Authentic Greek Seafood Taverna 'Calista' Opens Miami Beach Location on Española Way

Authentic Greek restaurant Calista Greek Seafood Taverna has opened their third location on the revitalized Española Way at 1444 Drexel Ave on Miami Beach. Already a neighborhood staple in Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, the Miami Beach location is now open and offers a variety of Greek specialties, signature cocktails, a curated wine list, craft beers, and weekly programming with live entertainment.

“We are excited to bring authentic Greek cuisine to Española Way,” shares owner Costa Grillas. “The always-buzzing street is the perfect setting for Miami locals and visitors to experience our menu’s bold Mediterranean flavors and fresh, local cuisine.”

Owned and operated by Grillas, Executive Chef Thomas Fotouras, and Partner Charissa Davidovici, Calista’s Miami Beach restaurant will have a 3,500 square-foot main dining room, a bar area with seating for 14, a 1,000 square-foot front outdoor patio, and an outdoor courtyard. Upon entering, guests will be greeted by bright, Mykonos-inspired decor including bougainvillea flowers, pots, hanging basket light fixtures, an ice display featuring the daily selection of fresh whole fish and seafood, and majestic murals featuring a scene from the classic film “The Greek Tycoon,” and another by acclaimed photographer Robert McCabe.

“The food and bar scene in Athens, Greece is my main source of inspiration for Calista,” says Owner Chef Thomas Fotouras. “I want customers to feel like they are in Greece, eating the most authentic Greek cuisine and the freshest seafood, but most importantly, I want them to feel like family.”

Offering lunch and dinner, Calista’s menu features a variety of dishes from branzino to meat dishes to salads and vegetables. From noon to 3 p.m., guests will have the option of ordering a $29 three-course prix-fixe lunch special featuring popular dishes like Pikilia (trio of dips); Keftedes (Greek meatballs); Branzino; Grilled Salmon; Chicken Filets; and desserts like Greek Yogurt topped with sour cherry preserves, and Mosaiko, a chocolate, hazelnut and almond log.

The dinner menu offers larger dishes including the Spanakopita, a spinach pie made with spinach, feta, and leeks wrapped in phyllo dough; Garides Santorini made with white shrimp, tomato sauce and ouzo; Seafood Pasta made with linguine, bisque, tomato sauce and brandy; Souvlaki Kotopoulo (chicken kebabs) served with tzatziki; the Calista Special including stuffed shrimp, stuffed clams, lobster, filet of sole and scallops. For dessert, guests can finish off their meal with housemade Galaktoboureko, and additional Greek pastries.

The restaurant’s elevated bar will provide full-menu service complete with Calista’s signature cocktails only offered in Miami Beach such as the Santorini Sunset made with añejo tequila, Tsipouro, fresh ginger and agave; the Athens Cosmo made with Metaxa 7 Stars, Cointreau and cranberry juice; and the Mykonos Mule made with Figenza Fig Vodka and ginger beer.

“On trips to Greece, the food has always been what I’ve most enjoyed,” explains Davidovici. “Calista has the most authentic flavors of any restaurant I’ve tried in Miami. The dining experience feels like you’ve stepped off the streets of South Beach and into the Mediterranean.”

Giving guests a taste of the Greek islands, the Miami Beach restaurant will present a weekly “Mamma Mia” style event on Fridays with a DJ, Greek music, dancing and entertainment.

Calista Greek Seafood Taverna is located at 1444 Drexel Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 and is open daily for dinner Monday to Saturday from 5-11 p.m. and Sundays from 5-10 p.m. Calista will also open for lunch daily in the coming month.

Images via Calista

Husband-Wife Duo Behind Miami's Iconic Mandolin Aegean Bistro Open The Drexel Coastal Mediterranean Eatery In Miami Beach

Anastasia Koutsioukis and Ahmet Erkaya, the husband-wife duo behind Miami’s iconic Mandolin Aegean Bistro, have opened The Drexel in Miami Beach. Since Mandolin’s initial opening, the couple have expanded the Mandolin brand to include homeware store Mrs. Mandolin; fast-casual gyros and kebab house, Mr. Mandolin; Mandolin Taverna in Los Angeles; and The Drexel in the heart of Miami Beach.

The Drexel, a Coastal Mediterranean eatery nestled in the historic Española Way, marks the duo’s latest endeavor in Miami. Helmed at the culinary hands of Chef Nano Crespo, and his wife formerly of Quinto La Huella, and his wife Tamara Magalhaes, formerly of Mandolin Aegean Bistro, Soho House, and Thompson Hospitality; The Drexel serves elevated yet classic Mediterranean dishes. The beverage program is curated by Founding Partner Ahmet Erkaya and features extensive cocktail offerings and rare boutique wines sourced from Greece, France, Spain, and Italy.

