NYC Favorite Ensenada Brings Coastal Mexican Flavors to Miami This Winter

Ensenada, Williamsburg’s Mexican seafood and mezcal hotspot, is coming to Miami, with plans to open in late 2024. Co-owners Bryce David and chef Luis Herrera announced the expansion late last week on Instagram, saying that they are bringing their award-winning coastal Mexican concept to the longstanding Vagabond space.

The decision to expand to Miami came after years of searching for the right space. “We’ve been looking at spaces both in New York and Miami for a while,” said David, who also has roots in Florida, where he went to high school and college. When the opportunity to take over the Vagabond space arose, everything clicked. “We love the space, and when it came up, it just felt kind of serendipitous,” David said.

David, co-founder of Brooklyn’s Black Flamingo, and Herrera, who previously worked at top kitchens like Cosme and Blanca, have turned Ensenada into a Williamsburg favorite since its debut in 2022. Mexico heavily influences the restaurant’s menu, which includes dishes like agua chiles, ceviche, and Ensenada-style fish tacos. Other menu standouts include octopus tlayuda and tuna tostadas with soy and sesame. The restaurant’s beverage program focuses heavily on mezcal and agave-based cocktails, which are meant to complement the seafood-centric menu.

Herrera is excited to expand the restaurant’s menu at the new Miami location. “Our concept fits Miami really well,” he said, noting that while staples from Brooklyn will remain, the Miami menu will highlight Florida seafood and produce. The larger kitchen at the Vagabond space allows the team to introduce new dishes, such as tacos al pastor made on a pastor trompo—a method they couldn’t use in New York. “We’ll have the space to grill and cook with gas, which we don’t have here,” Herrera said.

Ensenada aims to debut in late 2024 at 350 NE 199th Street in Miami.