There seems to be a lack of deli’s in Miami, where once upon a time they ruled supreme. The team behind the delicious and successful Beaker and Gray have recently opened Mason Eatery, a modern take on an American eatery. At 3470 North Miami Avenue in Midtown, in the former home of Gigi. I wouldn’t call it a traditional deli but it does have some of the same elements. Open from lunch every day, featuring housemade bagels, breads, condiments, scratch soups, hearty sandwiches and burgers made with wagyu beef. But it is more than that, it is a chef-driven concept that strives to epitomize culinary craftsmanship and also feature innovative dishes like bagel bites, short rib Wellington, or cheese poppers with oaxaca, pineapple chili and bacon. There is oxtail pot pie, mac n’ cheese with herbed crunch, grass-fed beef, creamed corn with garlic shrimp, salmon tartare with horseradish cream, fennel and crispy salmon skin, avocado toast with crab and hollandaise, a wagyu pastrami Reuben, mussels in a poached saffron broth with chorizo and bacon butter to name few. There is something on the menu to satisfy everyone, except maybe those on a diet. Okay, there are some lighter items too, like tiradito, hamachi, vegetables and greens, but the focus is more on comfort food.

Brian Nasajon, from Beaker and Gray is the executive chef and he is inspired by his Latin as well as Jewish roots, so you get the best of both worlds on the menu. He divides the menu into light, kinda light, hearty and simple.
When they first opened you could get an all-day breakfast with egg dishes, bagels and lox, and pancakes, but unfortunately, this is only available on their brunch menu now.

The pastry chef is John Maieli, and not only is he making all the house-made bagels, and breads, he is serving up some whimsical, playful sweets like “icing on the cake”, a white chocolate, yellow soft cake with a surprise filling and handcrafted sprinkles, or dessert in a jar, with layers of cake and coconut and whipped cream cheese.

They serve cocktails and beers too, with a happy hour, Monday to Friday 4-6pm.

The space is clean, modern and bright, with an open kitchen. A good choice for a casual, approachable meal that is nostalgic, and more than a deli.

Happy dining,
Shanea

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