Characterized by its understated elegance and refined Mediterranean dishes, The Drexel is a hidden gem designed to elevate Miami Beach’s dining scene. The restaurant transports guests to the Coastal European towns along the Riviera through its favorable food and inimitable atmosphere. Drawing inspiration from old world cooking techniques to ideate fresh, innovative recipes, The Drexel’s culinary offerings and vision are influenced by the couples’ travels throughout Southern Europe and Chef Crespo’s expertise on the grill and Mediterranean cooking. Offering clean, light and bright flavors from the charcoal grill and wood oven, the menu also includes housemade pasta and pizza with a heavy emphasis on locally sourced seafood and an entire section dedicated to vegetable-forward dishes.

The Drexel is found on the corner of the first floor of Casa Matanza at the Esmé Hotel. Originally built in the 1920s, the historically designated building features a Mediterranean Revival architectural style. The building itself along with Española Way’s storied past is what attracted The Drexel’s Co-Founder and designer, Anastasia Koutsioukis to the project. Koutsioukis has an instinct and passion for preserving the history and cultural significance of an area, as well as identifying architecturally significant properties and transforming them into fixtures in Miami’s culinary landscape, as she did when designing Mandolin Aegean Bistro. Koutsioukis creates warm and understated environments that feel like they have been there for years in an effortless design style that’s distinctive to her projects. Koutsioukis was inspired by the natural and neutral palette that’s found throughout European coastal towns. The Drexel’s minimalist decor is characterized by earthy hand plastered walls, a bleached oak bar and stunning wall unit displaying antique ceramic vessels that have been collected during Koutsioukis’ travels. The calming space is punctuated with pops of light green marble on the bar and sage banquettes. The original arched windows set the tone for the arches throughout the space. The lighting and furniture is a mixture of French mid century pendants and linen upholstered chairs, along with plenty of rattan seating and raffia sconces lending to its Coastal Mediterranean feel. Additional personal touches include an art wall installation from the Owner’s collection, and plenty of natural palms, flowers and fruit bowls

The Drexel is open for dinner Monday thru Friday 6pm - 11pm; Saturday 5 pm - 11 pm; Sunday 5 pm - 10 pm. The Drexel also has a Sundowner Happy Hour daily at the bar from 5:30 pm - 7 pm and Brunch on Saturday's and Sunday's 11am - 4 pm.

Historic Art Deco Home Renovated By Bravo’s Alex Alonso Hits Market On Espanola Way

An art deco home renovated by Bravo’s “Best Room Wins” winner and awarded designer, Alex Alonso, has been listed for $1,390,000 with Sam Gaita and Frank Navarro of Douglas Elliman. Built in 1936 by architect Harry O. Nelson, the historic Miami Beach home is listed in the National Historic Register and is a prime example of the “Med-Deco” style, a fusion of Mediterranean and Art Deco, which is found primarily in the historic area of Espanola Way. The home is located at 836 Espanola Way, Miami Beach, FL and the original Art Deco architecture was preserved including original tile floors, ceiling beams and art deco fire place. Mixing the old with new elevated style Alonso added a Bertazonni Italian Kitchen, Phillippe Starck and Porcelanosa bathrooms, custom Italian-style cabinetry and wardrobes and wood herringbone floors throughout.

The furniture seen throughout the upgraded Med-Deco home is actually from the Art Deco or Mediterranean periods, and customized pieces with upholstery were placed to make things feel more modern and whimsical. The 3 bedroom 2.5 bath charming home also features an added salinated modern pool that rivals Miami’s best boutique hotels and sits on a ¼ acre lot.

Located on Espanola Way, during the Florida land boom in the 1920s, Miami Beach was quickly becoming a scene for the rich and famous. Española Way was the brainchild of real estate developers N.B.T. Roney and William Whitman who envisioned a place with Barcelona’s flair and the luxury of the French Riviera. This area of Miami Beach was built in 1925 as a “Historic Spanish Village,” and no detail was left untouched. Like much of South Beach, Española Way lost a bit of its charm by the mid-20th century due to crime, gangsters, and neglect. It wasn’t until the '80s when developer Linda Polansky worked to revive the city and specifically Española Way. By the mid-'80s the area had become one of the backdrops on "Miami Vice."

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