Negroni Bistro & Sushi Bar
Where: The Shops at Midtown Miami, 3201 Buena Vista Blvd.
What: Brunch isn’t just a weekend treat at the only Miami location of the popular Latin American concept. The restaurant has rolled out a seven-day brunch menu (noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday); 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday). Specialty offerings include the Provo Ranchero (roasted provolone, baked eggs, tomato sauce, sourdough toast), the Croque Madame Huancaina (grilled cheese and ham sandwich with Huancaina sauce and fried eggs), and a toffee-coated cinnamon roll served with vanilla ice cream. Among the new entrée additions: a grilled shrimp quinoa bowl; and breaded beef Milanese with tomato sauce, prosciutto cotto, mozzarella and roasted peppers. Ask about the two-for-one Nikkei bloody mary and bottomless Pommery selections.
Contact: negronibistrobar.com; 786.510.0075
Corvina Seafood Grill
Where: 110 Plaza Real South, Boca Raton
What: Weekly summer specials are all the rage at the seafood restaurant generating major buzz in Boca. The rundown includes half-priced martinis on Monday, $5 margaritas all night on Tuesday, an expanded 4 to 9 p.m. happy hour on Wednesday (with $6 cocktails and $6 wine), and half-priced oysters by the half-dozen on Thursdays. Speaking of happy hour (which runs 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)—the $9 bar snacks include Peruvian ceviche, Ceiba shrimp nachos, ahi tuna taquitos and roasted cauliflower (pictured) with lemon tahini, toasted almonds and raisins.
Contact: corvinabocaraton.com; 561.206.0066
Vinya Table
Where: 266 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables
What: The sommelier-driven wine bistro/bar/retailer in Key Biscayne recently opened a Coral Gables location with a 152-seat restaurant and pergola bar. A “new American” menu brimming with Latin flavors and local produce boasts its share of chef-driven dishes—mussels bathed in Pernod cream; Manchego and truffle risotto, with portobello, cremini and porcini mushrooms; a 42-ounce Creek Stone Farm tomahawk steak; Moroccan lamb chops; lobster ravioli with squid ink pasta; lobster thermidor fondue; Zarzuela, a Cuban seafood “hot pot” with chorizo and clam-tomato broth—and much more. There’s also an impressive by-the-glass wine program featuring renowned labels and next-big-thing offerings from all over the world.
Contact: vinyawine.com/coral-gables; 305.203.4229
Avalon
Where: 110 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach
What: The coastal-inspired steak house has revived its “Taste of Avalon” prix fixe dining menu for the second year. Priced at $65 per person, the special menu is available Monday to Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. Diners receive a choice of three appetizers—a Caesar salad, pork belly “Banh Mi” in hoisin glaze, and Angry Lobster Tagliatelle in chili lobster sauce with scallions, mint and croutons. The three entrée options include organic roasted chicken, a 7-ounce New York strip, and Faroe Island salmon. Flourless chocolate torte and New York Cheesecake are the dessert choices.
Contact: avalondelray.com; 561.593.2500
Tacocraft
Where: 510 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 4400 N. Ocean Drive, Lauderdale by the Sea; 5829 SW 73rd St., South Miami; 301 N. University Drive, Plantation
What: The always hopping taqueria and tequila bar is serving up one of the more high-octane brunches in South Florida (Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), including live music. But it helps to arrive early for those who prefer their adult beverages bottomless. Tacocraft offers bottomless mimosas, sangria and spritzes for $10 from 11 a.m. to noon; $15 from noon to 1 p.m.; and $20 from 1 to 3 p.m. On the brunch bite side, dishes include chicken & churros (with tequila-infused maple syrup); fire-grilled skirt steak, two eggs and potato/pepper hash; the Hangover Burrito (scrambled eggs, chorizo, oaxaca and Manchego cheeses, potatoes, avocados); and the famed Al Pastor Hash (chicken al pastor, potatoes, peppers, onion, two eggs over easy, corn tortillas and house salsas).
Contact: tacocraft.com
True Food Kitchen
Where: The Falls, 8888 SW 136th St., Miami
What: The seasonally inspired restaurant and craft bar recently opened its sixth Florida restaurant (and 42nd nationwide), a 385-seat space with an open kitchen and a covered patio area overlooking the waterfront. The menu follows the anti-inflammatory principles of Dr. Andrew Weil. Dishes include salads and bowls, pizzas, burgers/sandwiches, and entrées
Including 100% grass-fed Korean steak (grilled), pan-seared (and sustainable) sea bass, grilled chicken Parmesan, and a poke bowl with wild-caught tuna.
Contact: truefoodkitchen.com/locations/miami
Amal
Where: 3480 Main Highway, Coconut Grove
What: Authentic Lebanese cuisine finds a sophisticated Mediterranean home inside this 180-seat contemporary restaurant rendered in soft palettes, pastel blues and natural oak wood. Lebanese spices and coastal flavors color a menu that features dips (garlic labneh, baba ghanoush), starters (grape leaves, crispy eggplant/zucchini), Hot Mezze options (mini spinach fatayer pies, Amal’s hummus with beef tenderloin and pomegranate), skewers (minced beef & lamb, marinated beef cubes), and entrées (lamb chops, black cod, grilled tiger shrimps, branzino). The extensive wine menu includes a selection of Lebanese labels. To top it off, Amal has a 5,000-square-foot bar concept on the roof with views of Miami and Biscayne Bay.
Contact: amalmiami.com; 786.369.0846
