Swanky Coral Way Bar Flips Script, Reopens with Miami Pizza Pop-Up

A swanky Coral Way bar that has been closed for most of the year is surprising customers by reopening this week with an insanely delicious new partnership. Miami Slice, known for its technique-driven pies and its narrow downtown counter that draws nightly lines, is taking over the kitchen at the Gibson Room for a new culinary residency. The partnership, launching on Wednesday, December 10, features some of Miami Slice’s best-known pizzas alongside new dishes created specifically for the Coral Way bar. The move extends the group’s reach in Miami, and at the same time, it prepares to open a full location in Coconut Grove in 2026.

The residency brings together Miami Slice Hospitality and Ariete Hospitality Group, two teams that have been working closely together for years. According to the groups, the idea started as a series of casual conversations between founder Alejandro Diaz and chef Michael Beltran during late visits to the Gibson Room. The result is a collaboration that blends the bar’s identity with Miami Slice’s style.

Expect Miami Slice Staples and New Menu Items

Culinary Director Jose “Chema” Cardenas is leading the recipe development for the residency. His role includes bringing Miami Slice staples into the space while creating new items that fit the bar setting. The beverage program remains under Ariete’s Nyle Bilal, who oversees cocktails that pair with the expanded food lineup. The Gibson Room’s existing favorites, including its signature flan, will remain on the menu.

The residency brings a selection of Miami Slice’s signature pies to the Gibson Room, including slices such as the “Margherita de la Casa,” “Pepperoni Proper” with hot honey, “La Salsera” with its mix of red and vodka sauces, “Leeks on Bacon,” and the “Mushroom Truffle.” The team will also add new dishes built for a bar setting, including a revised take on the house burger.

At the center of the menu is the dough, which undergoes a lengthy fermentation and a two-stage baking process. That process is what gives each slice its caramelized bottom and the crisp structure that has defined the shop’s style since it opened downtown.

A New Chapter for a Neighborhood Bar

During the residency, Miami Slice takes over the kitchen, and the Gibson Room keeps the bar running as usual. The space will operate much the same as before, only with a menu built by the Slice team. It gives Miami Slice the opportunity to serve its food outside its downtown shop and provides the Gibson Room with something new without altering the room itself.

The residency comes during a period of steady growth for Miami Slice. In addition to its downtown flagship and outposts in Key Biscayne and Las Vegas, the group plans to open its first Miami expansion in Coconut Grove. The new location will take over the former Harry’s Pizzeria space at 2996 McFarlane Rd. sometime in 2026.

The Gibson Room. 2224 Coral Way, Miami; thegibsonroom.com. Reopening with Miami Slice on Wednesday, December 10.