What's Good Miami

Interview with Dorsia Founder Marc Lotenberg, and co-founders Josh Stern & Gabriella ShteimanBuilding Impeccable Taste Into Impeccable InfrastructureI have known Marc Lotenberg for twenty years. Before Dorsia, before Surface, before the W days at Conde Nast, he was running 944 out of Miami and I was building my own thing on the other side of that same media world. Josh Stern I go back with too, through his I Know the Chef days, back when getting a table at Carbone meant knowing somebody who knew somebody. Gabriella Shteiman, a co-founder as well, is new to our crew and just weeks into Miami, but already fluent in the brand.The three of them run Dorsia, the membership platform that has quietly become the reservation infrastructure for the world’s best restaurants and, increasingly, the operating system underneath the world’s most exclusive clubs, festivals, and experiences. We sat down for this week’s Good Company interview and covered a lot of ground. Here is what stuck.

New Series Alert: Life in Short Form w/ Zoli Honig, Miami Entrepreneurship, Technology, & Life from the FrontlinesCOVID shut the world down and opened a door for me instead.I arrived at Reef Technology, through a teams call, not knowing a soul, and Zoli Honig was on the other side of the line. Reef raised over two billion dollars and was the largest startup in Miami. Sixteen of us were on a Microsoft Teams call at 8am every morning trying to keep it standing. Zoli was the one person in the building who already knew short form video was going to change everything. He taught me how it’s was done. I returned the favor.We are done keeping those conversations off the record. Life in Short Form is a new monthly series I am launching with Zoli, taped out of the What’s Good Studio at the Moore. No script. No polish. Two guys who met as employees, went out and built our own things, and stuck around long enough to watch this city change shape in real time.We both thought we could get rich living inside someone else’s dream. Turns out, like most things worth having, you only get there by doing it yourself, risk and all. That is the path to the money. It is also the path to fulfillment, and we didn’t understand that until we were already on it.Building a Small Business in MiamiEvery transplant from New York says the same thing in year one. Nothing moves. Zoli calls it the Miami stupid tax. Nobody calls you back same day.Zoli’s wife closed her first real estate deal here and the clients called her the best agent they’d ever worked with. She didn’t do anything extraordinary. She showed up on time. She answered her texts. As Woody Allen said “eighty percent of success is showing up.” In Miami, showing up puts you in the top ten percent.That gap is the opportunity.“Hustle plus insight plus AI, you should be hitting grand slams.”Miami also runs twelve to eighteen months behind New York, LA, and San Francisco on execution speed, even while it exports culture faster than many of them. Put an understanding of AI on top showing and the math breaks wide open. You can do damage here with that combination, that is rarely possible anywhere.The Origin StoryZoli built three companies before Reef ever knew his name. One landed him on Shark Tank with a deal from Mr. Wonderful. Say those two words to him now and his eyes roll into the back of his head. He could split the atom tomorrow and Shark Tank would still be the only line anyone remembers.Zoli left because I asked him one question. What do you want your life to look like in five years. What is that going to cost? We wrote the number down. We looked at it together. I asked if Reef was ever going to pay him that number. He said absolutely not. So I asked the only question left. So what are you doing here.We had both spent years thinking the dream we were chasing belonged to somebody else’s company. It didn’t. It was ours the whole time, waiting on us to go build it ourselves.

Everyone wants to talk about what’s hot. Nobody wants to talk about what’s permanent.A legendary Miami restaurant isn’t just a good meal. It’s a place that got here before the city knew what it was becoming, and then helped decide what it would become. Some of these are still standing. Some are gone, replaced by a bank branch or a condo lobby, remembered only by the people who ate there before it mattered to anyone else. Either way, they mean more than dinner. They’re the reason Miami has a food identity at all instead of just a coastline.Erin, Ollie, and I sat down for Episode 2 (we missed you Matt) of What’s Good? The Leftovers and put together the definitive list. Not the best. Not the newest. The legendary. We split it two ways: the locals who were born here and built the city from the inside, and the imports who arrived from New York and LA and never left because they didn’t need to.

