We won’t bore you with the classical Valentine’s Day round-up (since we already did that here and here) – instead, we’ll share five new spots that are most definitely worth cupid sharing the spotlight.
Beauty & The Butcher
The long-awaited Beauty & the Butcher restaurant by Top Chef winner and James Beard semifinalist Jeremy Ford and Miami’s Grove Bay Hospitality Group has opened in Coral Gables/South Miami. This is the second collaboration between Chef Ford and Grove Bay, who previously opened the well-received Stubborn Seed in South Beach.
The dining experience at Beauty & the Butcher offers unique cuisine with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. Highlights include dishes such as the dry-aged Japanese yellowtail crudo, crispy Duroc pork belly, local lettuce salad, and a truffle tart. Ford’s dry-aging program features unique charcuterie cuts, a Wagyu tomahawk for the table, and Florida red snapper. Pastry Chef Ana De Sa Martins, previously at Stubborn Seed, adds to the dining experience with delectable desserts.
Beauty & The Butcher is located at 6915 Red Rd, Coral Gables, FL 33143. For more information, visit their official website.
COCO Miami
COCO, the latest dining destination in the Design District, brings sophistication and European flair to its chic environs. This Coco Chanel-inspired eatery offers live entertainment each night, making it the ultimate soiree spot. With a 2,800 sq. ft. dining room that seats 156, COCO showcases its European culinary traditions through fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Under the leadership of General Manager Richard Contell and Executive Chef Jose Diaz, COCO’s menu showcases European cooking traditions. Start with seasonal oysters, pomme de terre millefeuille, or oscietra caviar. Pasta lovers will love the Maine lobster strozzapreti or tagliatelle “à la Coco.” The main dishes include a 14 oz NY strip steak, Mediterranean sea bass, and Australian lamb. Dishes to share include 40 oz gold wagyu and whole green circle chicken, all complemented by five sauce options: roast bone marrow, chimichurri, au Poivre, Robert, and béarnaise.
Sip on must-try cocktails such as the Mademoiselle COCO, made with Yuzuri yuzu liqueur, shiso-infused gin, dragon fruit, pineapple syrup, lemon, and sparkling wine. Try the Alter Ego Margarita with Don Julio Reposado, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, Thai chili, tangerine syrup, and lime. End on a sweet note with La Vie En Rose, a dark chocolate mousse with passion fruit curd and 24-karat-gold leaf, or the Tarte Au Citron, a lime curd with graham cracker and meringue.
COCO is located at 8 NE 41st St, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
Queen Miami Beach
Queen Miami Beach is the latest addition to the Miami Beach dining scene: a new and exclusive Japanese restaurant and lounge located in the historic Paris Theater building on Washington Ave.
With renowned interior designer Carlos Rodriguez of ModPlay Studio at the helm of the restaurant’s design, the space has been entirely reimagined. Think golden doors, mosaic handmade in Italy, terrazzo floors, and a mid-century brass chandelier.
The menu, helmed by world-renowned Chef Julien Jouhannaud and Executive Chef Mitchell Hesse, is intended to be shared and offers a range of dishes, from small plates to sushi platters, seafood towers, and main courses. The restaurant emphasizes wood-fired grilling and offers a premier hand-selected butcher’s program featuring the highest-grade American and Japanese Wagyu along with exclusive Prime cuts.
Menu highlights include poached Alaskan king crab, made with creamy ponzu, watermelon radish, and hijiki; robata duck a l’orange, with orange den miso and pickled granny smith; Wagyu Beef Ribeye with wasabi chimichurri, fresno, and crispy shallots; robata grilled Iberico pluma, with Miso truffle glaze, shiitake, mizuna.
Queen Miami Beach is located at 550 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Smorgasburg’s New Vendors
Smorgasburg, the largest open-air food market in America, rang the new year in by adding a slew of new vendors to its roster, including specialty coffee shop and kitchen Raccoon Coffee, shaved ice shop Amazonica and a bakery aptly dubbed Yummy Cookies and Brownies. Also new to the market are Wet Burger, which serves up hand-helds and other Turkish street food options; and La Birreria Tijuana, a South Florida staple food truck.
Smorgasburg is open from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Smorgasburg is located at 2600 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
Square Pie City
Square Pie City, founded by local chef and celebrity Jeremiah Bullfrog, has finally opened its much-anticipated brick-and-mortar location in the Miami Design District. Bullfrog’s journey to opening Square Pie City started with a successful pop-up at Boxelder in Wynwood, which led to a series of pop-ups across Miami and an appearance at Time Out Market Miami.
Today the true-blue pizza shop offers a casual-meets-cool vibe where diners can sink their teeth into Bullfrog’s signature airy Detroit-style deep-dish pies. The menu features a variety of Red and White Pies, including options for meat lovers, veggie enthusiasts, and cheese fanatics. Square Pie City also offers daily specials for dine-in customers, including made-to-order slices for lunch and thin, crispy pies for dinner.
In addition to the pizza, Square Pie City serves up a diverse selection of local brews and biodynamic wines, as well as a unique cocktail program led by former Broken Shaker mixologist, Mike Parish.
Square City Pie is located at 3918 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127. For more information, visit their official website.
