Lokal served its last burgers at 3190 Commodore Plaza on Sunday, June 28, after nearly 15 years. Six weeks later, on August 12, Miami Slice opened at 2996 McFarlane Road. It has a counter, outdoor tables, a dog-friendly dining room and no reservations. Levain Bakery is listed as "Coming Soon" a few doors down at 2979 McFarlane. The Grove's easy, show-up-and-sit-down table spent the summer moving onto McFarlane Road. Meanwhile, the most talked-about opening on Main Highway is a dinner room that takes reservations.
Here is how that happened, block by block, plus the October dates that fit around it.
What Commodore Plaza Lost
Lokal opened on Commodore Plaza in 2011. Founder Matt Kuscher told Miami New Times the restaurant got so family-oriented that he opened a separate place for his craft beer crowd. "I had toys, I had dogs, and grandmas," he said. That spinoff became Kush. Lokal was the first restaurant in what grew into Kush Hospitality.
When the closure was first reported in March, Kuscher pointed to a proposed 50 percent rent increase. He also said the building needed major repairs after nearly 15 years, and paying for those on a leased property, on top of higher rent, no longer made sense. In the same piece, he estimated that Grove restaurants pay an average base rent of $85 to more than $100 per square foot a year in 2026. That is the founder's estimate, not a published market survey. Even so, it shows why a casual burger-and-beer room is hard to run on these blocks.
The goodbye fit the place. Over the final weekend, regulars and neighboring business owners carried out framed memorabilia, vintage signs and even the bathroom mirrors. Nearly everyone on staff is moving to Kush in Wynwood.
Commodore Plaza has not gone quiet. ScandyCandy, a Swedish candy shop, set a May 9 opening at 3119 Commodore Plaza. That gives the block a reason to stop in. It does not replace a patio where you could sit down for a burger with the dog at your feet.
McFarlane Road Picked Up the Walk-In Role
Miami Slice moved into the Historic Engle Building next to Mr. C Miami, in the space Harry's Pizzeria used to occupy. Harry's opened in the Grove in 2015 and closed in May 2025, more than a year before Miami Slice opened in the space.
The details read like a list of what Lokal used to offer:
- No reservations. Dine-in is first-come, first-served "for now," and whole pies and slices are available to go.
- Dogs welcome. The Miami New Times critic brought her Chihuahua to a preview visit.
- Outdoor tables along McFarlane, which the critic expects to fill once the weather cools.
- A menu built for repeat visits. Culinary director Jose "Chema" Cardenas uses the Engle Building's oven for Grove-only dishes: wood-fired cabbage, a watercress Caesar, beef carpaccio and a Caprese salad.
- Dessert from a local name. There are cookies from Liger's, plus a pistachio tart that the review singled out.
The neighborhood showed up. On opening night, The Burn Miami found a crowd outside, waiting for tables or picking up carryout. At a preview a few days earlier, the New Times critic watched neighbors keep running into each other at the door.
The next opening on the street points the same way. Levain Bakery, the New York bakery known for oversized chocolate chip walnut cookies, plans its first Florida shop at 2979 McFarlane Road near CocoWalk. Miami New Times told readers to "prepare for cookie lines." As of September 30, Levain's own page still says "Coming Soon!" and lists no opening date or hours. The September 23 New Times roundup says only "this fall."
Further up McFarlane, Chef Seiya Noborikawa has announced Seiya, a Japanese restaurant on the eighth floor of Arya Hotel & Suites at 2889 McFarlane Road. As of mid-September, no opening date had been set.
Main Highway's Newest Room Runs on Reservations
Manoli opened July 22 at 3540 Main Highway, in the space Sereia left after about a year when it closed in 2025. Greek-born chef Emmanouil "Manoli" Aslanoglou has cooked at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Arzak and Vassilenas in Athens, and he has appeared on MasterChef Greece. The menu includes shareable Greek plates, a raw bar, pastas, grilled dishes and a dessert trolley.
The Miami Herald reported dinner-only hours, closed Monday and Tuesday, with reservations through OpenTable. Manoli is a room you plan an evening around. Its arrival fits a Main Highway pattern. Sapore di Mare moved from 3111 Grand Avenue to 3433 Main Highway this spring, and it was operating there by early April.
The Infatuation's July 23 entry on Manoli described opening-night dishes but said its team had not yet visited. A full critical take on the kitchen is still to come.
Where Things Stand, Address by Address
| Address | What's there | Status as of Sept. 30, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 3190 Commodore Plaza | Lokal | Closed June 28 |
| 3119 Commodore Plaza | ScandyCandy | Opening set for May 9 |
| 2996 McFarlane Road | Miami Slice | Open since Aug. 12; no reservations |
| 2979 McFarlane Road | Levain Bakery | "Coming Soon"; no date posted |
| 2889 McFarlane Road | Seiya at Arya Hotel & Suites | Announced; no date set |
| 3540 Main Highway | Manoli | Open since July 22; dinner, reservations |
| 3433 Main Highway | Sapore di Mare | Relocated from Grand Avenue in spring |
| 3306 Mary Street | Pasta e Basta | Hoping to open by year-end |
| 2801-A Florida Avenue | Ossobuco | Fire-damage cleanup; no reopening date |
Two of these deserve more detail. Pasta e Basta announced a second location at 3306 Mary Street, in the former Aida space, and hopes to open by the end of the year. That is a target, not a firm date. At Ossobuco, an August 15 update said a newly issued permit allowed fire-damage cleanup to begin, but the restaurant has no reopening date.
Off the village grid, La Sponda Ristorante & Grill opened in September at 4 Grove Isle Drive. It serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. It is a drive-to waterfront dinner, which fits the pattern of planned evenings taking shape away from McFarlane's drop-in blocks.
October, Built Around the New Map
Center Grove now has a reliable walk-in table on McFarlane. That makes it easier to pair a slice or a dinner reservation with what's on the calendar. Here is what is posted for October:
- Thursday, Oct. 8, 5–9 p.m. The free Harvest & Hispanic Heritage Night Market at Vizcaya Village, 3250 S. Miami Avenue.
- Friday, Oct. 9. MAMA FUMA plays The Barnacle, presented by The Barnacle Society.
- Saturday, Oct. 10, 6–9 p.m. The King Mango Strut poster unveiling and live-music celebration on Fuller Street, ahead of the parade on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027.
- Saturday, Oct. 17. A BioBlitz at The Barnacle, according to the park's homepage.
- Through Saturday, Oct. 31. Miami Spice has been extended, according to the Coconut Grove Spotlight's report on the Coconut Grove BID calendar.
On days without an event, The Barnacle Historic State Park grounds are open Thursday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Manoli is closed on Mondays, so a Monday visit to the park will need a different dinner plan.
The next change to watch is the Levain page at 2979 McFarlane. When "Coming Soon" becomes posted hours, the street will have a bakery line alongside the slice bar, a few doors apart.
Shops opening and closing on McFarlane Road and Commodore Plaza change what it is like to live nearby. If you're weighing a home near these blocks, or considering selling one, Randi Connell follows these changes closely and can walk you through what they mean for your property. Schedule a Consultation.
