Harry's Pizzeria coming to McFarlane Road

Courtesy of Harry's
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There's been talk of Michael's Genuine coming to Coconut Grove for over a year now, but what's actually coming is Harry's Pizzeria, one of The Genuine Hospitality Group's well-known restaurants.

James Beard Award-winning Chef/owner Michael Schwartz’s casual neighborhood joint will open its first new location in 2015 in the Grove with Grove-based architectural design firm Arquitectonica building out the space located at 2996-98 McFarlane Road.

“It’s funny, what began with a question mark – should we open a pizzeria – has grown up and become this great restaurant with an identity all its own, one that we feel has great potential for growth, ” says Michael.  “Choosing the right next location was super important, from the community, to the space itself and the partners involved. To have another opportunity to work with the Forts and the team at Arquitectonica is really exciting, and I think we’re all really looking forward to collaborating and getting to know our new neighborhood!”

Harry’s Pizzeria is The Genuine Hospitality Group’s third restaurant, a casual neighborhood joint opened in September 2011 and named after Schwartz’s son Harry. The restaurant is a comfortable place to gather for snacks, salads, and specials featuring seasonal ingredients, Hedy Goldsmith’s desserts, Schwartz’s signature thin-crust pizzas cooked in the restaurant’s wood-burning oven, local and craft beers on draught, creative wines by the glass and bottle, and other beverages including housemade sodas and Panther Coffee.  To make a new house a home, its “Chef Pop-Up Series” has welcomed America’s most acclaimed chefs into the kitchen over the past three years, effectively cementing Harry’s Pizzeria as a fixture in Miami’s dining community known for both its consistency and energetic, fun approach to the restaurant experience.

“We are very excited to be working with Michael on this restaurant. The addition of Harry’s to the neighborhood is a big part of our re-visioning for the center Grove to make it a place for everyday life and a unique destination” says Raymond Fort, Arquitectonica Project Designer.

The space on McFarlane Rd that Harry’s Pizzeria is entering is owned by Main Highway Partners. Harry's Pizzeria has plenty of items other than pizza like Polenta Fries, Daily Soup, Meatballs in Sauce, Escarole salad, Kale salad, Peach and Bacon salad and many more salads.

There is Margherita pizza and Meatball pizza as well as Slow Roasted Pork pizza and Oyster Mushroom pizza, just to name a few.

Harry's has daily dinner specials including Braised Beef Cheeks, Slow Roasted Pork and wood Oven Roasted Local Fish. Snacks include Marinated Olives, Polenta Fries and Organic Ricotta, homemade.

"We have a history here – our family home is in the Grove and our corporate headquarters in the Grove, in the original space the company launched over 30 years ago. We understand the fabric of the neighborhood and are so thrilled to have entrepreneurs and business owners like Michael Schwartz and Panther Coffee coming into the fold,” says Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Founding Principal of Arquitectonica

Harry's Pizzeria is in the same building where Panther Coffee is renovating a space.

There have been rumors of Michael's Genuine coming to the second floor of the old Coconut Grove Flower building next to Greenstreet Cafe at 3112 Commodore Plaza (a new shoe store is taking the first floor space). I asked the Michael's Genuine people about that, they said, "The talk couldn't have been from us at The Genuine Hospitality Group. We like ground levels with the people!"