Palm Beach-famous Buccan officially makes its Miami debut on Miracle Mile
- Jake Nicholas
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Coral Gables is officially landing one of the most significant culinary expansions Miami has seen this year. Ember Group, the Palm Beach restaurant family behind Buccan, Imoto, and Buccan Sandwich Shop, is officially expanding south for the first time, bringing its full Palm Beach trifecta to Miracle Mile under the leadership of James Beard-nominated chef Clay Conley.
After 15 years of defining the Palm Beach dining scene, Ember Group's founding partners Clay Conley, Piper Quinn, and Sam Slattery are recreating their signature side-by-side concept lineup at 100 Miracle Mile, and all within a single block.
Founded in 2010 by Clay Conley, Piper Quinn, and Sam Slattery, Ember Group has built one of Florida's most respected restaurant collections. Since joining the team, Chef Conley has received seven James Beard Foundation Award nominations and Michelin recognition for his work, and the group's restaurants have been celebrated in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, Robb Report, and beyond. Buccan is listed as Forbes Travel Guide's "hottest spot" in Palm Beach and was named by Esquire among its top picks for South Florida dining.
The expansion marks Ember Group's first venture outside Palm Beach County and represents the most concentrated rollout in the group's history. Conley calls Coral Gables a natural fit — a sophisticated dining destination with the same energy and attention to craft that helped Buccan transform Palm Beach into a real food city back in 2010.
Since opening in 2010, Buccan has been widely credited as the restaurant that kick-started Palm Beach's dining revolution, introducing the island to bold, worldly small plates that hadn't existed there before. The Coral Gables location is a complete reimagining of that original — same vision, new setting.
Spanning roughly 4,000 square feet at 100 Miracle Mile, the new Buccan features a 30-seat indoor dining room, a 28-seat covered patio, a 14-seat full-service bar, and a chef's counter overlooking the open kitchen — designed to bring guests directly into the cooking experience. Architecture and interiors come from Skylar Carlton Design, with a refined material palette of white oak, brushed brass, and warm leathers paired with custom lighting and curated artwork.
The menu carries Buccan's signature globally inspired small plates approach, designed for sharing and built around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Expect dishes like wood-grilled octopus, hamachi crudo, and the brand's celebrated short rib empanadas, alongside larger plates rotating with availability. The bar program features handcrafted cocktails, a thoughtfully curated wine list emphasizing small producers, and craft beer.
Buccan opens Friday, May 22, with dinner service nightly. Reservations are now available.
Directly adjacent to Buccan, Imoto — Japanese for "little sister" — brings Conley's Japanese and Asian-inspired sushi concept to Miracle Mile. Since its 2012 Palm Beach debut, Imoto has grown into one of the island's most coveted reservations and a beloved pre-dinner pairing with Buccan next door.
The Coral Gables Imoto spans roughly 2,500 square feet with a 24-seat dining room, a 12-seat sushi counter, and an 8-seat bar. The design leans into a moodier, more intimate energy than its sister concept — dark wood, low lighting, and a hand-painted mural by a Miami-based artist anchoring the room.
The menu features traditional and contemporary sushi, sashimi, hand rolls, and Asian-inspired small plates including Imoto's celebrated Peking duck buns, miso-marinated black cod, and crispy rice tuna. The beverage program highlights an extensive sake selection, Japanese whiskey, and a tightly curated cocktail list designed to complement the menu.
Imoto opens Monday, June 8, for dinner service. Reservations are now available.
Opening first this Saturday, May 9, Buccan Sandwich Shop brings Ember Group's elevated quick-service concept to Coral Gables — the third location of the brand following its original 2015 Palm Beach debut and its 2023 West Palm Beach expansion in Flamingo Park.
The menu carries Buccan Sandwich Shop's signature high-end takes on lunch counter classics, including the beef carpaccio sandwich, fried soft shell crab, the iconic Buccan steak bomb, plus salads, house-made chips, to-go craft cocktails, and the brand's much-loved chocolate chip cookies. The Coral Gables shop will operate as a walk-up and dine-in counter with grab-and-go and delivery available.
Beyond the restaurants, the group also runs Buccan Provisions, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded during the pandemic to combat food insecurity across South Florida. Three years in, the organization continues to provide emergency meal distribution and community anti-hunger partnerships across the region.
