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(Courtesy Pura Vida)

Pura Vida brunch table spread

New Year, New You

With Miami restaurants that focus on healthy options, you don’t have to sacrifice eating out to keep those New Year’s resolutions

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At the start of the year, we let go of things that no longer benefit us and embrace new habits for the new year.

Whether it's losing weight, eating more or less of certain foods, kicking caffeine, or giving up smoking, or exercising more, the resolutions are endless. However, we often set goals that are too demanding. Eventually, it may seem like an impossible task and we may give up on our resolutions altogether.

Support post-holiday wellness with nutrient-rich, satisfying meals like soups, roasted veggies, whole grains, and legumes, combining fresh ingredients with healthy fats for a strong start.

These restaurants focus on whole foods and seasonal produce from local farms, lean proteins, fiber, and mindful eating, providing diners with healthy options, and proving that keeping New Year’s resolutions doesn’t mean eschewing eating out.  

The locally-born wellness lifestyle brand, Pura Vida Miami, continues its expansion with the opening of its newest location within Esplanade at Aventura, 786-377-4016, 19505 Biscayne Blvd., the open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment destination. This is the brand’s second outpost in Aventura, along with Aventura ParkSquare at 2980 NE 207th St., Aventura. With more than 40 locations across South Florida, New York, and California, Pura Vida Miami continues to establish itself as a community gathering place where friends, family, and neighbors return time and again.

The new location embodies the brand’s philosophy: a laid-back space with a “Health is Happiness” philosophy. Enjoy the all-day menu of fresh, wholesome dishes, made with whole, naturally-grown, unprocessed ingredients. From chef-driven salads and bowls to smoothies, fresh juices, and artisanal coffees, each menu item is prepared using clean cooking methods, completely free from seed oils, highlighting the natural flavors of high-quality proteins, fruits, and vegetables.

Enjoy all-day breakfast favorites like the perfect egg sandwich, avocado mash, and croissant sandwiches. There are salads such as Jen's herb salad; smoothies such as the Beet and Beauty Glow; and toasted chicken sandwiches and wraps, including the pesto chicken and fire egg wrap. Newer items include the Philly "Rio" steak, and the Nutella bossa acai bowl.

Miami’s only heritage-Jerusalem, farm-to-table, kosher culinary destination, Mutra, 786-860-1213, 2188 NE 123rd St., is located in North Miami, Mutra, which means “a rain of blessings,” is an innovative dining concept by the Israeli-born executive chef and owner, Raz Shabtai, and is named for Shabtai's grandmother. The restaurant is rooted in a farm-to-table ethos that celebrates 10 local farms, including Lion Farms, Tiny Farm, and Tomato Thyme. Drawing inspiration from his hometown of Jerusalem, Shabtai’s cuisine blends Levantine, Galilean/North Israel, and Baladi influences. The restaurant is ingredient-driven — everything is about the food, which is made in house, from scratch.

Mutra has debuted a new seasonal menu showcasing Shabtai’s creativity and playful approach to traditional flavors. Highlights include Hamotzi, which is in-house made bread with 12 dips; Asli Haminados Salad, a Sicilian eggplant steak, heirloom tomato, and 12-hour egg; Let’s Ruin Something Pretty, a roasted beet, beet sorbet, ajo blanco, candied almond crumble; Elements of The Universe, a matbucha dough agnolotti, smoked eggplant, Tunisian arrabbiata, chickpea, roasted sweet pepper, lamb glaze, and beef cheek; Oxtail Musakhan an oxtail cooked overnight with grilled pargiyot, sumac, celeriac cream, and a shot of vermouth; and Tunisian Mole, 36-hours chuck eye with misu carrot glaze, wild spinach mole, and barley risotto. The menu rotates every two to three months, and with only 60 seats total, now’s the time to catch this offering. Mutra is open Sun. through Thurs. 6-10:30 p.m.

UVA Restaurant & Bar at Novotel Miami Brickell, 786-600-2600. 1500 SW First Ave., Miami, has announced a culinary collaboration with Nub, a Michelin-starred restaurant whose original location is in the Canary Islands. The limited-time pop-up is open through January, enhancing Miami’s growing Michelin-caliber dining scene.

The pop-up brings together three acclaimed chefs whose backgrounds span continents and culinary traditions: Nub’s Andrea Bernardi, born in Rome and trained across Europe, known for blending Italian precision with inventive technique; Fernanda Fuentes Cárdenas, of MasterChef Chile and Top Chef VIP Chile fame, the first Chilean woman to receive a Michelin star, who contributes a Latin American touch to Nub’s European roots; and Cuban native Yohsy Hernandez, executive chef at Novotel Miami Brickell, who adds UVA’s signature perspective by combining French technique with Latin and Mediterranean influences.