There are people who read a city, and then there are people who write it — who walk down a boarded-up block of Collins Avenue in 1992, past aluminum chairs chained to porches, and see not what's there, but what's coming. Michael Comras is the second kind. Today, I sit down with the man who has spent three decades rewriting Miami Beach's map one street at a time — from the cold call that brought The Gap to a forgotten corner, to NoLi, his boldest bet yet on the future of Lincoln Road. This isn't just an interview. It's the origin story of how Miami's retail landscape became what it is, told by the man who built it, and a look at exactly where he thinks it's going next. If you have any stake in this city's real estate, consider this required reading.

The Heat is On: WGM X The Leftovers Heat Index I’ve spent the last decade arguing that Miami deserves real media. Not pay-for-play coverage dressed up as editorial. Not another breathless opening item because someone bought a table at a charity dinner. Real opinions from people who’ve actually eaten the food, sat in the room, and don’t owe the publicist anything. This week, that argument got company. On Wednesday at What’s Good Studio at The Moore, I sat down with three of the most credentialed food journalists this city has ever produced, Erin Michelle Newberg, Olee Fowler, and Matt Melzer, to record the first episode of “What’s Good? The Leftovers”, a monthly podcast collaboration between What’s Good Miami and The Leftovers Miami. Sixty collective years of food writing. One room. Zero sponsored content. The centerpiece of everything we’re building together is The Heat Index, and I’ll say it plainly: this is going to be the most important restaurant list in Miami. Not because we say so. Because of who’s making it and why.

Sitting down w Ilan Waisbrod of studio Gaia. The famous Israeli Designer tells us about his journey and past projects.

All the info on the NBA finals and the Knicks with Charles Seltzer of Crosscourt

A conversation with Rachel Robinson at What’s Good Miami’s new content studio at The Moore, on freedom, family, and the discipline of showing up — every single day, for six straight years. There’s a moment, sitting in any room with Rachel Robinson, when you realize the workout isn’t actually the workout. The sweat is real. The treadmill is real. The 10.0 sprints she calls out by name — yours, mine, the woman in the back — are real. But the thing Rachel is actually doing, the thing that has packed her 9:30 a.m. Monday class on Purdy Avenue for years on end, is something else entirely. She’s having a conversation with herself out loud, and inviting fifty people to listen in. I sat down with Rachel last week at What’s Good Miami’s new content studio at The Moore. The room felt right for it. She came up on reality television, where the cameras turn the room into the performance. She built her business on Instagram Live, where the bedroom is the studio. And she’s spent the last decade teaching one of the most kinetic group fitness classes in the city, where the studio is, in the end, a kind of broadcast. Rachel doesn’t really exist in private. Or maybe more accurately: Rachel doesn’t really make a distinction between the two. The whole point of what she does — and the reason it works — is that there isn’t one. If her name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, it should. Rachel is Miami fitness royalty in the most Miami way possible. Born in the Chelsea Hotel in New York to a photographer mother who, in her own words, “always had a camera on me.” Raised in Miami since she was five. A true OG of a city that has very few of them left. She came up on reality television during the original Road Rules era — the analog days, before social media, before the playbook, before anyone went on the show planning to make a career out of it. She left it behind to live a life, got married to Natalie (the founder of G-Beauty, the family-built skincare and facial studio business that’s expanding into a new flagship in Toronto), had three kids under three, and built the kind of family life that most reality TV alumni quietly envy. Then, after an eleven-year hiatus, she went back. The producers had been calling her for years. The timing finally worked. She returned to The Challenge as an all-star — and won. A literal Cinderella moment for a woman in her late thirties who hadn’t been on television in over a decade. She’ll tell you herself: that doesn’t normally happen. But by then, she wasn’t really a reality TV person anymore. She was a fitness person.

