His gorgeous pastries made Miami swoon. Now he has opened an upscale French restaurant

New restaurants are opening at a rapid rate in South Florida, but the man who makes Miami’s most beautiful desserts embraces the competition.

Pastry showman and restaurateur Antonio Bachour just opened his first upscale restaurant, Tablé by Bachour, in Miami’s busy Design District in the former Prada showroom.

Tablé (pronounced “tab-LAY”) is more ambitious than Bachour’s previous restaurants, Bachour in Coral Gables and Bachour Restaurant & Bar in Doral, which showcase his delectable baked goods and intricate, gem-like desserts. Its design is more elegant than those comfortable but laid-back bakery-cafés, evoking the atmosphere of a sophisticated modern Parisian brasserie.

Designed by Jorge Gonzalez working with Vertical Design Studio, the decor is elegant but minimalist, with a separate bar that seats 16 and a connected pastry studio and market where customers can buy grab-and-go items (croissants, bread and the aforementioned eye-catching desserts, which they will inevitably photograph). The restaurant will seat 69 indoors and 42 in its outdoor patio.

Opening a restaurant in Miami at this point in time is a challenge, especially in the glamorous Design District. Packed with luxury designer shops, the glamorous location is already home to many upscale restaurants, including Major Food Group’s Contessa; Sofia under the pink umbrellas in the Palm Court; Michelin-star winners like L’Atelier du Joel Rouchon, Le Jardinier and the Korean steakhouse Cote; chic Swan; the Peruvian-Japanese inspired spot Itamae; and the beloved Michael’s Genuine Food + Drink just down the street.

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None of this worries Bachour, who is originally from Puerto Rico and opened his first restaurant in the Gables in 2016.

“I love competition,” he says. “When you have competition, people can choose what they want. With competition, you can show people that you have good quality.”

Bachour says that he has long wanted to open a restaurant highlighting classic French flavors and techniques. Tablé, he says, will not be just a glamorous version of his previous bakery-café model but will have its own identity and menu.

The breakfast menu will include a croissant sandwich with smoked trout, and if you have had Bachour’s perfectly flaky croissants, this could come to be your favorite order. There are also Berkshire bistro ham Benedict and scrambled eggs on challah. Lunch includes salt cod frites and fried artichokes; beef tartare a la maison; lobster flatbread and a variety of sandwiches, including barbecue pork on a baguette.

Some of the lunch items are also available for dinner, but you can also try caviar and chips; torchon de foie gras; escargot; uni and caviar taglioni and lobster frites.

Bachour says that the Design District was the perfect location for his dream restaurant.

“It was the perfect match for this concept,” he says. “It’s what was in my head. I love the Design District. I love to walk there with my wife on the weekends and to have lunch. For me, it’s the best place.”

As for Miami’s growing profile in the international restaurant world, he believes that’s only going to get bigger.

“A few years ago, we were talking about New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco,” he says. “Now we’re talking about Miami. Miami will become the No. 1 food destination in the country in five years.”

Tablé by Bachour

Where: 180 NE 40th St., Miami

Hours: Open daily. Breakfast 8-11 a.m.; lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner 5-11 p.m.

For more information: www.antoniobachour.com

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