Concept Creation | Culinary, Brand, Experience

Modernizing the diner with a Latin flair.

From Miami to Vegas, Vida & Estilo (V&E) Restaurant Group has long impressed tourists with tasteful ambiance and upscale American food. In 2021, the group sought to expand its portfolio by opening a scalable fast casual concept geared more towards the local community – specifically, the diverse community of V&E’s hometown, Miami. In 2022, V&E partnered with TCE to create a diner spin-off of Cafe Americano as a gathering place in Miami’s Brickell City Center.

What better way to create a restaurant for the community than through the diner? The diner is a staple of American culture, and the beauty of it is that it always stays the same. People love diners because they provide comfort, from the eggs and bacon to the longtime server pouring your coffee. But, V&E is known for trend-forward innovation, and the classic diner doesn’t scream “new and exciting.” So, we had to ask ourselves, how might we combine the Americana of the diner with the signature Latin flair of the Vida & Estilo group?

V&E has a strong culinary background; guests rave about the food at Cafe Americano. We observed that the best-selling items were dishes with familiar forms with a twist – things like the Carrot Cake French Toast and over-the-top bloody marys. The diner is all about familiarity, so we realized that we could innovate by putting a signature Latin spin on diner classics. The spin-off concept has the advantage of being located in a multicultural Latin community, providing loads of culinary inspiration to put “twists” on the classics. In keeping with the legacy of the diner, the new concept is all-day; come for Tres Leches French Toast and a coffee for brunch, a Cubano Club during your lunch break, or an Adobo Tofu Bowl with a Maiz Old Fashioned for dinner. Don’t forget the Churro Donut Sundae for dessert.

The existing Cafe Americano concepts provided a strong foundation to build on. After analyzing the food offering, operations, brand, and guest experience, TCE conceptualized a menu that shared a core identity with the existing Cafe Americano concepts, yet was markedly different and geared towards the local community - rather than tourists. This new menu fuses the diverse culinary influences of the Miami community with the comfort and familiarity of the diner.

A desirable, feasible, and viable evolved restaurant concept serving Latinamericana food, all day long. In April 2023, Cafe Americano Diner launched in Brickell City Center. Additional locations are planned for Del Ray Beach later this year.