One of Miami’s most talked-about Lebanese restaurants is heading up the coast. Amal, the Coconut Grove hotspot known for its high-end mezze, glowing interiors and soundtrack of modern Arabic music, will open a new outpost on Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard this fall, extending a Lebanese hospitality concept that began in Toronto.
The Fort Lauderdale location, operated by Canada’s Ink Entertainment Group — also behind Byblos Miami and other lifestyle venues — will mark Amal’s third restaurant after Toronto and Miami. Founder and CEO Charles Khabouth, a native of Beirut, describes the brand as a love letter to Lebanese dining culture: generous shared dishes, long tables and a “come as a guest, leave as family” ethos designed for both locals and destination diners.
Executive chef Wissam Baki, who spent more than 15 years cooking in Beirut, will lead the kitchen. The menu is expected to mirror Amal Miami’s blend of classic and contemporary: creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush and garlic labneh alongside hot dishes like batata harra, falafel, skewered meats and pistachio kabab, plus seafood that nods to Lebanon’s coastal flavours. The name “Amal” — Arabic for “hope” — signals a deeper story about carrying Levantine foodways into new cities.
Design-wise, Toronto firm Nivek Remas is recreating Amal’s signature look: soft textiles, muted pastels, natural light and subtle references to the Mediterranean. In a Florida market saturated with brunch spots and steakhouses, the brand is betting that an elevated, narrative-driven Lebanese concept can stand out and scale further.
For Lebanon’s diaspora, the expansion is another chapter in a familiar story — one in which chefs and entrepreneurs export elements of home while adapting to new economies. For Fort Lauderdale, it is a sign that its dining scene is becoming sophisticated enough to attract brands born in Toronto, refined in Miami and rooted, ultimately, in Beirut.
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