Yaya Coastal Cuisine brings Mediterranean magic to Miami Waterfront

MIAMI — Miami meets the Mediterranean at Yaya Coastal Cuisine in North Bay Village.
The restaurant, whose name means “grandmother” in Greek, features an elegant full bar and a 110-seat dining room, where floor-to-ceiling windows showcase stunning Bayfront views. Yaya is the new addition to this rapidly developing area.
“We really want to be part of the community and we feel like we’ve been really welcomed by the community and many people have come in and told us how thrilled they are that we’ve opened here in this location,” said owner-partner Jessica Rosenblum.
The outdoor space boasts an 80-seat terrace with 14 boat slips for waterfront access. Catering to Miami’s growing boating community, Yaya offers an exclusive membership club featuring priority docking privileges and dining perks.
“We’re really trying to reach out to the boating community and create our own community here for boaters because people are really passionate about it and it’s the biggest boating community in America,” Rosenblum said. “They should have somewhere and something special to do.”
Leading the culinary team is Executive Chef Todd Zimmer, who formerly led Prime 112. His vision brings fresh energy to the emerging foodie destination.
“My thing is just ‘Let’s do great good,'” he said. “Good food, great tasting food and the rest will follow.”
The culinary journey at Yaya begins with the fattoush salad, a dish crowned with crispy chickpeas and dressed in a vibrant sumac vinaigrette. You see the work that goes into the dish.
Moving on to chef’s signature lobster with carnaroli rice and luxurious caviar butter – it’s pure decadence. It’s comforting and fancy but not overwhelming.
The swordfish Milanesa arrives next, topped with a sunny-side farm egg and accompanied by beurre blanc, capers and a tri-color salad. It was one of the best pieces of swordfish I’ve ever had, with a smooth and delicious Milanesa sauce.  
And for the finale: baklava cheesecake — a Mediterranean-American fusion. Need we say more?
Yaya, located at 7999 Bayshore Ct., is open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner and Friday through Sunday for brunch and lunch. The restaurant also offers a private membership for Miami’s boating community, which includes exclusive docking space and dining discounts.