WATCH THE FULL LONG FORM INTERVIEW BY CLICKING ABOVE“Always Be a Gentleman, and Never Play by the Rules”A conversation with Ben Pundole at the new Delano, on dreaming, trusting, and the city that finally stopped following.“As we pulled up to the porte cochère, I remember being thrilled. The entrance to the Delano had a magnitude and energy I’d rarely, if ever, experienced before. The valets were all perfectly dressed in crisp white outfits, the people getting out of their cars were beautifully put together, and the architecture was the perfect combination of classic Art Deco and clean modern lines.While the arrival alone was magnificent, it wasn’t until I entered the lobby that I was swept away: fifty-foot ceilings, a straight-shot visual hundreds of feet from the entrance to the rear orchard, and charming vignettes of whimsical seating and social areas throughout. The beauty was unmistakable, and the energy was so real you could almost drink it. Every step I took built on the drama of the experience. By the time I exited the lobby and stepped into the orchard, I felt changed, as if my appreciation for what the imagination could manifest had been heightened. I didn’t say a word for ten minutes after I walked outside. I just smiled, completely satisfied by what I had just consumed.”- The Age of Ideas by Alan Philips (Yes Me :))There’s a moment, sitting in the new Delano, when you realize the building is doing something quieter than it used to. The old Delano was a statement, flowing white curtains, Philippe Starck swagger, a lobby that felt like the velvet rope of an entire decade. The new one isn’t trying to be that. It’s trying to be something harder: a place you actually want to come back to.I sat down with Ben Pundole there last week. If that name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, it should. Ben is hospitality royalty in the most British, understated way, “I just happened to be in the room when it all started” kind of way. He came up at the Groucho Club in London in 1992, what he calls his university. He was at the Met Bar when the Met Bar was the room. He spent 23 years orbiting Ian Schrager, the man credited with birthing boutique hospitality as we now understand it.What I wanted to know was simple: what does that lineage build, and what’s it doing in Miami right now?

There’s a certain kind of confidence you only get from the Northeast. It’s blunt. It’s unapologetic. It usually comes with strong opinions about bread. Ryan McKeown has all of it. We sat down with the Peppi’s Pizza owner in the Design District and within five minutes it was clear, this isn’t another Miami restaurant trying to be “vibey.” It’s a mission. Ryan explained to us in our interview “You know, a lot of places serve what I call a steak and cheese, but have never stepped foot in Philly. For me, it’s not about copying tradition, it’s about understanding where it’s going.” And honestly, that tells you everything you need to know.

If you’ve ever scrolled through the high-energy world of Dr. Miami, you know it isn’t just “a medical practice.” It feels like a world - unfiltered, cinematic, and wildly intentional. It’s the kind of place where the rhythm of the operating room and the radical transparency of the lens feel designed to demystify an industry that was once kept in the shadows. That feeling comes from Dr. Michael Salzhauer. Michael’s story doesn’t start in a Bal Harbour penthouse. It starts in Rockland County, New York, with a kid who walked away from high school early and found his “restart” in a community college classroom. Driven by a childhood dream of surgery and a pivotal moment watching a Park Avenue doctor work magic on his wife’s lip after an accident, Michael realized early on that plastic surgery wasn’t just medicine—it was the “magic” of transformation. In our conversation, Dr. Miami shares how the road to becoming a global brand was paved with the kind of hustle you don’t see on a viral feed. He arrived in Miami for residency and eventually opened his own doors with $30,000 in a brown paper bag and a lot of nerve. Before the fame, he was in the back of a Boca hair salon, personally running a laser hair removal machine on Saturdays just to keep the lights on. He was a board-certified surgeon doing the “un-glamorous” work because his mentor told him the first rule of the game: you do whatever it takes to provide for your family.

In this episode of Miami Minds, we sit down with Daniel Singer, founder of Filthy Foods, the premium drinks and cocktail garnishes brand that turned an overlooked detail into a global business. From hand-selecting olives to building a product trusted by top bars, hotels, and hospitality groups, Daniel shares how Filthy scaled without losing its edge. We talk Miami’s role in shaping his mindset, the difference between trends and standards, and what it really takes to build a brand that lives on bar carts, back bars, and in culture — not just on shelves.

BeyBey is one of those Miami restaurants that’s not just about dinner — it’s about energy. The room, the music, the hospitality, the feeling that you’re stepping into someone’s home… which is literally the point: “Beyte Beytak” — my home is your home. In this episode of Miami Minds, we sit down with Nemer “Tiger” Saliba, the creator behind BeyBey, to talk about building a concept in Miami Beach, what hospitality looks like when it’s actually personal, and why the city’s best spots are becoming cultural spaces — not just restaurants. Plus: a special conversation with Chef Roberto Solís — the Mérida-born chef behind Huniik / Néctar — on technique, identity, and what it means to bring real regional Mexican perspective into a Miami dining room. Subscribe for more Miami Minds — founders, chefs, operators, and the people shaping what Miami becomes next.

In this interview, we sit down with Amanda Pizarro, co-founder of The Salty Donut, the cult-favorite artisanal donut brand that transformed Miami’s food scene and sparked a national craze. Amanda shares how she built a brand obsessed with quality, community, and creativity — from pop-ups and overnight baking shifts to opening multiple locations across the country. She dives into entrepreneurship, brand building, partnerships, and how she continues to innovate while staying true to Salty’s roots. A must-listen for anyone inspired by founders who turn passion into a powerhouse brand.

When you talk about record-setting real estate in Miami and New York, one name shows up again and again: Ruthie Assouline. She has quietly—and consistently—been behind some of the most expensive and culturally significant trades in both cities, from Manhattan townhomes to North Bay Road trophy estates. But nowhere is her impact more visible right now than in Altos del Mar, the crown jewel of North Beach and the only enclave of true beachfront mansions anywhere in Miami Beach south of Golden Beach.Ruthie has personally closed the two biggest sales in the history of this ultra-rare strip—$37.5M and $36.5M—and now she has brought to market the most expensive listing North Beach has ever seen: a $40 million oceanfront estate, the only true single-family home directly on the sand currently available in all of Miami Beach.

Miami Heat basketball isn’t just a sport here—it’s a lifestyle, a mood, and sometimes, a full-blown personality trait. To kick off the season, we sat down with Andrew Barnett, founder of Heat Subculture, local culture connoisseur, and fellow dadbod about town, to break down what’s really happening with the team this year. From roster realities to locker room energy, and what it all says about Miami itself, this conversation goes beyond basketball—it’s about the city’s rhythm, resilience, and relentless drive to prove the doubters wrong.

In this flavorful episode of What's Good Miami Minds, we sit down with the man behind the mouthwatering brand — Mr. Eats 305.From hidden gems in the city to viral bites that have taken over your feed, he’s the go-to guy for everything food in the 305. We talk about his journey from local foodie to digital tastemaker, what drives his passion for showcasing Miami’s diverse culinary scene, and how he built a brand that’s become a trusted guide for food lovers across the city. Plus, some behind-the-scenes stories, favorite spots, and what’s next for the Mr. Eats movement. Whether you're a foodie, a creative, or just love hearing from people putting on for the culture — this one's for you.

Dina Goldentayer isn’t just selling homes—she’s shaping the skyline. But her journey to the top of Miami’s ultra-luxury real estate world didn’t start on Star Island. It started in Moldova, with a one-way ticket to Baltimore, a detour through law school, and a stint cocktailing at Mynt back when it was the best club in the world (and that’s not up for debate).Two decades, a few pivots, and over $3 billion in real estate sales later, Dina has become a dominant force in Miami Beach—equal parts strategist, storyteller, and billion dollar baddie. She’s proof that hustle, vision, and good taste (in skincare and square footage) go a long way.We sat down with the Venetian Islands’ finest to talk about marketing as her art form, why she only drinks coffee on weekends, and what it really takes to raise a family while running the show in stilettos.

Derek DeGrazio isn’t just the man who brought Barry’s to Miami—he’s the guy who once traveled the world keeping Britney Spears tour-ready, and is now building a niche corner of the internet reviewing Russian cuisine with the swagger of a former fitness icon turned accidental cultural critic. A husband, father, early riser, and unshakably disciplined creative, Derek has quietly become one of Miami’s most consistent forces of positivity and polish. From Edgewater to Instagram, he’s living proof that your morning routine can include both black coffee and black bread—if you’ve got a sense of humor and a rock-solid partner in crime.

