The dining scene at THesis Hotel in Coral Gables is getting a total makeover. Beverly Hills-based hospitality company SBE has taken over food, beverage and event operations at the 245-room hotel across from the University of Miami, with plans to open a Katsuya sushi restaurant and a new Mediterranean concept from chef Fabio Trabocchi in the first half of 2027.
A report from South Florida Business Journal outlined plans for two forthcoming restaurants at the hotel. Beyond the two forthcoming restaurants, SBE's reach extends further than just the new concepts: the company immediately assumed operational control of THesis Hotel's current dining and nightlife venues, including Mamey, The Collab and the Ivy Rooftop pool lounge, according to The Miami Guide. Whether SBE will make any changes to Mamey during that transition remains an open question.
A Hotel Built for a Different Culinary Era
THesis Hotel opened in August 2020 as part of the Paseo de la Riviera mixed-use development by Nolan Reynolds International at 1350 South Dixie Highway, directly across from the University of Miami, according to historical reporting from The Real Deal. Its original food and beverage program was built by James Beard-nominated chef Niven Patel and Mohamed Alkassar of Alpareno Restaurant Group, who launched Mamey in 2020 and the restaurant Orno in 2021 before the pair separated from the hotel in January 2024, per Miami New Times.
The January 2024 departure preceded SBE's October 2026 arrival by about two years and nine months. The hotel itself spans roughly 894,000 total square feet, combining the 245-room Curio Collection by Hilton property with a 204-unit residential building where monthly apartment rents ranged between $3,800 and $9,400 as of mid-2026, per The Real Deal's reporting.
Hotel Refinancing and Venue Plans
In August 2026, owner Nolan Reynolds International secured $177 million in total refinancing, which included $42 million from Ramsfield Hospitality Finance specifically designated for upgrading the hotel and funding venue transformations, The Real Deal reported. SBE's management also covers the hotel's 6,500 square feet of meeting and private event space, with plans to target corporate events, weddings and University of Miami functions, according to the Miami Guide's reporting.
Trabocchi's Return
For Coral Gables diners, the headline name is Fabio Trabocchi. His planned 2027 Mediterranean concept marks a return to the neighborhood, where he previously operated Fiola Miami. The Coral Gables project also fits into a larger national rollout: SBE chairman Sam Nazarian and Trabocchi struck a corporate partnership in October 2024 to build a suite of original Italian and Mediterranean concepts across SBE's hotel portfolio, including its HQ Hotels & Residences brand, according to the Washington Business Journal.
SBE's expansion playbook has been visible elsewhere this year, too. Hoodline previously reported on Katsuya's Arizona debut at Kimpton Miralina in Paradise Valley, part of the same brand's push into hotel developments nationwide. Whether national dining concepts like Katsuya and Trabocchi's new restaurant can hold their own against the independent kitchens along the South Dixie Highway corridor is a question Coral Gables diners will be watching closely as 2027 approaches.
