Sant Ambroeus to Open Second Planned Miami Location at MIRAI Design District, Bringing Milanese Café Culture to Miami’s Design District

MIRAI Design District has signed Sant Ambroeus as a signature hospitality tenant, marking the heritage Italian brand’s second planned Miami location and further reinforcing the project’s position as a design-, hospitality-, and culture-driven destination within the evolving Miami Design District.

Sant Ambroeus will occupy approximately 5,000 square feet at MIRAI Design District, where the concept will include a full-service restaurant, coffee bar, and outdoor dining experience slated to open in 2028. The space will be designed by internationally acclaimed architect and designer Fabrizio Casiraghi, whose work is known for blending timeless European elegance with contemporary sensibility. More than a traditional restaurant outpost, the space is envisioned as an all-day gathering place woven into the daily life of the neighborhood, extending MIRAI’s broader vision of hospitality, design, and community. The addition reflects the continued evolution of the Design District into one of the country’s most globally recognized luxury and cultural destinations, where fashion, art, architecture, hospitality, and daily life increasingly intersect.

Developed by WellDuo, Leviathan Development, Lionheart Capital and The Lane Organization, MIRAI Design District is the first mixed-use development in the United States by internationally acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA). The project marks a significant milestone for the influential Japanese architect, whose work has become synonymous with blending architecture, nature, and cultural experience.

Positioned along Northeast Second Avenue, MIRAI has emerged as part of the next phase of growth at the Miami Design District, emphasizing boutique retail, hospitality, architecture, and pedestrian-oriented experiences over traditional large-scale commercial development. Conceived as a more intimate and design-forward extension of the district, the project aims to create a curated environment where luxury retail, hospitality, and community life coexist more seamlessly.

“At Sant Ambroeus, we’ve always looked for locations that already possess a strong sense of identity, culture, and creative energy,” said Gaetano Guarducci, managing partner of SA Hospitality Group. “MIRAI immediately felt aligned with that philosophy. The architecture, the emphasis on thoughtful design, and the evolving energy of this part of the Design District made it feel like a natural fit for our next chapter in Miami. As Miami continues to evolve into a truly global city, we’re excited to deepen our roots here in a neighborhood that already speaks so

Founded in Milan in 1936, Sant Ambroeus has become internationally recognized for blending Milanese sophistication with contemporary New York energy, cultivating a loyal following across fashion, art, design, and hospitality circles. With locations spanning Milan, New York, Palm Beach, Aspen, Paris, and now expanding further into Miami, the brand has long positioned itself within neighborhoods where culture, creativity, and lifestyle naturally converge. The brand’s arrival at MIRAI further reinforces the project as a curated cultural destination where hospitality, architecture, fashion, and daily life intersect.

“Sant Ambroeus represents exactly the kind of thoughtful, design-conscious hospitality we envisioned for MIRAI,” said Eduardo Pelaez, principal of WellDuo. “The brand has a rare ability to create spaces that feel simultaneously international and deeply personal, rooted in elegance, culture, and everyday experience. Their presence helps define the type of environment we’re building at MIRAI: curated, design-driven, and centered around how people actually want to gather, linger, and experience Miami beautifully.”

MIRAI Design District is designed as a “floating lantern,” with a transparent ground floor, lush central garden, boutique retail spaces, and hospitality-driven public areas intended to create a more intimate and experiential extension of the Design District. The project also includes approximately 41,000 square feet of boutique class A office space tailored toward family offices, and design-oriented businesses seeking highly curated environments.

The addition of Sant Ambroeus marks a significant milestone in MIRAI’s leasing strategy, which has focused on securing tenants aligned with the project’s emphasis on architecture, culture, hospitality, and long-term neighborhood placemaking.

Past PROFILEmiami articles about MIRAI Design District:

For more information about MIRAI Design District or to inquire about commercial leasing please fill out the form below:

MIRAI Design District Secures $85 Million Construction Loan and Breaks Ground on Kengo Kuma’s First U.S. Mixed-Use Development

MIRAI Design District has secured an $85 million construction loan from Monroe Capital LLC, and has officially broken ground on the highly anticipated mixed-use development in Miami’s Design District.

Developed by Leviathan Development, Lionheart Capital, Well Duo, and The Lane Organization, MIRAI Design District will introduce approximately 41,000 square feet of Class A boutique office space and 16,000 square feet of luxury high street retail and hospitality space to the neighborhood, with completion anticipated in 2028. The project represents architect Kengo Kuma’s first mixed-use development in the United States, marking a significant milestone for the internationally acclaimed architect whose work is known for blending architecture, nature, and cultural experience.

