Michael Schwartz, James Beard Award-Winning Miami chef, will reboot his high-end restaurant The Cypress Room into an upscale bar and grill called Cypress Tavern, giving the place a more approachable feel paired with an elevated dining experience. Including new menu items, new prices and some aesthetic changes.
The tavern located in Miami’s Design District will open on Oct. 29. It will offer classic brasserie style food for dinner and weekend brunch like duck confit, steak tartare and mussels. Schwartz and Bradley Herron, executive chef of Genuine Hospitality Group, have also added new appetizers and entrees like pork schnitzel and niçoise-style albacore tuna to the menu. “It’s food that I want to eat,” says Schwartz. “And food that I cook at home.”
Old favorites will stay on the menu like the Cypress burger, roasted short ribs, bucatini carbonara and french onion soup albeit at reduced prices. Another change is that the menu has a noticeably French tilt, with dishes like steak frites, snapper meunière, leeks gratin, eggs en cocotte, and chocolate pot de crème. Schwartz explains, “I’m always drawn to the flavors of France for inspiration, in their simplest forms.”
Ultimately, Schwartz hopes to take the Cypress Room from precious under-the-radar eatery to a more affordable place for people in the neighborhood to return to consistently.
The Cypress Room opened in 2013, and is the third restaurant opened by Schwartz in the Miami Design District. It received many great reviews applauding its casual elegance and elevated food, but has not brought in the large crowds that other restaurants like Micheal’s Genuine Food & Drink has only a few blocks down the street.
Schwartz’s cuisine is known for simple dishes prepared excellently, with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients. In addition to winning a James Beard Award, he is recognized by his peers and customers for his commitment to the community and seasonal food sourcing. When he isn’t working in one of his many restaurants he focuses his time supporting many organizations like Share Our Strength, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Slow Food and the White House’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative.
Cypress Tavern will be open for dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 6 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 6 to 10 p.m. The restaurant will be open for brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
