David Grutman, Jose Andres, Steve Santana, and Others Announce New Restaurants at SOBEWFF

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).

Paulie Gee’s Closes, but Collaborative Pop-Ups Are Being Planned

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…

The Cat’s Meow Café Brings the Cat Café Concept to Mainland Miami

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 Announces Miami Restaurant at SOBEWFF’s Beachside BBQ

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…

Josh Gripper, One of Miami’s Best Pastry Chefs, Trades Cake for Steak

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,…

SOBEWFF 2019: Miami Dominates Burger Bash and Art of Tiki

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…

Kitty Meow Headlines Inaugural SOBEWFF Drag Brunch

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…

Celebrities Share Their SOBEWFF Grand Tasting Village Tips

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…

SOBEWFF 2019: The Best Celebrities to Follow on Instagram

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival is underway, and hundreds of chefs are flying in from around the world to cook at the fest’s various dinners and parties. Of course, it’s not all work for these talented toques: They also storm the restaurants and bars of our fair city in what’s referred to as “spring break for chefs.”

Explore Global Flavors at SOBEWFF Without Leaving South Florida

This year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival will see 350 chefs from around the world cooking at more than 100 events. With each year comes fresh experiences and new additions to the lineup that run the gamut from intimate chef-curated dinners to late-night soirees. Though most attendees gravitate toward…

The Bartenders to Look Out For at SOBEWFF 2019

Broken Shaker co-creator and Bar Lab cofounder Gabe Orta remembers when the most creative cocktail in South Beach was a frozen mix margarita with an upside-down Corona bottle as both garnish and floater. “Just a few years back, there wasn’t anywhere to get a good cocktail in Miami. It was…

The Best Miami Beach Spots to Visit During SOBEWFF

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival is upon us, and thousands of people are flocking to the sands of Miami Beach to eat, drink, and frolic with their favorite culinary celebrities. Though the fest is jam-packed with more than 100 dinners, parties, and seminars, many attendees still find time to grab a bite…

José Andrés Celebrates the Resilience of Puerto Rico at SOBEWFF

Puerto Rico is having a well-deserved moment in the sun. About a year and a half ago, the exact opposite was true when Hurricane Maria tore through the United States territory. The strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in 80 years, Maria affected the island’s entire population of 3.4 million…

The Citadel Opens Tomorrow With 15 Food Concepts

After two years of planning and building, the Citadel, an impressive multi-use space that incorporates a food hall, shopping, entertainment, and office space, opens its first phase tomorrow, February 16: The Food Hall and Bar. In the coming weeks, the Citadel will introduce pop-up shops with local merchants and live entertainment. A rooftop bar will open thereafter.