Lokal Burgers & Beer Restaurant, Miami
LoKal, pronounced [lo-ka’l], in Coconut Grove opened it's doors on December 24, 2011. Stemming from the German word for restaurant and meeting place, LoKal lives up to its definition of being a meeting place but exceeds all of its guests’ expectations by bringing sustainably and locally sourced ingredients paired with an industrial, raw edginess. Particularly suited to the Grove’s personality and bohemian reputation, Grovites now have a place where they can satiate their comfort food cravings as well as their ideological inclinations.
Owner Matthew Kuscher’s commitment to quality is unmatched as he will be tapping Floridian farmers, dairies and brewers in order to highlight the bounty of products, goods and ingredients available in the Sunshine State. In plain English, LoKal will be as local as local gets. LoKal is the 1st restaurant in Miami-Dade County to use 100% clean, renewable energy sourced from wind and solar power!
Using Florida grass-fed beef and Floridian-raised clean proteins for their burgers, sandwiches and salads, LoKal will be purchasing whole sides of beef, and primal cuts of clean proteins and processing them in-house. Hand grinding their meats daily and pressing each and every patty will result in LoKal’s distinctive signature flavor. Whether made of grass-fed beef, free range chicken or local fish, one thing is for sure, LoKal’s entire menu signals an unparalleled approach to quality and integrity.
Owners
Matthew Kuscher, also known as "Kush", is the owner of LoKal, Kush, The Spillover and Vicky's House. LoKal was his first venture on his own, but he's been in the restaurant business since he was a young boy. Kush is a 3rd generation restaurateur—his father successfully owned several cafeterias and a Dunkin' Donuts shop for decades in Washington D.C. His grandfather owned restaurants and bars from the 50s through the 80s in New York and Broward County. After fifteen years of living the corporate life, he hung up his suit and tie and traded it for a T-shirt, jeans, and a life long dream of doing what he loves most—creating restaurant concepts. He is extremely passionate about buying local, and making sure his ingredients and products are top quality. To accomplish this, he visits all his purveyors' businesses to ensure they are aligned with his values.
Kush has visited and inspected several farms, such as Fort McCoy Ranch in Marion County, FL and is a proud supporter of grass-fed and free range farming. Other local partners he gushes about are Clewiston Farms in Clewiston, Florida (home of fresh Florida alligators for LoKal's famous Alligator Strips), and all the local breweries—they were some of the first to be part of Matt's vision. From the inception of his brainchild LoKal, sustainability was at the top of his list of priorities. This is evident in the upcycled decor and art murals which provide seating and visual aesthetics as well as waste management and recycling services provided to his establishments.
Born and raised in Washington D.C. to a Jewish father and Puerto Rican mother, Kush received his Bachelor's in Hospitality from Florida International University in 2000, and earned his chops while working for two industry leaders—Levy Restaurant Group and Hillstone Restaurant Group—but a lifetime of education imparted by his father has truly molded his success. His spent eleven years working at a number of east coast Houston's locations until finally landing in the Miami location. Kush's philosophy is simple: "Give guests the freshest and best quality ingredients in a cool, clean environment; and always make them leave happier than when they arrived.
Kush married his long time darling Priscilla—a well-versed foodie and adventure junkie. Together, they take on the Miami food scene with a unique sense of family and grassroots conviction. Priscilla keeps him grounded in many ways and is an integral part of LoKal's day-to-day activities. She studied nutrition and dietetics at FIU and is a big believer in the old adage, "You are what you eat." Eager to show Miami that eating well and living well can happen symbiotically— she looks forward to welcoming every guest into LoKal just as she would if it were her home.
They are driven to spread the message of nutritious dining, active lifestyle and balanced living along with their daughter, Mila, and fur-babies, Yeyo and Chichi—two of the most adorable French bulldogs the world has ever seen.
Located in Coconut Grove
