If you’ve had the pleasure of sitting for brunch at Rosie’s, then you already know: There’s a whole lot of love baked into this burgeoning Little River restaurant.
It’s the type of passion you’d expect from a decorated chef like Akino West, who’s previously worked for the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Noma in Copenhagen and James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz in Miami. But this is far from a one-man show.
Rosie’s is the bountiful collaboration between Akino and his life partner, creative and hospitality director, Jamila West. An accomplished chef in her own right, Jamila worked for James Beard Award-winning chef José Andrés at SLS Hotels in L.A. and South Beach before transitioning to front-of-house management, opening multiple outposts of the acclaimed Japanese concept Katsuya in the Middle East.
The two met at Johnson & Wales University in 2013 but didn’t become a couple until 2017 when they first combined their talents to open the Copper Door B&B, a boutique hotel concept in Historic Overtown noted for its chef-driven amenities.
Rosie’s came along in 2020 when, like the rest of the world, Miami was shutting down. “Our hospitality brand was largely based on tourism,” says the couple. “We decided to pivot the concept into a pop-up that we named Rosie’s in order to stay afloat that year.”
Since then, the pop-up has progressed to Rosie’s: The Backyard, a full-service brunch garden in Little River serving Southern-inspired dishes with hints of Italian flavors and techniques Friday through Sunday. Just over the fence, a historic home is currently being converted into what will soon become Rosie’s next iteration with expanded dinner service throughout the week.
In the meantime, Rosie's is serving up some of the best breakfast in Miami, such as as deviled eggs topped with crispy chicharrones and chines; burrata topped with fresh mango from the Wests’ own backyard as well as wildflower honey; and a hangover-curing pastrami hash with sweet potato sformato, charred green onion gremolata and goat cheese.