Palm Cottage is a restaurant, event venue and retail concept that unites the cuisine and culture of the French Caribbean nations of Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica and St. Lucia. We offer a truly unique dining experience in a beautiful waterfront setting perfectly situated along the Miami river, with beautiful cityscape views of Brickell.
Our History & Culture
Throughout the 17th century, French explorers landed in the Caribbean and established the colonies that would eventually become Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Lucia and Dominica, collectively known as the French Antilles. As a result of colonization, the heavy influence of the French can be seen throughout these islands via language, architecture, music, aesthetic and cuisine.
The combination of French settlers, native peoples and African immigrants formed a rich melting pot that shaped the rich culture and delectable cuisine we aim to capture at Palm Cottage.
Our Menu
Our menu is comprised of cuisines native to the French-Caribbean, featuring a combination of tropical ingredients enhanced by French culinary techniques. All of our baking will be done on-premises, made fresh daily and we aim to serve locally-sourced, organic ingredients whenever possible. Our flexible menu will be inclusive of all dietary restrictions, food allergies and preferences.
We will offer an all-day bakery menu as well as breakfast and lunch. Our beverage program will include a selection of fresh juices, Caribbean soft drinks and Bonifieur Coffee, widely considered a master bean amongst coffee connoisseurs .
Our Location & Venue
Miami is a hub for travelers and locals alike seeking an eclectic culinary experience. We chose Downtown Miami as our first location due to its diverse makeup and lack of direct competition. Downtown residents spent over $115 million dining in restaurants this year alone. Thus making this great city both a cultural fit for our concept as well as one that will we financially viable. In addition to nearly perfect year round weather and a significant French and Caribbean population, Miami’s reputation as a cosmopolitan city and tourist destination make it favorable to other American cities.
Situated along the Miami River in Downtown/Brickell, Fort Dallas Park has sat abandoned for over a decade and currently houses one of the city’s prominent landmarks. The Flagler Worker’s House, also known as Palm Cottage, is the only architectural building in Miami that complements our Creole cottage aesthetic. The Flagler house will be completely restored to its former glory with the first floor occupied by Le Marché, our retail concept.
We will erect a separate building adjacent to the Flagler Worker’s House which will encompass our kitchen, service area, and dining room. This Creole Cottage will draw influence from French-colonial architecture and feature a wrap-around porch, cast iron colonettes, ceiling fans, and gas lamps. Rough textures such as concrete and cast iron are softened by a neutral palette of white ladder-back chairs, linen banquettes, white weatherboard siding, and a cast iron tiered water fountain as our main feature.
Our Proprietor
Dorothy Milfort is the founder and proprietor of Palm Cottage. Although born in Miami, Dorothy's family returned to Haiti where she spent the majority of her childhood in the Delmas commune. There, she developed a love for Haitian street food and the rich culture of her homeland. Years later, upon moving to back to The States, she found herself yearning for the delectable food she so dearly missed. Unbeknownst to her at the time, this glaring absence would eventually lead to the creation of Palm Cottage.
Over the course of her esteemed career, she went on to accumulate over 20 years of combined experience in hospitality and marketing industries, working in multiple FOH positions including hostess, server, barista, bartender, assistant manager and general manager. Her idea for Palm Cottage was inspired by her time spent as a membership supervisor at Soho House NY. She eventually transitioned into marketing, working as the North American Operations Manager for a digital agency.
She credits her exacting standards, keen aesthetic sense and roll-up-the-sleeves attitude to her success. She decided to create Palm Cottage as a way to introduce French-Caribbean culture to the masses.
Our Ask
We are seeking $350,000 in funding to secure a $3.5 million loan in order to secure the site from the city of Miami as well as cover our opening & operating costs. With your donation, we can introduce the world to the rich culture and traditions of the Creole Antilles. We thank you for your contribution in bringing this concept to fruition.
With gratitude,
Palm Cottage
