Miami is awash in forgettable Italian restaurants. It’s as though a factory line perpetually stamps out carbon copies offering parmigiana this and marinara that. A yawn comes naturally whenever a new so-called trattoria throws open its doors promising specialties from one of Italy’s idyllic regions. La Moderna made its late-June…
Bazi, the new restaurant by Macchialina’s, Michael Pirolo and Jen Chaefsky, opened yesterday at South Beach’s Marlin Hotel (1200 Collins Ave.). The dining room is decorated with warm tones and soft lighting, reminiscent of scene out of the Sean Penn and Madonna movie Shanghai Surprise (although the acting wasn’t so…
Dale Talde, the latest Top Chef alum to plan a restaurant in Miami Beach, is celebrating the release of his new cookbook, Asian-American – Proudly Inauthentic Recipes from the Philippines to Brooklyn , with a pop-up dinner and book signing. The book, which hits stores and Amazon on September 15…
Wynwood can be easily mistaken for a ghost town during the daytime. But venture inside area-favorite Wynwood Kitchen & Bar on a Sunday and be pleasantly surprised. You’ll notice most seats taken, with a sea of Latin-style brunch dishes gracing diners’ tables. It all mimics an art exhibit, with most…
When partners John Gallo and Rene Reyes decided to open PInch Miami, it was the culmination of a dream ten years in the making. The partners, who expect to open the “new, freestyle American eatery” in early October at the former Biscayne Diner space (8601 Biscayne Blvd.), have worked in…
Ralph Pagano is at it again. The celebrity chef is opening Naked Burger at the Stiles Hotel (1120 Collins Ave.) on South Beach in November. This is the third “naked” theme for Pagano, who also owns Naked Lunch and Naked Taco, located at the Dream South Beach, across from the…
Miami’s dim sum loyalties run deep. Tropical Chinese devotees swear by the Bird Road establishment, while others stick with nearby Kon Chau. Some make the pilgrimage north for Broward favorites such as Pine Court Chinese Bistro and China Pavilion. But South Garden Chinese Restaurant (10855 Sunset Dr., Miami; 305-274-9099) on…
A request for the “other” menu at a Chinese restaurant is always the right move even when it’s met with a suspicious stare. At Dragon 1 Chinese Restaurant out west on Flagler Street, a tattooed waitress with streaks of purple hair responds by delivering a tattered middle-school book-report binder with…
The South Beach Wine & Food Festival returns to Miami for its 15th season. From February 25-28, 2016, celebrity chefs and culinary greats will come to our beautiful city for four days of culinary demonstrations, parties, dinners, and play. MasterCard pre-sale tickets go on sale October 5-18, but the festival’s…
For many, Miami Spice is an exciting way to savor some of the best local flavors for a price that won’t break the bank. But must we deal with a dumbed-down menu and avalanche of tourists just for a discounted dinner? Specials are a real win-win for restaurants looking to…
Alter could be Wynwood’s most anticipated restaurant. Chef Bradley Kilgore, who made a name at restaurants like Grant Achatz’s Alinea in Chicago, Azul at the Mandarin Oriental Miami, J&G Grill at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, finally opened his own house about three months ago to much buzz. The small dining room…
Alex Guarnaschelli, the Iron Chef, Food Network star, cookbook auteur, and top toque at Manhattan’s popular Butter Restaurant, is taking her talents to South Beach. Earlier this week, Miami.com reported Guarnaschelli will helm the restaurant opening next month inside the new Nautilus South Beach hotel at 1825 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. Called…
Last year, SEED Food & Wine Festival helped Miami make its mark as a plant-powered metropolis. The nation’s first gourmet, weekend-long, veg-centric event of its kind, SEED saw 4,500+ attendees come to town for celebrity meet & greets, chef-hosted dinners, a massive grand tasting and much, much more. With Whole…
Bazi, Michael Pirolo and Jen Chafsky’s foray into Asian cuisine, opens at South Beach’s Marin Hotel (1200 Collins Ave.) on Thursday, September 10. The restaurant name refers to the ancient system of astrology that forecasts the life paths of every person and controls everyone’s destiny, is the culinary destination for…
Biscayne Diner has closed, with windows papered up and all lights off. The telephone has also been disconnected. The eatery, which opened in January 2015 at 8601 Biscayne Blvd., just north of the growing MiMo District, was supposed to be an upscale version of your friendly neighborhood diner. The husband…
The paper has come off of the windows of the Coconut Grove outpost of Harry’s Pizzeria, revealing what looks like a restaurant that’s close to opening. The wood-burning pizza oven is there tucked into a corner, the floors are down, the kitchen is in, and the pizza palace’s signature ingredient…
Roaming pastry, meat, and veggie markets on cobblestone streets in Europe might sound very romantic, yet slightly unrealistic for your average weekend. But what if something similar to that Euro-esque fantasy was in reach? Sunday brunch at SoHo Beach House’s Cecconi’s is your answer. Nestled inside the quaint, art deco hotel, walk…
When Coyo Taco’s Sven Vogtland woke up this morning, his phone was deluged with texts and messages. “I was shocked. I got a ton of emails saying congratulations, and I wasn’t sure why.” The well wishes were in response to an article posted in Coconut Grove Grapevine that Coyo Taco would…
September 29th marks National Coffee Day, as well as the date that KRUPS USA, the maker of coffee and espresso machines, will announce the winners of its annual Best Brew Awards. This is the fifth year of the national competition and five Miami spots have been nominated: Eternity Coffee Roasters, Panther…
By now, you’ve surely seen the announcement that McDonald’s is rolling our all-day breakfast throughout the nation. Since July, rumors have been swirling that the fast food giant would lift their 10:30 a.m. cap on the morning meal, when the Wall Street Journal got their hands on a leaked internal…
Aldi opened its latest Miami location at 1290 NE 108th St. in Miami a few months ago. The store, located right off Biscayne Blvd., is geographically situated pretty much between a Publix on 96th and Biscayne and Whole Foods Market on 123rd and Biscayne. The chain, a distant cousin of…
Plethore & Balthazar, P&B for short, is headed across the pond to bring a bit of France to South Beach. The original restaurant, located at 72 Rue Merciere in Lyon, France, has been replicated down to the black and white chairs, for its second home at the Hilton Bentley Hotel in…
