In September, Coco Bambu, an award-winning Brazilian seafood restaurant, sailed into Miami Beach with a plethora of land and sea dishes. Founded by Afranio and Daniela Barreira, the Miami Beach space—inside a large, two-story art deco building on Alton Road—is the couple’s first U.S. location, joining 28 restaurants across South America. The Barreiras, who are
Read MoreTim Petrillo wanted Rooftop to be more than its view. Its location is prime—in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale, surrounded by the city’s skyline—but Petrillo didn’t want to rest on the scenic backdrop. If he were to put up curtains around the outdoor bar, would there still be a line snaking around the corner?
Read MoreThe more David and Vanessa Cardaci tried to change their routine, the more it stayed the same. They would set out on Friday nights in search of a spirited space in Fort Lauderdale, a place that exuded cool without trying, a place where they could sip on some cocktails, listen to music and savor the
Read MoreInspired by the Cape Florida Lighthouse, which sits along the edge of Bill Baggs State Park in Key Biscayne, the Ritz-Carlton’s newest restaurant brings coastal dining to the quiet barrier island. Lightkeepers, named for the lighthouse keepers of the 1800s, spotlights Florida-sourced ingredients, such as cheeses from Winter Park, beef from Ocoee, and snapper from
Read MoreSomething different: Delray’s thriving cultural scene finds a culinary complement with the arrival of Avant, a collaboration between Society 8 Hospitality Group and Nxt Big Thing. The 4,600-square-foot space, formerly home to SoLita and Mastino, has been reimagined as a hip, inviting ode to the social aspect of dining—and a celebration of art in its
Read MoreA Diverse Palate: The European-style restaurant, café and lounge features a multi-ethnic menu, highlighting cuisine found in Italy, France, Greece, North Africa and the Middle East. “The recipes are very much authentic to their origin,” says co-owner Sabrina Cozzolino. “We don’t want to be identified as a Greek place or an Italian place or a
Read MoreTake the plunge: The third and final foodie venue at Plunge Beach Hotel, Octopus gives the property a gourmet gastropub to go with its other offerings: Bean & Barnacle (artisan sandwiches, coffee, gelato) and Backflip (Latin- and food truck-inspired beach bar fare). The price is right: Along the way, food and beverage director Will Sibernagel
Read MoreThe Business of Food: Co-founders Levin de Grazia and César González are Venezuelan businessmen; de Grazia’s family has more than 30 years of experience managing restaurants, and González is a cook who started posting his creations on his Instagram account, @co_cinero, which has garnered more than 1.5 million followers. Options Galore: Among the most-requested dishes are the
Read MoreFamily-run Graziano’s celebrates three decades of serving South Florida At Graziano’s, success comes from decades of tradition. In the last quarter-century or so, the family-owned restaurant and market popularized Argentine cuisine across South Florida with multiple sit-down and fast-casual locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The Graziano family has been in the food-service business for
Read MoreThe founder of Miami’s first rum distillery has a specific interpretation of his product’s tagline: “The Spirit of Miami.” Ask Matt Malone to describe this spirit and he’ll give you four words: sexy, fun, delicious and the word “Miami” itself. “[People all over the world] know it,” Malone says. “If you go to Russia or
Read MorePhotos by Eduardo Schneider Amanda Atallah laughs at her father, Naji, as he stops his work to take a bite of hummus and pita chips, displayed as free samples at the food counter of Yalla Market. “It’s like a pit stop—a pita stop,” Atallah says. The housemade pita chips and hummus are customer favorites at
Read MoreAt first, it was odd watching Brian Freed pour extra virgin olive oil into the shaker, on top of the vodka. Then came the romaine lettuce. Was he making a cocktail or a salad? Ahead of Lettuce recently debuted on the fall/winter menu at Stache Drinking Den and Coffee Bar, the craft cocktail-focused speakeasy in
Read More