Shake Shack is coming to Coral Gables. Danny Meyer's burger palace, which opened on South Beach in June 2010 to much fanfare and waiting lines, is heating up the City Beautiful.
The location, which formerly housed Smok'et BBQ, is on South Dixie Highway and conveniently located near the University of Miami, giving the fast-casual restaurant an instant following.
The menu will feature most of the standard fare that made "the Shack" famous: Shack burgers ($4.80 for a single, $7.35 for a double), Flat-Top Dogs ($3 and up), and fries ($2.70).
Some new concretes, AKA thick milkshakes ($4.25 and $6.50), pay homage to Coral Gables. The "U" Malt (chocolate custard, fudge sauce, chocolate truffle cookie dough, and malt), the Coral Crisp (vanilla custard, penut butter sauce, marshmallow sauce, Varlhona chocolate pearls, and crispy crunchies), and the Cookie Cabana (vanilla custard, Cuban-style sugar cookie, salted caramel sauce, and banana) are all Gables-inspired.
Shake Shack, as always, is dog-friendly, and pups can enjoy a Pooch-ini frozen treat ($3.72) or a bag of doggie biscuits ($7.50). Beer, including Shackmeister from Brooklyn Brewery, and wine will be available, as well as lemonade and draft root beer.
An invitation-only housewarming party is scheduled for July 11, starting rumors that the Shack would open the following day. A quick visit to the site showed there's still work to be done. According to a source, Coral Gables fire inspectors visited the structure this past Friday and windows had just been installed. According to the restaurant's media rep, Shake Shack will open this Sunday, July 15 at 11 a.m.
Here's what we saw when we took a peek:
The storefront, facing South Dixie Highway, has a 1950s industrial vibe, much like the flagship burger joint, which opened in New York City's Madison Square Park in 2004.
The large space features blonde hardwood furnishings. Flat-screen TV sets (not shown) are mounted on the walls above the main dining room.
Ice-cream-colored barstools and high-top tables populate the front of the space.
Update: Shake Shack Coral Gables will open to the public Sunday, July 15, at 11 a.m.
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