Miami hot spot known for Mediterranean food Opens in Boca

Beloved in Miami Dade County and considered worthy of a pilgrimage by many residents outside the ‘305,’ Motek’s is about to open its first location in Palm Beach County.

Motek, which means “Sweetheart” in Hebrew, will open in Boca Raton on Wednesday, April 2 on Town Center Road. To say the anticipation has been building might be a bit of an understatement.

“Oh my God, it’s been amazing,” said the restaurant‘s regional district manager Alexander Odishelidze. As they’ve gotten closer to opening “people were coming through the door everyday.” That’s not the least of it. “I don’t know how they got my number, but people are calling me for reservations.”

The Boca location will be Motek’s seventh restaurant and the first outside of Miami-Dade County

This is Motek’s seventh restaurant and the first outside of Miami-Dade County.Need a break?

The first Motek opened in 2020 in downtown Miami. Since then, they have become well-known for their kosher-style, Mediterranean cuisine that includes influences from Lebanon, Turkey, Yemen, Morocco and more.

Among diners’ favorites, the “shakshuka for brunch is the top seller,” Odishelidze said. The chicken and lamb shawarma plates and sandwiches are also huge hits as is the schnitzel, he said.

Though their food is designed to transport diners to the Mediterranean, Motek’s interior is equally capable of whisking them away.

Designed by the same team that crafted Motek’s other interiors, Odishelidze said “this is the most elevated Motek yet… it turned out fabulous.”

The new restaurant includes a private dining area called the Shabbat Room. Made for intimate gatherings and events, it has a long marble table that seats 14 and has a beautiful mural inspired by the historic Old Jaffar neighborhood in Tel Aviv.

The Boca Raton outpost will feature the same menu as other Motek locations, but Odishelidze said they are in the process of adding a rotisserie grill that will be used to cook chicken and lamb. Some of those choice cuts will be used for a few upcoming menu dishes they’re calling “grandma recipes.”

One thing that won’t change is Motek’s award-winning Arayes Burger. Though not your traditional burger, it has become a massive hit. It features kosher, grass-fed beef kofta kebab (ground beef, spices, onions, garlic) and is served in a pita rather than on a bun. Raving about the burger, Odishelidze said “it’s baked into the pita and gets this beautiful crispy texture.” It won the People’s Choice category at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash in 2022 and 2023.

The Boca Raton location will also feature a special happy hour where guests can enjoy $5 food and drink specials from 2 to 6 p.m. every day.

Odishelidze said they are grateful to be in Boca Raton and excited “to expand outside of Miami Dade County… and bring some love to Boca.”