even bigger.

According to a recent report on the Miami Eater web site, world renowned restaurateur David Grutman, who owns and operates such Miami hot spots for dining such as Planta, Swan, Papi Steak and Komodo is now gearing up to open three some swanky eateries when it takes over the  former Firestone Garage at 1569 Alton Road.

A native Floridian, David Grutman is responsible for several of the most successful and world-renowned brands; LIV at Fontainebleau, Story, Komodo, OTL, Planta South Beach, as well as Swan and Bar Bevy in the Design District. GRUTMAN nightclubs and restaurants are influential in the hospitality and music world, due to Grutman’s global presence and larger than life personality that has catapulted him into continued success and fame.

In 2008, Grutman opened internationally acclaimed LIV nightclub at Fontainebleau, forever making his name synonymous with nightlife and music. The ‘buzz’ style tactics and high-profile celebrity clientele that are GRUTMAN nightclub trademarks made the cornerstone of his empire, LIV, the third highest grossing nightclub in the United States. Grutman was hailed by Rolling Stone Magazine as the 11th most important person in Electronic Dance Music.

As a follow-up to the groundbreaking success at LIV, Grutman opened mega club Story in 2013, again showcasing his unique energy to the nightlife scene. In 2015, Grutman opened his first restaurant Komodo, a 300-seat restaurant in the heart of Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. Komodo combines top food, atmosphere and a unique blend of energy that has helped take his worldwide lifestyle brand to the next level.

In 2016, Komodo introduced a third level, Komodo Lounge, catering to after dinner guests and nightlife revelers making Komodo a complete evening destination. On the heels of Komodo’s success, Grutman partnered with NYC’s The Smile to open OTL, an approachable neighborhood café in Miami’s Design District. OTL serves as the Design District’s go-to community hangout with coffee, breakfast, drinks, sandwiches and pastries. OTL also features an upstairs, multifaceted creative event space.

Grutman then opened his first restaurant on South Beach, Planta South Beach, a 100% plant-based restaurant in the trendy South of Fifth (SoFi) neighborhood. Planta brings innovative cuisine featuring high quality, responsibly sourced ingredients in an elevated atmosphere.

This Fall, Grutman opened a chic restaurant and lounge in Miami’s Design District in partnership with Pharrell Williams. Swan and Bar Bevy have proven to be one of the top dining destinations in the region, welcoming celebrities and much fanfare since opening its doors.

Grutman, an avid art collector, is a graduate of the University of Florida and currently resides in Miami Beach with his wife Isabela, his two daughters Kaia and Vida, two dogs, and two cats.

As to the three restaurants that Grutman is planning to open in March at 1569 Alton Road in Miami, the first one will be Winker’s Diner and according to the report on the Miami Eater web site, it is an “all-day eatery focused on American comfort food with a menu filled with breakfast items, soups, oversized sandwiches, salads, and more, alongside classic sodas, milkshakes and floats to wash everything down with. The 240-seat diner is inspired by old school diners with classic teal round pullman booths, wooden table tops lined with stainless-steel edges, and a large peninsula bar.”

The second restaurant inside the Firestone Garage space will be known as Sushi Fly Chicken — or SFC for short. According to the Miami Eater web site it will feature a menu “filled a variety of negiri and maki, a nightly omakase menu, its namesake Korean fried chicken, a robata menu and original “Fly Dishes” such as dumplings, fried rice, ramen and more. Guests can enter the restaurant through an “unassuming” stainless steel door inside a New York City inspired Chinese takeout spot that will take guess to a back room lounge that channels the atmosphere of Japan’s Golden Gai neighborhood. The lounge will serve an extensive collection of Japanese whiskeys and sake served at a neon and a steel-clad bar. The space will also boast a 75-foot collage by Miami-based artist Santlov, a gallery wall that will host a rotating collection of commissioned pieces, and a 90’s hip-hop playlist and sets from local DJs.”

The third restaurant housed inside the former Firestone Garage complex will be Toothfairy, according to the Miami Eater web site. As the name alludes, it will “serve a large selection of soft serve ice cream, cakes, cookies, and more. The bright, Instagram-friendly spot will feature marble slabs that meet the gradient floor, and ceiling and walls that have a pop-art feel.”

The report on the Miami Eater web site indicated that the “restored original Firestone sign will still stand tall atop the corner building on 16th and Alton, with space being totally revamped and designed by New York-based design firm, ICRAVE.”