"Lucky for university student parents and you, Orno is just an eight-minute walk from University station. It’s a solid option for business meals, dinner with parents, or group dinners. You can get roasted and grilled small plates or a tasty flat iron steak. Mamey, its sister restaurant, serves Caribbean-inspired food and is conveniently in the same building. If you arrive at Happy Hour, check out Mamey’s rooftop." - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer
"Orno was made for moments like this. The main dining room has a few round tables that can fit parties of six. And there are plenty of safe dishes on the menu like chicken, snapper, steak, and pizza. If your group is a bit smaller than six, see if you can sit in Orno’s “library room.” It’s smaller, more intimate, and the words “knowledge is the food of the soul” are lit in a neon cursive sign above the banquettes. Let these words guide you because watching their parents can give you a pretty good indication of what your own future will look like. And if all goes well, you can page through the Chanel coffee table book on the shelf and start designing that wedding dress." - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer
"For a memorable dinner party, head to The Library, a private dining room tucked away inside chef Niven Patel’s modern American restaurant in the Thesis Hotel. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves brimming with classic books set an elegant tone that pairs nicely with dishes like green chickpea hummus, blue crab capellini, Wagyu Denver steak, and grilled red snapper with pineapple jalapeño salsa verde." - Alona Martinez
"From lauded chef Niven Patel, this American restaurant with a hearty focus on locally sourced produce is showcasing its first Miami Spice brunch with fan-favorite starters such as chilaquiles, shakshuka with feta and sourdough bread, and green chickpea hummus. The second course includes sweet and savory options like the French omelet with goat cheese, roasted garlic, and herbs; ricotta pancakes with fresh strawberries and maple syrup; and bacon potato pave (similar to scalloped potatoes) with Gruyere cheese and sourdough. End with mocha cake and banana bread with chocolate sunflower butter. Miami Spice brunch is available on Sunday at $35 per person." - Alona Martinez
"Chef Niven Patel’s restaurant at Thesis Hotel offers farm-fresh brunch favorites like Belgian waffles, ricotta pancakes, grilled wagyu steak, Maine lobster toast, and housemade pastrami Benedict. Treat Mom to bottomless Moet Brut and Rose champagne ($75/person) for two hours, with orange juice and peach puree for Mimosas and Bellinis. Cocktail fans can also enjoy special brunch drinks." - Alona Martinez
