Photo Credit: Libby Volgyes
Globally renowned restaurant, Novikov Restaurant & Bar, hailing from Moscow, has made its grand debut in the Magic City and has been met with high praise from Miami’s elite diners. The famed restaurant has locations in Russia, Dubai and London, and is frequented by A-listers like Rihanna, Leonardo DiCaprio and Prince Harry.
The namesake eatery is the brainchild of chef-owner Arkadiy Novikov, who is arguably one of the most successful restaurateurs in Moscow. Novikov has made a prestigious name for himself due to his golden touch in the hospitality industry throughout the world, boasting over 50 successful projects to date.
Photo Credit: Libby Volgyes
Haute Living had the pleasure of catching up with the power player as he was in town for the restaurant’s opening in Miami, marking its first U.S. location at 300 South Biscayne Boulevard in Downtown Miami.
“I felt it was time to come to the U.S. because of my passion for competition, and this is a concept I really wanted to share. I’ve had so much success abroad that I wanted to bring it here, also because the American market is one of the most serious culinary markets in the world,” he explains on the U.S. entrance. “Miami is particularly interesting because of its international crowd.”
Photo Credit: Libby Volgyes
The striking design of the restaurant pays homage to the city its based, located adjacent to the beautiful Biscayne Bay, showcasing a bright and inviting interior designed by Adam D. Tihany in association with Peacock + Lewis. The restaurant features an enviable curated art selection and houses an eye-catching display of colorful, fresh seafood and vegetables fixated at the center of the dining space in the market area. Attention to detail is key throughout the space, with delicate touches and structural columns highlighting each section, creating subtle divisions between each location of the restaurant, from the gorgeous bar area to the intimate private dining room, sushi bar, private chef’s table and of course, the main dining room.
The open-format kitchen and market were very important to Novikov when designing the restaurant. “I chose the market to be the focal point because we focus so much on the quality of food here. It’s important to show the food that customers get and where it comes from, so they know exactly what they’re getting. I also think it’s sort of like a show for the people dining in the restaurant to get to see this,” Novikov explains.
Maintaining the global brand’s theme of world-renowned Chinese and Japanese cuisine, the spot also offers a unique Mediterranean flare with the incorporation of its fresh seafood market. Here, guests are able to pick and choose which type of fish they want, featuring a diverse range of the freshest fish available to the local market. Additionally, they can choose exactly how it’s cooked and with what vegetable accompaniments and side dishes, granting customers with a unique “create-your-own” concept that appeals to the most conscious of diners.
“This concept was very popular in London, particularly with the men. People like to do things themselves—it’s almost like they’re at home in their own kitchen. So we wanted to bring the fresh market to Miami and I think it will translate just as successfully here,” said Novikov.
Photo Credit: Libby Volgyes
In addition to the fresh seafood offerings, guests can also indulge in other luxurious, signature dishes like the lavish Slow Poached Quail Egg Gunkan with Truffle, the Novikov Peking Duck with Royal Caviar, decadent Spanish Carabineros grilled on the robata, top-notch selections of fresh sashimi and sushi, the Black Cod Rolls and the rich A5 Wagyu Sirloin with Chili Daikon, to name a few. Another standout area of the menu is their Dim Sum offerings, particularly the “Money Bag” prawn dumplings and the rich truffled chicken dumplings—which happen to be some of Arkadiy Novikov’s favorite menu items. Even the vegetables are something to write home about, from the tasty spiralized Japanese Broccoli to the butter-garlicky bok choy.
The cocktails created at the stunning bar area by expert mixologists are just as impressive as the cuisine. Classic signatures include the cucumber and Elderflower-infused Kyuri Martini with yuzu, the spicy Wasabi Martini, the ginger-infused Bellini and so much more. The bar also boasts one of the most impressive Japanese whiskey selections around, aged up to 30 years.
Photo Credit: Libby Volgyes
It’s clear that the brand-new hot spot has won over the Miami crowd, as they sell-out for dinner each night of the week, drawing in a beautiful and diverse crowd. However, whether it will remain the only Novikov in the U.S. is still left to question.
“We’ll see how things go here. I hope people will welcome us and we will succeed in this city. We have a very good location, a beautiful space and a delicious menu that you can’t find at too many other places in Miami. And I have a fantastic team,” Novikov says. “I love what I do and I like to see where things go. I hope people will feel the same. We’ll see!”
Photo Credit: Libby Volgyes
