Food & Drink

The 17th annual premier event for culinary fans— the Food Network and Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival—has more than 90 events over five days, Feb. 21-25. With so much to pick from, what’s a fan to do? Here are some highlights in the new and noteworthy category. Oh, and Broward County foodies

1. Taste of Athens: Authentic Greek cuisine finds a modern translation at the recently opened Oliv Pit Athenian Grille. The casual restaurant inside the Shoppes at Village Pointe is the brainchild of Emmanuel Vlahos, the son of Greek immigrants, and Marcos Alexandridis, a Greek native who played soccer for the Costa Rican team Saprissa. 2.

Chef-owner Giovanni Rocchio and his team are bringing a little creative flair to Fort Lauderdale. Now in its second year, One Door East (620 S. Federal Highway) blends worldly flavors with an undeniably hip community vibe. “There really isn’t anything like it in Fort Lauderdale,” Rocchio says. Being well-versed in the culinary scene through his

After four years of working in partnership with Perez Art Museum Miami, Starr Catering Group was ready to change things up at Verde, the restaurant it manages at the museum. “If you’re going to advertise yourself as [having] beautiful, sweeping views of the Biscayne Bay, you want the entire package,” says Emily Burster, general manager

At Stubborn Seed, the new Miami Beach restaurant from “Top Chef” winner Jeremy Ford, edible flowers, whimsical dishware and billows of white smoke make for a theatrical dining experience. “There are so many different themes, textures, flavors and visually stunning foods that we offer,” Ford says. “So far, we’ve received a great response from the

Coconut Creek with a Western twang. That’s the best way to describe the new Texas Roadhouse that opened in November on Lyons Road. But before you say, “Oh, just another steak house,” think again. You might be pleasantly surprised to know that starting early in the morning, well before Roadhouse opens its doors at 3

While brainstorming new cocktails for JEY Hospitality Group, Scott Kurzawinski works backward, starting with a name before bringing ingredients into play. “A name means so much,” explains Kurzawinski, the group’s beverage director. “It resonates with people’s minds. … When you see a fun name, it evokes a memory. You can build a cocktail from there.”

1. Isn’t that special?: Since opening the doors to its 4,000-square-foot venue on the Intracoastal Waterway in 2014, Grateful Palate Catering & Events has established itself as one of Broward’s premier special-occasion destinations. Customers are booking the space a year in advance in some cases—and not just for the view. 2. It’s in the details:

Patrons can expect the unexpected at Byblos, the eastern Mediterranean restaurant where bar manager Bart Cannizzaro likes to surprise with his unusual cocktails. Byblos (1545 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) offers cuisine with Turkish, Lebanese, Moroccan and Persian influences. Cannizzaro says those flavors also permeate the cocktails. “What I like about working at Byblos is all

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

Tim 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?

The 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