Restaurants are opening from New York to Miami due to COVID-19 restrictions

The famous restaurants in New York City that have opened in Miami despite the COVID-19 pandemic are reaping the benefits of minor restrictions, as the business is said to be “booming” and full of customers and reservations. .

Although the once thriving hospitality scene in New York has been largely paralyzed due to the state’s strict COVID-19 measures, some restaurant owners say Miami has opened new ones. opportunities to expand and survive amid the pandemic.

NYC’s high-end sushi chain, Kissaki, is one of the last to open in Miami, with restaurateur and owner Garry Kafner preparing to open two new stores this year.

Celebrity favorites, such as Carbone, Cote, and St. Ambrose, have already settled in Miami. The popular Brooklyn, Roberta’s and Harlem, Red Rooster pizzeria have recently opened.

These restaurants don’t experience any shortage of customers with Carbone, in particular, they already see a three-month waiting list after opening just last month.

It’s almost impossible to get a reservation at the Michelin-starred Korean meat restaurant, and those who do are limited to a 60-minute limit to keep people in and out.

Felix Bendersky, the owner of F + B Hospitality Leasing, told DailyMail.com that the business is “booming” in Miami and that restaurants continue to flee New York City.

“There would be, I would probably say, about 150 groups in the last 60 days that have come to us looking for restaurant space,” he said.

Some who have left their New York projects to come here. They think that when New York returns, they can get more to Miami.

“I think he’s been a little crazy.”

Bendersky said the tougher restrictions on the hospitality industry in New York were increasing demand in Miami.

“Unfortunately, the mayor and governor of New York have been my best promoters, they send us all the people,” he said.

“After the first closure, they had some hope that it wouldn’t take long for things to pick up. But after the second closure, it ended up with a lot of business owners.

“Knowing Florida isn’t planning to close … people are just pulling the trigger.”

In Miami, restaurants have been allowed to operate at 100% capacity throughout the winter as long as social distancing is maintained.

Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis lifted all COVID-19-related restrictions in September last year.

Under current New York restrictions, indoor food is now allowed in the city with a capacity of 35%.

The industry had to endure a harsh winter that only ate outdoors after the ban on indoor eating in October, when infections began to rise.

It means indoor food in New York was basically banned for most of 2020.

Garry Kafner, owner of Kissaki in New York, plans to open two new restaurants in Miami this year.

When the pandemic broke out and the New York restaurant scene was paralyzed under restrictions, Kafner opened in the Hamptons and Connecticut.

“I think a lot of restaurants are very nervous about what’s happened,” he told DailyMail.com.

‘I think COVID took a lot out of people, but it also created a lot of opportunities. I was always trying to move to Miami, but I think COVID sped it up.

“It’s an exciting situation in Miami. I feel great about growing up.”

It now focuses on Florida given the number of people who have fled New York in favor of Miami amid the pandemic.

“Miami has always been a good place for restaurants. I feel like now, because a lot of sectors are moving here … a lot of families are moving here … that gives a lot more opportunities to restaurateurs, ‘he said.

“Miami used to be a second home for a lot of people and is now becoming a primary residence.”

Among them is 28-year-old Carlyn Shear, a New York City marketing consultant who has lived in Miami since January.

Shear said that while she still thinks New York is the biggest city, she made the move because many of the things that made her great are not currently available.

He said all of his friends had also moved to Florida during the pandemic.

I recently signed a lease for an apartment here and pay less than half of my New York rent. My apartment here is probably twice the size, ”he said.

“West Palm Beach and Palm Beach are this small town, but you have a lot in common with New York, such as restaurants and bars.”

New coronavirus cases in Florida continue to fall after reaching record highs during the holiday hike.

Hospitalizations and deaths have also declined since the beginning of the year.

Now the state has completely vaccinated almost 9 percent of its population.

Cases, deaths, and hospitalizations are also declining sharply in New York, where about 8% of the population has been completely vaccinated.

It comes as research published last month by the New York City Hospitality Alliance showed that the number of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and New York event venues that have been unable to pay rent has increased since the pandemic began. .

It peaked at 92% in December.

The survey found that 45.2 per cent of the companies surveyed did not pay rent in December and 46.4 per cent only paid some. Only 8.4% paid the full rent.

Of those who were able to pay part of their income, almost 50% paid half of their income.

Among the 39.7% of companies whose landlords have given up renting during the pandemic, 41.4% have had to pay half the rent.

41.5% more had a resignation for less than half of their income and only 17.2% for more than half of their income.

In the survey, 24.3 percent revealed they have not renegotiated the lease with the landlord, but are in good faith negotiations.