(Updated) A fascinating new restaurant, coffee shop, art gallery, and bookstore is coming to downtown Coral Gables this week – and the specialty of the house will be Flammkuchen, a rarity in South Florida.
We are talking about Ami Ami, the “cultural cafe” that has moved into the space at 318 Miracle Mile.
That’s the former longtime home of the Lotus Garden Thai restaurant which closed in 2024 after 37 years in business.
And now, Ami Ami has announced it will open its doors this Saturday, August 22.
We got a sneak peek inside the new Ami Ami and also a look at the cafe’s menu which is Mediterranean with dashes of other European cuisines mixed in.
The signature dish will be Flammkuchen, sometimes called a Tarte Flambée, originating in Germany and the Alsace region of France.
A traditional Flammkuchen, which is a bit like a flatbread, comes with crème fraîche, caramelized onions, and bacon lardons on a thin dough and baked crisp.
Other Flammkuchen on the Ami Ami menu include the Fig & Brie, the Nordic, and the Levantine. You can see one Ami Ami’s versions in the photo at the top of this story.
Ami Ami will also serve various kinds of bruschetta plus soups, salads, mezze boards, and more. There will also be a Mediterranean-themed breakfast menu offered each morning.
The menu has been curated and created by Chef Joey Giannuzzi, who has a long history in South Florida restaurants.
Besides the interesting menu, Ami Ami will have a lineup of coffee and espresso beverages available. Plus there are bookshelves with hundreds of titles along one wall.
And the rest of the walls are filled with stunning art and photographic images – framed and for sale.
Many of the photographs were taken by Ami Ami owner Dushan Drakalski, who is opening the cafe with his wife, Milena Damchevski. Gianni Contini is their general manager.
You can check out Ami Ami yourself, starting this coming Saturday.