Three high-profile restaurants have opened within blocks of each other in Bal Harbour and South Beach since March, anchored by the Delano Miami Beach's $100 million renovation and a new wave of dining at Bal Harbour Shops as Miami prepares to host 2026 World Cup matches this summer.

Stephen Starr's Slim's, a steakhouse at Bal Harbour Shops, opened in March. Jeffrey Chodorow's China Grill returned to Miami on June 9 at the entrance of Bal Harbour Shops, 14 years after its original South Beach location closed. And Hugo Toro's Gigi Rigolatto, the first U.S. outpost of the Paris-born Italian concept, opened May 7 inside the newly renovated Delano Miami Beach at 1685 Collins Ave.

All three restaurants are now open.

Bal Harbour Shops bets on dining

Slim's is Starr's second restaurant at Bal Harbour Shops. He opened Makoto there in 2011. His STARR Restaurants portfolio generates $400 million in annual revenue and employs about 5,000 people nationwide, according to a September 2025 New York Times report. Starr won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2017.

The steakhouse features a checkerboard Nero Marquina and Calacatta Viola Monet marble floor, honey-hued leather banquettes, and Art Deco-inspired murals by illustrator Christoph Niemann. The menu includes prime cuts, a raw bar, caviar service, a signature Wagyu cheesesteak, and twin lobster tails. Slim's is open nightly from 5 to 11 p.m., according to Haute Living.

China Grill's return brings back a name that helped define Miami's dining scene before its 2012 closure. The Bal Harbour Shops location, founded by restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow, serves its signature Lobster Pancakes, Lamb Spare Ribs, and Crispy Spinach alongside an expanded dumpling program.

Matthew Whitman Lazenby, president and CEO of Whitman Family Development, which operates Bal Harbour Shops, previewed both openings as part of a 2026 expansion. The open-air complex houses more than 90 fashion brands and now six restaurants across its 450,000-square-foot footprint, according to Forbes.

Delano's $100 million return

The Delano Miami Beach, shuttered since 2020, underwent a $100 million restoration and began welcoming guests on June 6, according to Travel Weekly. The renovation, designed by Elastic Architects, restored original Art Deco elements including the exterior facade, terrazzo flooring, and the iconic pool and gardens.

Gigi Rigolatto occupies the hotel's first floor and extends to the Beach Club with poolside tables and beach cabanas. The restaurant features walls of mineral plaster, carved wooden panels, and yellow Sienna marble, with a private dining room for up to 16 guests, according to an Ennismore press release. The menu includes Vitello Tonnato, Gambero Rosso, and Spaghetti Limone e Caviale.

The Delano opening marks the U.S. debut of Paris Society, a global hospitality group founded in 2008 by Laurent de Gourcuff with more than 70 venues worldwide. CEO Rizwan Kassim said the Miami expansion brings "a design-led approach to dining and lifestyle" to "a city that shares our global vision." A members-only bar, Mimi Kakushi, also opened May 1 on the fourth floor; its Dubai location ranks No. 36 on The World's 50 Best Bars.

What's next

The hotel has announced plans to open The Source by Delano, a spa and wellness concept featuring a 22-seat sauna, in fall 2026. No specific date has been set.