The pop-up offers a six-course tasting menu, starting at $130 per person with an optional wine pairing add-on that showcases the culinary artistry and warm hospitality that continues to position Miami as a global epicenter for exceptional dining.

Begin with an indulgent snack of golden, buttery brioche with a silky truffle mayonnaise; the dish is complemented by a delicate pulmay broth. This sets the stage for the first cold section: a mixed salad brimming with fresh, crisp vegetables alongside cold arrabiata spaghetti infused with tender tuna and topped with the rich, briny intensity of bottarga. These bright, refreshing flavors are paired with the Frescobaldi Chianti Classico 2023/2024, a Tuscan white whose lively acidity and red fruit notes enhance the nuanced layers of the cold dishes.

Another hot section, showcasing “apionara,” a creative twist on classic carbonara, made with delicate celery for a vegetal depth that harmonizes with the creamy sauce. This dish is paired with the aromatic Vermentino di Gallura 2018 from Sardinia, which balances the warmth of the pasta with its crisp, sun-soaked character.

A sophisticated hake dish, served atop a delicate potato mille-feuille, is drizzled with a savory, caramelized sea toffee reduction, intensifying the oceanic flavors. This maritime dish is complemented by Laurelwood Ponzi Chardonnay 2021 from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, mirroring the dish’s layered complexity.

The tasting continues with lamb accompanied by fermented red cabbage, a hearty yet refined dish is paired with Prunotto Barolo Nebbiolo, a red wine from Piedmont, with tannins and dark fruit notes that elevate the lamb’s savoriness.

The finale is a refreshing dessert of creamy stracciatella paired with fresh basil and tomato, an interplay of sweet, herbaceous, tangy flavors. This conclusion is paired with Franciacorta Satèn from Lombardy or Moscato d’Asti from Piedmont, with effervescent elegance and aromatic sweetness to round out the tasting. Seatings are available Tues. through Sat., 6:30-10:30 p.m. through March 13. Reserve via OpenTable Experiences.

WHAT'S NEW

Riviera Dining Group (RDG) recently opened its flagship, AVA MediterrAegean, 786-540-2889, 2889 McFarlane Rd., Coconut Grove. Following the success of its Winter Park location, the Coconut Grove outpost introduces elevated Greek cuisine in a lively atmosphere. As part of the flagship, RDG will also debut AVA MM, a secluded members-only retreat within the property.

The culinary program is led by RDG partner and head of culinary, Chef Michaël Michaelidis, alongside executive chef Frédéric Aumeunier. The menu captures the essence of the earth and sea, and pays tribute to the Cycladic region, balancing tradition with modern interpretation. Guests can expect refined, soulful dishes such as Aegean tuna ceviche, Mediterranean seabass carpaccio, lobster pasta, and lamb moussaka.

AVA blends Greek island minimalism with Miami’s coastal spirit. Natural Mediterranean materials, custom furnishings, and commissioned artworks create the ambience, featuring an open-air terrace and sculpted dining room.

Paya, 305-397-8080, 1209 17th St., Miami Beach, helmed by FEAL Hospitality, is one of Miami’s most dynamic restaurant groups, led by Chef Niven Patel, and Mohamed "Mo" Alkassar. This South Beach restaurant is Caribbean and Southeast Asian “tropical island-inspired,” so expect island dishes such as snapper in coconut curry, crab cakes, and “Light & Fresh” dishes such as wahoo ceviche with coconut Leche de Tigre, red onion, pumpkin, and crispy corn.

For appetizers try the buss up shut roti, with mango pickle and ghee; for mains, try the pink shrimp balchão with roasted garlic, sherry, scallions, and grilled bread. Save room for the coconut key lime tart, with Florida strawberries and Chantilly cream.

Claudie, 305-990-1101, 1101 Brickell Ave., Miami, has introduced Les Amis De Claudie (Friends of Claudie). Guests are invited to journey to the French Riviera through a curated prix fixe menu inspired by the sun-kissed flavors of the Côte d’Azur. The $85-per-person menu donates $5 from each order to benefit the Easter Seals Child Development Center and its impactful programs for local children and families. Featured dishes include black angus beef tartare, Branzino carpaccio, and an 8 oz. Wagyu skirt steak, with their lavender crème brûlée providing a sweet finish. The menu is offered every Sunday and Monday.

Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world.