The wait is almost over! Miami’s beloved Blue Collar by chef/owner Danny Serfer will soon close its doors and be reborn in a cool, spacious new location right across the street at 6789 Biscayne Boulevard. Scheduled to open mid-June 2024, “the new Blue” will have all the soul that fans have come to love but in a polished, casual new space giving big time Mad Men vibes. “We are so close the anticipation is killing me,” says Serfer. “But it’s just weeks away. We’ll soon be ready to announce original Blue’s final night of service and our first day at new Blue.”
With the help of Samanatha Mckenna of Chelsea Design and Joey Halpern of Joseph Halpern Woodworking, Serfer designed the new space himself with much of its mid-century décor sourced from thrift shops near and far. The 4,000-square-foot space emits rustic and modern charm, but now with a playful sense of glamour that gives the proceedings a sophisticated yet soulful sheen. The vintage metal, wall-mounted lunchboxes made the trip across the street, now repurposed into miniature herb gardens for Blue Collar’s full bar. Indoor and outdoors, the space seats 140 including four side-sitting-only two tops Serfer playfully calls “Bluetooth booths.” Serfer explains, “I’m not a fan of taking calls in restaurants and the original Blue Collar was so small that taking calls outside the front door was a no-go. So, we added these ‘Bluetooth booths’ for those who want to step out for that call they cannot miss, and don’t want to stand on the sidewalk.” More on the design later; first, the food. Rest assured a ton of signature favorites made the move but Blue Collar’s menu is rich with new additions.
Attractive new Apps include an Egg Roll Trio – cheeseburger, Cuban sandwich and pepperoni pizza (paired with appropriate sauces); and Mushroom & Goat Cheese Croquettes with fig jam; Swedish Meatballs with toast and gravy; and Matzo Ball Soup, available daily. New Entrees will include Shawarma – lamb shoulder, Israeli couscous, saffron, pita, chick pea stew and tahini; Swordfish with twice baked potato and purple mustard, as well as Serfer’s version of a Miami Completa – a composed meal anchored by a protein, served with two sides. Options run the gamut from Griot (crispy pork shoulder) with pikliz and gravy and Chicken Cordon Bleu with double mustard cream to Crispy Skin Snapper. Any Blue Collar fan will wax euphoric about the restaurant’s daily specials. At new Blue, Dailies are in three categories – Braise, Chop and Pasta. It’s anyone’s guess what Serfer has in the works, but expect everything from osso buco marsala and curried goat to “a big a$$ veal or pork chop” and house-made linguini with clams. New desserts? You bet, including Sticky Toffee Pudding and house-made, baked- to-order Chocolate Chip Cookies. “Variety and value were and will remain central to Blue Collar,” noted Serfer. “New Blue is not about upscaling and up-pricing. It’s about expansion, evolution and preparing for our next 12 years.”
Central to that evolution is Blue Collar’s new full bar offerings. Like the menu, Serfer promises value and variety when it comes to tipples but notes that the bar program will be one based on the classics. “Proper cocktails made right and in a timely manner at a reasonable price and without pretension,” he adds.
The new Blue Collar, aesthetically speaking, is as much an extension of Serfer as the food. “I originally opened in MiMo for two reasons: 12 years ago the rent was still sane there and I am in love with mid-century design and architecture. The new Blue gave me the opportunity to design the restaurant in a way I couldn’t back then. My goal was to make it look like a million bucks without spending a million bucks.” To that end, Serfer scoured thrift stores near and far for everything from the vintage credenza; gilded, gold-framed mirror and matching, overlapping metal pinwheel light fixtures. For a splash of greenery on the patio, home to the aforementioned “Bluetooth booths,” Serfer opted for, in place of planters, a smattering of vintage ice chests and coolers (an extension of the lunch boxes). But not everything is repurposed as guests will find much that is brand new, including the gorgeous cabinetry surrounding the bar and the restaurant’s tables, which were beautifully refinished to Serfer’s specifications – the tabletops stripped and varnished and their more basic bases replaced with gold and black metal legs. One last personal touch from Serfer and one that is very much from his heart. To thank longtime fans, regulars and supportive family and friends, the chef is making special plaques which will be welded to the front of vintage metal lunch boxes; these boxes, in turn, will be hung over each respective plaque-holder’s table or booth. Talk about VIP! Honorees include Serfer’s beloved parents, since passed, and the now-defunct blog Miami Restaurant Power Rankings (which was run by Serfer’s Mignonette business partner attorney Ryan Roman).
Stay tuned! Blue Collar will close soon at 6730 Biscayne Boulevard and reopen shortly thereafter at 6789 Biscayne Boulevard. Exact dates coming soon but the transition is slated for mid-June 2024. Lunch, Happy Hour and dinner will be served initially, with breakfast and Brunch rolling out shortly thereafter. Free lot parking and street parking available. Telephone: (305) 756-0366; www.bluecollarmiami.com.
Follow developments on Instagram: @bluecollarmiami
