Krüs Kitchen

Editor's note: Krüs has revamped its menu. We'll update this review when we've had a chance to check it out.

Krüs Kitchen is a Coconut Grove restaurant located directly above Los Félix, a Mexican spot that we’ve likened to a very fun dinner party. And if Los Félix is the dinner party downstairs, then Krüs Kitchen is the extra bottle of wine on the couch once the plates have been cleared. It is a space so relaxing and intimate that it feels like shoes should be optional (which they, thankfully, are not.)

And if the only thing to do at Krüs was drink wine and try to guess who’s on a first date, we’d still happily make the commute up the spiral staircase to spend time here. But, like its sister restaurant downstairs, Krüs is also serving some of the most exciting and delicious food in Miami.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

The similarities between the two menus end there though. While Los Félix focuses on Mexican dishes, the only through line at Krüs is seasonality. The menu (which changes with the seasons) ranges from pasta to crudo to grilled vegetables. Dishes are centered around fresh ingredients—embellished with fancy-sounding things that add layers of flavor, but never outshine the main stars on the plate. Sure, the grilled scallions (which come from a farm in Miami) may be smothered with a roasted yeast foam and trout roe. But, like proper background singers, neither of those things overwhelm the grilled scallions so much that you can’t taste their smoky perfection in each bite. 

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

This is food that walks that challengingly narrow line between trying too hard and just hard enough—an attitude mirrored in the space itself. Krüs’ dining room is one of those impossibly cozy interiors best described by that Danish word no one knows how to pronounce. The walls, stacked with pantry supplies and wine (all of which are for sale), make it feel like you’re eating in a friend’s kitchen. The glass block windows face the sunset, and extend all the way to the gorgeous vaulted ceiling. It’s a dining room that’s practically giving you a hug, and there is nowhere we’d rather be trapped during a thunderstorm. And while there is also outdoor seating on the sidewalk, we would only prioritize it if it was raining $100 bills. 

Krüs casts an impressively wide net of appeal. Folks who want the food to be the main event of the evening will find no shortage of dishes worth discussing like an Antiques Roadshow appraiser staring at an incredibly rare vase. People simply looking to sit in comfortable silence and sip great wine while the DJ downstairs spins something excellent on vinyl will be content too. Just invite someone you’d want to have that extra bottle of wine on the couch with. Also, please keep your shoes on.

Food Rundown

The menu at Krüs Kitchen changes seasonally, but here are a few examples of the kind of dishes you might find here.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Krüs Bread

If we had the authority, we would pass a law in Coconut Grove that made it mandatory to start every dinner at Krüs with this bread. It has a crispy outer shell and a delicate, tender interior. It's easy to pull apart and share, and comes with dollops of anchovy butter and black garlic butter. They're not huge dollops, so ration appropriately.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Day’s Catch Crudo

Dipping a spoon into this beautiful arrangement of wasabi radish feels like accidentally elbowing a priceless painting in a museum. But do it anyway, because the finger lime ponzu and perfect fish waiting underneath are worth the guilt you’ll feel for ruining this art installation.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Grilled Scallions

This dish is a celebration of the scallion. They aren’t diced and sprinkled, but grilled whole like asparagus. The yeast foam spooned atop has a cheesy flavor, and the trout roe adds texture to what would otherwise be a slightly mushy dish.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Agnolotti

This is one of the best pasta dishes in Miami. Not only does each fresh agnolotti contain perfect ratios of smoked corn, but they're all floating in a savory porcini broth we wish they sold by the gallon.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Smoked Coconut Rice

Rice, when cooked perfectly, is an entree all on its own. This dish is a reminder of that fact. Each individual grain has a subtle coconut flavor. There’s just enough crab on top to sort of act like a condiment, melting into each bite without distracting too much from the rice.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Emilian Ragu

We love a ragu that’s just as much protein as pasta—and this is that kind of ragu. Except you’re not getting average ground beef here. The wide noodles are smothered with outstanding chunks of beef cheek and bone marrow. A nice dusting of parmigiano reggiano makes this one of the heartiest, and tastiest, ragus we’ve ever had.