“We’ve spent years building our position along Northeast Second Avenue because we believed in what this corridor could become, and MIRAI is the clearest expression of that conviction. Securing this financing and breaking ground is the moment the vision becomes real — and bringing Kengo Kuma’s first U.S. mixed-use project to the Design District reflects exactly the kind of opportunity Lionheart is built to identify and execute,” said Ophir Sternberg, founder and CEO of Lionheart Capital.

Located along Northeast Second Avenue, MIRAI reflects the next phase of growth in the Miami Design District, emphasizing architecture, hospitality, walkability, and curated commercial experiences. Designed as a “floating lantern,” the building features a transparent ground floor, layered façade screening system, lush central garden, and hospitality-driven public spaces intended to create a more intimate and experiential extension to the neighborhood.

The project’s boutique office component has been positioned to attract family offices, small and mid-sized funds, and design-led businesses seeking highly curated spaces that function as extensions of their identity. Due to strong demand and the project’s highly curated vision, leasing has remained in-house.

“MIRAI was conceived as something far more experiential than a traditional mixed-use project,” said Allison Greenfield, founder and managing partner of Leviathan Development. “The goal was to create an environment where architecture, hospitality, retail, and workplace culture feel fully integrated, reflecting how people increasingly want to work, gather, and spend time in Miami. More importantly, we wanted MIRAI to contribute something meaningful to the ongoing evolution of the Design District, creating a project that enhances the neighborhood culturally, architecturally and socially for both visitors and the local community.”

Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA), MIRAI continues the broader transformation of the Miami Design District into one of the country’s most architecturally significant luxury and cultural corridors. The project joins a growing concentration of globally recognized architects, hospitality concepts, and design-led commercial experiences reshaping the neighborhood, while helping position Northeast Second Avenue as the district’s next boutique luxury corridor. Future tenants are being curated around a shared emphasis on design, culture, hospitality, and lifestyle, with a focus on brands and businesses aligned with MIRAI’s highly experiential vision. Additional tenant announcements, hospitality partnerships, and cultural programming initiatives are expected to be unveiled in the coming months as construction progresses and leasing momentum continues.

“One of the most exciting aspects of MIRAI is the opportunity to curate a community of tenants that share a common appreciation for design, culture, and hospitality,” said Eduardo Pelaez, principal of Well Duo. “Rather than simply filling space, our focus has always been on bringing together businesses and brands that contribute to the character of the building and the broader neighborhood. That level of curation is what sets MIRAI apart.”

The project’s public-facing design and future experiential programming are expected to play a central role in MIRAI’s identity, including plans for a dynamic façade lighting program in collaboration with Viabizzuno, cultural activations, and hospitality-driven gathering spaces integrated throughout the development.

Past PROFILEmiami articles about MIRAI Design District:

For more information about MIRAI Design District or to inquire about commercial leasing please fill out the form below:

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach Receives TCO And Commences Closings

Lionheart Capital, a Miami-based real estate development firm, has reached the home stretch of construction after receiving TCO approval for The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach. Since launching sales, the project has become the largest residential adaptive reuse project in South Florida, the first full-scale architectural project in the U.S. by master Italian architect, Piero Lissoni and the only residential project in Miami Beach situated on over seven-and-a-half acres. Sales are currently at over 70% of the 111 units which offer 60 unique floorplans. Amenities at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach include a half-acre rooftop pool deck, ecological food forest and community garden, house yacht and 36-slip private marina. Additionally, the world’s first residential art studio and sharing room, medical concierge with celebrity author of The South Beach Diet, Dr. Arthur Agatston, social rooms, cinema, children’s room, and library further complement the Ritz-Carlton lifestyle. The Residences range in size from 2,000 SF to over 10,000 SF, priced from $2 million to over $40 million.

“Turning a set of massive historical structures into one cohesive modern masterpiece was no easy feat and our team has made it a tremendous success. The best things in life are worth waiting for and we have designed this project meticulously, taking the time to integrate the development seamlessly with the surrounding community,” said Ophir Sternberg, CEO and founding partner of Lionheart Capital. “The wait is finally over, and we are looking forward to welcoming residents to this exclusive real estate collector’s item, designed for life.”

“The excitement has been building with our residents and prospective buyers leading up to this much anticipated announcement,” according to Jay Parker, CEO of Douglas Elliman’s Florida Brokerage. “Unlike the buying habits of today’s market, where buildings are torn down every few years, this project has been curated as an investment for the long term, as an instant classic with only the finest architecture, best in class interior design, world’s first amenities of their kind and exclusive location that cannot be replicated.”

“Unlike other projects in the area, these residences feel like single-family homes instead of ‘cookie cutter’ condo units,” explained Jason Rosenhaus, Vice Chairman of Rosenhaus Sports Representation and buyer at The Residences. “My family and I are looking forward to begin moving in this month, as Lionheart Capital has spared no expense to ensure perfection and have made this irreplaceable home worth the wait.”

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach