It’s the End of an Era as Pubbelly Closes in Sunset Harbor

The restaurant that is credited for the restaurant boom in Sunset Harbor, Pubbelly, has shuttered for good. Rumors had been swirling that restaurant’s fate was near, and when the restaurant closed for repairs late this summer the owners decided not to reopen the space, as The Miami Herald first reported.

The team behind Pubbelly and its sister restaurant Pubbelly Sushi have decided to “blend” the concepts together, owner and executive chef Jose Mendin notes. While Pubbelly has maintained only one location throughout its almost decade run — and a name switch to Pubbelly Noodle Bar in its last few years — Pubbelly Sushi has expanded with locations throughout Miami, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and the team decided to put their energy towards Pubbelly Sushi instead.

So what does blending mean? Come November, the Pubbelly Sushi menu is getting a complete revamp and will include all the favorites of Pubbelly’s original menu including short rib dumplings, the chorizo stuffed dates and steamed pork buns — but for those missing the dishes they can already get their fix at Pubbelly Sushi’s original outpost in Sunset Harbour.

Mendin has certainly been keeping busy, however, this week alone opening a restaurant in Paris, France with restauranteurs Julie and Olivier Demarle, whom he met at Pubbelly. The eatery, called Moloko Pigalle, boasts Asian-style tapas and cocktails, and has been in development for more than four years. Mendin is also involved in the Puerto Rican restaurant La Placita.

As for what’s next for the space, Mendin and his team aren’t exactly sure. Mendin notes that they still have the lease to it and are weighing their options whether to open a new restaurant in the space or have another restaurant team take it over. But Pubbelly Sushi will continue to expand, with its next location “most likely” in Fort Lauderdale, where Mendin already has a seafood eatery Rivertail slated to debut later this year.