Coral Gables and Coconut Groove Gastronomic Delight

Florida is well known for its great cultural diversity, which reflects on its gastronomy. In Florida you’ll find a great variety of different restaurants where to taste the best and most diverse food. If you crave for it, you’ll find it in Florida.

The Spillover

Recently, Coconut Groove welcomed two more new hot restaurants: Glass & Vine and The Spillover. At Glass & Vine you’ll find a perfect place to have brunch, lunch, or dinner. Its menu is focused on locally-sourced fresh ingredients inspired by the natural surroundings. Also, it’s a very beautiful place to hang out. It has a waterfront, 2,320 sqft of outdoor space with white quartz tabletops and orange chairs, a 24-seat bar, open kitchen, open patio area, and vine-covered roof.

At The Spillover you’ll find amazing local seafood dishes, great wine, cider, and meats. It seats up to 70 and features a Camilo Rojas’ mural. It is a great place to go for a meal, the food won’t disappoint you and the drinks will spice up your day!

Ms Cheezious

Also, at Coral Gables, another new restaurant is welcomed to the city: Ms. Cheezious. In here you can delight yourself with the best self-built grilled cheese sandwiches. You can ask for an already-made sandwich or you can dare to build a personal one. Play with ingredients and flavors to get the best from Ms. Cheezious.

Visit these new food locations and calm your cravings with the best quality gastronomy. Let your mouth get delighted at Gables!

Glass & Vine

Choices Café – A Choice Location in Coral Gables

Vegan seems to be more than just a fad.  Whether it is because of health reasons or simply a preference, everywhere you go more and more people prefer a vegan menu. And in Miami, that means only one place – Choices Café.  And now, Choices has finally come to Coral Gables.  Opened since January, this place has become a favorite to those who know about it as well as anyone who stumbles upon it. 

Centrally Located in Coral Gables

Voted top vegan restaurant in Miami, the owners of Choice Café said in a Miami New Times article they chose Coral Gables for a location because “so many people begged them to open here.”  Ponce de Leon Boulevard (2626 Ponce de Leon Boulevard) is the perfect spot for this Miami favorite (just off the Miracle Mile) that features a detailed fare that is “100 percent vegan and 95 percent organic.”  Even those who do not profess to be vegans (or vegetarians for that matter) always find time to stop in any of the three locations to have a snack or meal. 

Real estate in the area around Choices Café is predominately condominiums as it is situated in the middle of the business district of Coral Gables.  List prices start in the mid to upper-$200s at Ten Aragon; the mid-$300s at Gables Tower Condo; and, the mid-$400s at Ponce Tower. These condos are considered to be very “walkable” as they are centrally located to the Miracle Mile and the businesses around it. Even neighborhoods like Gables Granada and Coral Gables Country Club are close enough that residents can make a plan to walk to Choices, enjoy a healthy meal and walk home – you can’t get much better than that! For single family homes in these neighborhoods, list prices start in the low to mid-$400s and climb into the multi-millions. 

Coming Soon to Coconut Grove

June seems to be the target month for another “choice location” for Choices Café if the permits and zoning come thorough.  Just like the Gables location, the owners say that they “didn't choose the Grove, the Grove chose us. That's kind of how we operate; we let the universe guide us," in a recent Miami New Times article.  The location in an historical building on McFarlane Road is the brainchild of a Choices customer who owns the building.  This location has a huge front patio which is ideal for a restaurant like this one. 

Mutiny Park Condo and Sonesta Coconut Grove are situated on McFarlane Road and feature units starting in the mid to upper-$300s.  Just a couple of blocks away and within a short walk of McFarlane Road are Yacht Harbour Villas and Lofts at Mayfair with units also starting in the mid to upper-$300s. 

What to Eat

The favorites seem to be the Mental Lentil and Kind Slam as well as their smoothies and the No Capitan Wrap.  The menu is large enough that you can easily eat there several days a week to try everything and discover your favorites.  Some say it is a little pricey but for an organic, vegan fresh meal, it isn’t too pricey. 

More Healthy Options 

If there were more healthy options like Choices Café, maybe we would be a lot healthier.  But for now, we’ll just have to enjoy one of the three Choices locations and patiently wait until the summer for the fourth one to open in the Grove.

Another New Restaurant Opens in the Gables – The Seven Dials

Open for about a month, The Seven Dials seems to be attracting people from all over Miami-Dade County.  The “eclectic gastro-pub” has received rave reviews from Yelp and lots of press from local news sites which seems to be driving people to the Gables to try the new hot spot out. 

For those who live in the area, The Seven Dials, named for a part of London where seven streets come together, is located in The Minorca Condominium at 2300 South Douglas Boulevard.  It is just a few short blocks off the Miracle Mile and brings a new influence to the area’s other establishments.  With the weather beginning to cool slightly, more and more residents have begun to hit the streets again and enjoy one of the most spectacular appeals of the Gables – its walkability.

At The Seven Dials, there is a large selection of local beers as well as yummy selections on the menu.  The menu is sort of a fusion of American and British favorites.  Although lunch is basic, the food, prepared by owner/chef, Andrew Gilbert (Michy’s and Senora Martinez), is absolutely delectable.  For dinner, there is a wide array of meat and protein from the charcuterie menu seasoned and cooked to perfection as well as a delicious dinner menu.  Thus far, the favorites seem to be the chicken pate and fish and chips with mushed peas. 

