In 2020, the first Motek restaurant opened in downtown Miami’s Seybold Building during a pandemic, an inauspicious start that turned out successful enough to lay groundwork for a Mediterranean culinary empire.
Now, after the restaurant has spread across South Florida — to Aventura, Brickell, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, South Beach and Boca Raton, Motek has opened its ninth restaurant in Miami Midtown. There’s also a location in New York City, with a West Village location opening next month.
Happy Corner Hospitality, the group behind Motek, also operates Yalla Motek, a street-food kiosk at the Aventura Mall and Sesame Bakery in North Miami.
The new Motek is located in the former space of Maty’s Peruvian restaurant in Midtown, which closed in 2025. It has also transformed Maty’s neighbor, the now-closed Itamae Ao, which earned a Michelin star in 2025 but closed later the same year. The space is now another Sesame Bakery, selling pastries and coffee.
The interior of Motek in Miami Midtown.
(Lemonpop)
The new Motek, like the others, represents the latest chapter for the brand, said owner Charlie Levy, who founded Happy Corner Hospitality.
“We’ve built this brand around family, hospitality and food made with intention,” he said. “This new location reflects how far we’ve come — from a single café in downtown Miami to a growing hospitality group expanding beyond South Florida — while staying true to our roots.”
The bar at Motek in Midtown Miami
(Lemonpop)
The design follows that of all Moteks, with yellow a primary color, lemon decor and greenery. There are a few new architectural changes, like a yellow tile oven and arched kitchen portals, with a pergola covered in the brand’s trademark yellow flowers.
The menu sticks with what has made Motek such a powerhouse: hot and cold mezzes, hummus dips, and labneh-based dips served with hot laffa bread. Other highlights include lamb kebabs, shawarma in pita, salads or bowls, and a chicken schnitzel sandwich to die for.
The outdoor patio at Motek in Miami Midtown.
(Lemonpop)
The famous Lebanese-style Arayes burger, which won Burger Bash at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival two years in a row, is also on the menu. The restaurant also touts its status as seed oil free, using olive oil, avocado oil and butter in its recipes.
And while opening a second restaurant in New York is exciting, opening another Motek close to home is still a thrill, Levy said.
“We’re proud to continue expanding in the city that raised us,” he added.
One of the walls at Motek Midtown.
(Lemonpop)Motek Midtown
Where: 3255 NE First Ave., Miami
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday
Reservations: Resy
More information: motek.com/midtown or 786-686-9284
The exterior of Motek in Midtown Miami.
(Lemonpop)
Dining and Cooking