If you haven't heard of padel, what planet do you live on? The racquet sport—played on a small, enclosed court with thick paddles and fast reflexes feels like a blend of tennis and squash, minus the country club stiffness. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s social, and more importantly, it’s the new platform for connection.“For a generation that doesn’t have four hours or the patience for a back nine, padel is the perfect answer”, says Wayne Boich, founder of Reserve.Padel is sticky: one game and you’re in. Which is exactly what happened to Boich. At a friend’s wedding in Europe, he found himself on a padel court, racket in hand, grinning like a teenager. A former top 5 nationally ranked tennis player who competed multiple times in the US OPEN Juniors, he fell hard and fast. What started as a curiosity became an obsession.He built courts at his homes in Miami, the Hamptons, and Los Angeles, inviting friends to play, throwing impromptu padel events where he would bring in some the top pros in the world to play in Pro-ams and exhibitions. This gave people a new view of the sport.

Rachael redefines impact in Miami, one outfit, one child, & one moment at a time. This week, we sat down with Rachael Russell Saiger, the effortlessly stylish force behind Style Saves and the Fashion Director at Miansai. A longtime Miami Beach resident with a sharp eye for aesthetics and a big heart for community, Rachael moves between the worlds of fashion, philanthropy, and family with rare grace. From her black moka pot mornings coffees to tables-cape artistry and creative courage forged at Vogue, she’s a reminder that what you do matters, but how you do it matters more.

Pablo De Ritis is one of those rare Miami characters who’s lived enough lives for three people—and yet still manages to make time for everyone else’s. He’s equal parts cultural curator, intellectual provocateur, and connector of minds. If you’ve ever been to a Faena Rose event and walked out inspired, chances are Pablo had a hand in making that magic happen.From his early days shaping editorial at Wallpaper to now orchestrating thought-provoking gatherings at Faena Miami Beach, Pablo brings both global vision and hyper-local love to everything he does. He’s got old-school discipline (up at 4am sharp), impeccable taste (print newspapers only, thank you), and a mind that never stops chasing what’s next. In a city that sometimes moves too fast to think, Pablo reminds us that slowing down to engage—really engage—is where the real luxury lies.

From Miami OG to James Beard: A Conversation with Chef Michael SchwartzIn this episode, we sit down with one of Miami’s culinary cornerstones — James Beard Award winner Michael Schwartz. From opening Michael’s Genuine in the early days of the Design District to shaping Miami’s food scene as we know it, Michael shares the stories, challenges, and philosophies behind his enduring success.We talk legacy, local sourcing, the future of restaurants — and what it really takes to stay relevant in a city that reinvents itself every season.Tap in. This one’s for the real food lovers.

Miami’s hospitality scene is fast, competitive, and constantly evolving—and few people understand it better than Josh Wagner. With decades of experience shaping some of the city’s most iconic restaurants and hospitality brands, Josh has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in this high-stakes industry.In this episode, we dive into the art of hospitality, exploring how to create experiences that stand the test of time in a city where trends come and go. Josh shares his insights on brand longevity, customer experience, and the future of Miami’s restaurant scene, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the industry.We discuss what it takes to build a successful hospitality brand in Miami, how the industry continues to evolve, and the key trends shaping its future. Josh also shares why creating meaningful and lasting customer experiences is essential for brand loyalty and success. He highlights some of Miami’s hidden gems, discusses how global travel and cultural influences shape hospitality, and explains why adaptability is a must in this fast-changing industry.Whether you’re a foodie, a restaurant owner, or just someone who loves learning about the business of dining, this episode is packed with valuable insights.Taste is a curious thing. Everyone thinks they have it, but most don’t.It isn’t about what’s trendy or popular; it’s about recognizing the essence of something special, something timeless. It's the difference between a fleeting fad and an enduring classic, between surface-level appeal and deep, lasting impact. At What’s Good Miami, we don’t just chase what’s new; we seek out what’s real, what’s meaningful, and what’s worth your time.From the hidden gems in hospitality, where the warmth of a welcome matters as much as the creativity on the menu, to the cutting-edge cultural moments that define our city, we bring you our Miami. We explore the undercurrents of art and business, the spaces where innovation meets tradition, and where the next big thing is born out of a deep respect for what came before.In a city where everything seems to have a price tag, we’re here to remind you that the best things in life—the things that truly matter—are beyond valuation. See you at the beach.Alan Philips, What’s Good MiamiCreated by The Marketing Department