In reverse of the current trend of New York restaurants setting up shop in Miami, the beachside city has sent NYC one of its most popular homegrown restaurants: Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill. Now open at the Empire Stores complex in Dumbo, this cavernous space — with its high ceilings, see-and-be-seen banquettes, and Sushi Samba ownership — distills the experience of Miami right at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, with a view of the NYC skyline.
Here, 11,000 square feet with an additional 2,000-square-foot outdoor patio are segmented into sections with blue, red, and yellow banquettes. A glowing blue open kitchen looks out onto the colorful room.
The food is global, reflecting chef Timon Balloo’s mixed heritage of Chinese-Indian from Trinidad. Balloo’s cooking, at least in Miami, rises above the average trendy spot — he scooped up a best new restaurant semifinalist nod from James Beard in 2011. The menu here reflects the name with raw food, a bar with a slew of rum cocktails, and a wood-fired grilled section. In Miami, Sugarcane is clearly a local favorite, landing on Eater’s essential list, as well as a top place to go for brunch, ribs, croquetas, a first date, and happy hour.
Sugarcane is in the Empire Stores complex, which also houses recent openings Cecconi’s and VHH Foods. The Dumbo waterfront has quickly become a dining hot spot, with its stellar views and sweeping spaces.
Sugarcane is now open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.