Independent restaurants are disappearing alongside the major chains shrinking across Florida. Three recent Miami-area closures are especially painful because each restaurant helped define its neighborhood.
Lokal in Coconut Grove
Lokal closed June 28, 2026, after 15 years in Coconut Grove.
Matt Kuscher opened the burger restaurant in 2011 and used its success to build what eventually became Kush Hospitality Group. Lokal was therefore more than one restaurant—it was the starting point for a collection of distinct Miami concepts.
The menu combined burgers and craft beer with an unmistakably Florida personality. Customers could order creative burgers made with locally sourced ingredients, along with chicken sandwiches, wings and comfort-food sides…