Choosing where to eat with friends can often be a difficult task, especially if it’s last minute. Everyone has different tastes and dietary restrictions, so then what? Julia & Henry’s, which opened this year in downtown Miami, solves this predicament. With over two dozen dining vendors to choose from, there truly is something for everyone. Get over there for the upbeat vibes. Your taste buds will thank you later.
A symphony of flavors, some live music and handcrafted cocktails, Julia & Henry’s is a culinary adventure that offers an all-in-one experience conveniently located under one roof in downtown Miami.
“It’s such a great place to grab a meal with friends because there is literally something for everyone and it is super easy to order your food from different places at the same time and enjoy it all together,” said Taylor Dutil, a junior marketing major who recently visited Julia & Henry’s for the first time.
Located at 200 E Flagler St., South Florida’s newest food hall represents the city’s perpetual effort to reinvent its economic and cultural landscape. Julia & Henry’s opened in June, occupying the former historic Walgreens building.
Constructed in 1936, the landmark building was modeled after cruise ships with their curved decks and multilevel design in a style known as streamline moderne. It was Walgreens’ largest store at the time and featured an impressive 88-foot soda fountain counter on the ground floor. When Walgreens left after several decades, the famous Cuban department chain, La Época, occupied the space from 2005 to 2016. Two years later, Stambul Development acquired the property and redeveloped it.
Since the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, in order to preserve its cultural importance and significance to the city, Stambul opted to repurpose the building instead of demolishing it in favor of a more modern design. The restaurant pays homage to Miami’s founders, Julia Tuttle and Henry Flagler.
“It’s surprising because I think the outside doesn’t really match the inside,” said Mona Latif, a Julia & Henry’s patron. “It has historical context to it.”
Historical context aside, Henry and Julia’s offers a spectacular showcase of modern design. Transparent floors, a sleek glass elevator and a soaring central atrium around which 26 dining experiences are dispersed among three floors.
“My first impression was that it was very visually appealing, with the super cool bar in the center and bright colors everywhere,” Dutil said.
The ground floor features market-style restaurants perfect for a casual lunch. The mezzanine floor is the setting for live performances, a books and records store and a children’s play area. International flavors and craft cocktails are located on the balcony floor.
Each restaurant has a unique curation, offering a variety of options from finger foods to full meals. Are you ever in the mood for Italian, but once you get to the restaurant you change your mind and want Japanese? Julia & Henry’s provides a space for those with fickle stomachs to seek out a different eating experience within the same building.
Some of the currently available cuisine includes Latin, Japanese, Italian, Halal and even fusion dining experiences such as Peruvian-Cantonese. The bucatini gricia pasta at Battubelin on the mezzanine floor is a favorite among customers, as well as La Latina’s selection of Venezuelan cuisine on the ground floor.
“Food halls are a great thing for Miami,” said Juan Rozo, a downtown area resident and patron of Julia & Henry’s. “It kind of speaks to what Miami is bringing out to the table in the culinary world,” said Rozo, who has been in the food industry for the past 15 years. “It could be playful, but it also can be really high end.”
In line with the standard food hall setup, Julia & Henry’s gives customers the option to order food for either dine-in or takeout. When you visit your preferred vendor, you can make your selection and complete your payment, after which you will receive a text message alert when your food is ready. If you choose to dine in, servers are on hand to bring your meal directly to your table for added convenience.
Menu prices cater to a range of customers, from students to business executives. For those on a budget, Cicchetti, a Venetian-themed eatery on the ground floor, offers a selection of charcuterie and cheeses and Bologna tapas priced at $5. If you’re looking to splurge, you can check out Osso Meats, also on the ground floor, and treat yourself to the Porterhouse steak for $98.
“While it is not cheap, it is also not expensive, with the average check ranging from $15 to $20,” said Marlon Dilangu, assistant manager at Julia & Henry’s. “This makes the restaurant accessible to any budget and allows for a great night out.”
The food hall also includes an entertainment center with DJs and live music on different days with a bar and “sound room” called Jolene, located in the basement, rumored to be the former illegal liquor stock tunnel of the infamous mobster Al Capone.
The owners of Club Space, one of Miami’s biggest nightclubs, have teamed up with Bar Lab Hospitality to launch a new underground experience in a basement. The 1970s-themed soundbar invites local talent to DJ alongside top global artists, fusing local music culture with international beats.
With such a variety of options available at Julia & Henry’s, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused when visiting for the first time. While it has gained some recent popularity, the food hall has received thumbs down from some online reviewers who say the place is too crowded, busy and noisy.
“It definitely was not for me, it kind of feels like it was taking away from the Miami identity,” said Tyler Gallant, residential loan underwriter at First Republic Bank. “I don’t want Miami to turn into New York.”
Gallant, who recently received his master’s degree from UM, visited the establishment soon after it first opened. “I like simplicity, I like variety, but not a crazy amount of options,” said the former UM student.
Operated by the Miami-based King Goose Hospitality, Julia & Henry’s is one of many projects on Flagler Street meant to develop the area to attract more tourism but to also boost the local economy by creating more jobs.
Future plans include the addition of a fourth and fifth floor, which will be transformed into dedicated studios for music recording and podcast creation. On its way is the rooftop restaurant Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura, a repeated holder of the title of World’s Best Chef.
“It’s a new life for downtown,” said Daniel Martinez, a sous chef at Sankuay. “You have a very safe place for walking now.”
To localize the eatery, staff members have considered how to add elements to their establishment to make its own unique identity.
“I think about the concept, I think about the neighborhood; it’s very important,” said Dayan Gonzalez, beverage manager at Julia & Henry’s. “With crafted spirits that we have in Miami right now, with the fruit from Miami, I try to combine all these ingredients to make people happy.”
The Restaurants by Floor
Ground Floor:
Cicchetti – Venetian tapas
Epicurean – New American
J Wong – Cevicheria
L’Artisane Bakery – French vegan bakery
La Latina – Venezuelan arepas
Luncheria – Cuban cuisine
OMG Brigadeiros – Brazilian chocolates
Osso – butcher shop
Papa – air-fried French fries
Puffles – Hong Kong egg waffles
Yann Couvreur – French patisserie
La Época – wine bar
Mezzanine Floor:
Battubelin – Italian pizza and pasta
Fookem’s Fabulous – artisanal key lime pies
Frank – gourmet hot dogs
June – burgers
Michy’s Chicken Shack – chicken sandwiches
RŌZU – poke bowls
Tacotomia – Mexican taqueria
Boxelder – Craft beer bar
Balcony Floor:
Achar – Bengali street food
Baklava Bakery – Lebanese bakery
Hitchihaika – Japanese gyoza
Mensch – Jewish diaspora Argentine food
Palmar – Asian street food
Sankuay – Peruvian-Cantonese chifa
Shimuja – ramen
Yabai – Japanese handrolls
The Lasseter – Craft cocktails bar
words_caitlin coote, tatenda mukurazhizha, olivia reyzabal roig & communitywire.miami. photo_valeria barbaglio. design_julia gomez.
CommunityWire.Miami is the news service of the graduate journalism program of the School of Communication at the University of Miami.
This article was published in Distraction’s Fall 2023 print issue.
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