A Very Appealing City

Coral Gables is a very appealing city in Miami-Dade County.  Not only is it absolutely beautiful, it has such a style all of its own.  The business district around the Miracle Mile is filled with some of the best shopping around as well as the best food in the best restaurants and eateries.  That is why the condominiums in and around the heart of the Gables are so popular.  In this area, Coral Gables real estate is comprised primarily of condominiums with list prices starting in the mid-$200s and climbing to well into the millions. 

Within walking distance to The Seven Dials, there are several buildings that appeal to different buyers from first-time buyers to those wanting to downsize or have a second home during the winter.  The closest is The Minorca, the condominium in which The Seven Dials is located.  It is a boutique building with only 50 units on 15 floors and is very affordable for the area with list prices between the upper-$200s and low-$500s. 

Other buildings close by include Ten Aragon, 55 Merrick and Douglas Grand.  Ten Aragon and 55 Merrick are within a block or two of The Seven Dials and offer property for sale from the mid-$200s to the upper-$500s.   The properties feature large and open residences as well as tons of amenities that make living there very comfortable. 

Nearby neighborhoods like Gables Granada, Gables Country Club, and even Gables Riviera are home to residents who love to eat out and even walk to the business district to enjoy everything there. 

With the restaurant doing so well, nearby Coral Gables residents are flocking to The Seven Gables to meet friends and entertain guests.  We promise that you will enjoy it and want to come back sooner rather than later. 

Favorite Coral Gables Restaurants on the Miracle Mile

Coral Gables Restaurant Week just wrapped its 6^th annual event with huge success. Many of the participating restaurants are located on the Miracle Mile, the hub of “the Gables.”  While a lot of of our clients got to revel in Restaurant Week, others were not able to participate so we thought we would suggest some of our favorite Coral Gables restaurants on the Miracle Mile.

Ortanique on the Mile.  If you are looking for a unique and fun restaurant that is highly rated by most, if not all, restaurant critics and websites like Yelp, Ortanique on the Mile is a unique restaurant with an authentic Caribbean flair that mirrors its sister restaurant in Grand Cayman in terms of design, atmosphere and, especially, the food.  From ceviche to fresh salads and seafood (and let’s not forget fun tropical drinks), there are so many things from which to choose.  In fact, a common remark is that many people have trouble deciding when it is time to order.  A favorite extra that is actually a necessity is getting a menu with a little flashlight on it because it is rather dimly lit at Ortanique.  Ortanique is definitely a favorite for locals and visitors alike.  There is no better place to take out-of town guests if you want a “WOW” factor added to the evening. 

The Dome Restaurant Bar and Lounge, 271 Miracle Mile.  Located between Salzedo and Ponce de Leon is the recently opened Dome Restaurant Bar and Lounge.  An interesting delicious restaurant, the Dome is the first LEED certified restaurant in Coral Gables.  It is described as a “Latin Fusion Caviar Bar” but is actually so much more.  The great thing about the Dome is it is a great place for everyone whether you are with a group of people or having ‘date night.’  Everything on the menu is prepared using fresh, organic ingredients from the Dome’s garden.  At the Dome, presentation is everything.  They know how to make the meal unforgettable.  This is definitely one that you must try.

Seasons 52, 321 Miracle Mile.  Though not a ‘local restaurant,’ Seasons 52 is a new place that is all the talk.  It features the most delicious and fresh food that you swear that it comes straight from the local farmer’s market.  When paired with a wine from its award winning international wine list, you know you have hit the jack pot.  The service is impeccable.  This is an excellent place to have lunch while shopping, a business lunch or dinner, dinner with friends or even a nice quiet dinner for two.  A cool experience at Seasons 52 is dining at the Chef’s Table where the chef lays out a spread of amuse bouche for guests enjoy. 

CrepeMaker, 76 Miracle Mile.  This is not what you think when you think crepes.  The CrepeMaker features a more non-traditional crepe where the crepe is made into a cone and filled with fresh ingredients like salad, fresh vegetables, fruits and more.  For the traditionalist, they also make more “normal” crepes but stuff them with delicious fillings like pizza and other delicious fillings.  And for desserts, YUMMY is the only thing to say.  The CrepeMaker is a perfect stop when shopping along the Miracle Mile or at the Village at Merrick Park not to mention meeting a friend for one of their coffees or smoothies.

Red Koi Thai and Sushi Lounge, 317 Miracle Mile.  The Red Koi Thai and Sushi Lounge is the perfect spot when you are craving sushi or have a yen for Thai food.  With a décor style of Japanese minimalism on the lower level and a more lounge type atmosphere with candle light, lounge seating, a full-service bar and the ability to order from the full menu on the second level, Red Koi is bound to fit your mood. No one ever leaves the Red Koi without raving about everything from the food to the great drinks and awesome service.  This is a favorite of most everyone who lives in or regularly visits the Gables. 

So Many Choices

There are so many choices when it comes to dining on the Miracle Mile in Coral Gables.  No matter the type of food you crave, we promise that there is a restaurant on the Mile to accommodate it.  Venture over a block or two on each side of the popular street and the world is your oyster when it comes to discovering even more great eateries.  We cannot even begin to name them all!