Food & Drink

February is typically a strong month for the Miami culinary world. Fueled by tourism and the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, restaurants on the beach and in trendy neighborhoods like Wynwood and the Design District do especially well. The festival also brought the announcement of several new concepts by a roster of household names including Steve Santana (Taquiza), Scott Linquist (Coyo Taco), Guy Fieri, David Grutman (Komodo, Planta, and others),

During the festival, a host of new concepts was announced by major culinary players including David Grutman, Jose Andres, Guy Fieti, Coyo Taco’s Scott Linquist, Steve Santana, and more. The thing was, most of the announcements were made during parties where attendees were overwhelmed by music, food, and drinks.  Here’s the rundown of the most interesting bits of intel (and info on baby monkey Rocco).

The James Beard Foundation has just announced its semifinalists in the restaurant and chef categories for 2019, and South Florida has several reasons to be very proud.

Paulie Gee’s, the Brooklyn pizza sensation that opened on Biscayne Boulevard in 2016, closed this past weekend, with owner Jason Weisberg sharing a note on Facebook: “Thank you Miami. It was an experience and pleasure serving up our pizza. It’s time for the next chapter.” Weisberg tells New Times…

Last year, wandering around the Shimokitazawa neighborhood of Tokyo, I stumbled across the Cat Cafe Cateriam in a nondescript building in the Japanese capital’s bohemian epicenter. As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by a cheerful young woman who despite the language barrier was able to communicate…

Guy Fieri is bringing his Flavortown style to Aventura. The Food Network star announced his new restaurant while hosting the South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Beachside BBQ Saturday night. As thousands of attendees feasted on barbecue from about 30 restaurants, Fieri held court in a prominent area while adoring…

The cooks were suspicious. Standing in the fluorescent-white kitchen of the Dutch (2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-938-3111; thedutchmiami.com) inside the W South Beach, they were stunned to learn Josh Gripper, the restaurant’s soft-spoken, bespectacled pastry chef, would soon take over the entire operation. For years, Gripper, who is 38,…

Escamoles can be found at Bakan, where they’re sautéed with butter, shallots, Serrano chilies, and epazote, then wrapped in a blue corn tortilla and topped with a spoonful of guacamole and pickled vegetables. Is the dish worth the $25 price tag?

Each year, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival attracts the best chefs from around the world, allowing attendees the opportunity to sample fare from the greatest bars and restaurants without leaving South Florida. Last evening, however, Miami establishments dominated two of the festival’s marquee events, with local bars and…

Not many people know how Shawn Palacious — one of Miami’s most legendary queens — received her drag name. “It was because of my long, claw-like nails,” says Palacious, whose alter ego is the edgy feline queen Kitty Meow. Those nails are just one small nod to her iconic style…

It’s been six years since Mariana Cortez opened a brick-and-mortar in Wynwood for her Bunnie Cakes company, a plant-based, gluten-free bakery. Now, the mother of five is gearing up to open a new location in downtown Doral.

Fireman Derek’s pies are coming to Coconut Grove. Next Friday, March 1, owner Derek Kaplan is expected to open the doors to his long-awaited second store, located on Main Highway.

Each year, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival takes over South Florida with a seemingly endless roster of parties, seminars, and dinners. The festival’s crown jewel is the Grand Tasting Village, where a massive stretch of sand on South Beach is turned into a theme park of food and…

L’Artisane Creative Bakery in North Miami Beach is unique in its focus on European-style baked goods (French, in particular) — a culinary tradition famous for its heavy use of butter, milk, and cream.