Alfresco dining in Miami isn’t exactly a rarity, but you probably haven’t had supper in the middle of the street before, unless you’ve attended Giralda Under the Stars sometime in the past four years. The seasonal event, which kicks off this Friday and runs every first Friday of the month through March 2015, invites discerning palates to Coral Gables’ "restaurant row" (located on the 100 block of Giralda Avenue between Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Galiano Street), where 14 of the bustling neighborhood’s restaurants and bars will spill out onto thoroughfares that have been closed off to vehicles and opened to hungry pedestrians instead. Have you been meaning to try that one restaurant next to your favorite Gables eatery but keep going back to the same old spot? Well, if Bangkok Bangkok II, the Bar, Castelluccio Restaurant, Divino Ceviche, Ikura Sushi Lounge, La Dorada, the Local Craft Food & Drink, Miss Saigon, Pete’s Authentic Cooking, Spritz of Coral Gables, Talavera, Threefold Café, or Vicolo Italian Kitchen is on your to-do list, Fridays are your chance to get a taste. Simply call the restaurant of your choice or show up and vie for a table, chairs, and as many stars you can view with the city lights. Pro tip: Snag a table near the Zacapa Rum bar, which will hand out gratis rum and Bailey’s Irish Cream samples all night long. Call 305-569-0311 or visit shopcoralgables.com.
First Friday of every month, 7 p.m. Starts: Nov. 7. Continues through March 6, 2014