As 2016 draws to a close, New Times is looking back at the year’s stories with the most impact. The past year saw a lot of good and bad in our local food scene — from a beloved Brooklyn restaurant opening in South Florida to the Zika scare that threatened a large part of our entire dining scene. Here are the ten biggest stories in 2016, as chosen by both readers and our editorial staff.
If you’d like to ring in 2017 without a pop star in attendance, consider the Faena Hotel Miami Beach’s offer: A New Year’s Like No Other. This weekend getaway comes with dinners, champagne, an oceanfront suite, and a hefty price tag. The starting rate for the package is a jaw-dropping $322,100.
December is traditionally a hot time for restaurants to open in Miami. Between Art Basel and tourist season, chefs and investors hustle to take advantage of visitors to our city in an attempt to kickstart business. Of course, a restaurant also has to woo its local patrons to ensure a steady stream of income.
This is it, people. Christmas and Hanukkah is upon us. For the the first time in decades, the holidays both start at the same time. That means today is the big rush to finish your holiday shopping and start festivating (as Mariah Carey would say). Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukkah…
Over the past decade or so, South Beach has honed its reputation as a playground for the rich and famous, where money is no object. It’s so common to see a $400,000 Maybach pulling up to the valet at Prime One Twelve for a $300 slab of Japanese A5 Kobe that we don’t even look twice anymore. So when dropping a few Gs on a typical Thursday is commonplace, whatever do you do on New Year’s Eve?
You see them all over Miami: pampered pups riding in pastel strollers or walking on Louis Vuitton leashes. Pooches dine on freshly baked doggie biscuits at tony restaurants. Heck, there’s even a special South Beach Wine & Food Festival event, Yappy Hour, that caters to dogs. To these pooches and…
The Shops at Midtown Miami offers plenty of solid fare and drink, but the one thing the retail center had lacked was a dedicated craft cocktail bar. Until now. Bitter Truth, located at the former Barú Urbano space (3252 NE First Ave.), officially opens tomorrow.
My Ceviche, the fast-casual seafood restaurant by partners Sam Gorenstein and Roger Duarte, has opened its midtown Miami location. This marks a new look and menu for the small local chain. Along with offering its signature ceviches and burritos, My Ceviche has introduced items such as fresh made-in-house juices and build-your-own tacos, burritos, salads, and bowls.
Christmas and Hanukkah are next weekend, and the mad dash to finish shopping, enjoy holiday parties, and prep for some serious family time is in full swing. From dining on Christmas Eve to braving the malls and shopping local, here are five stories to assist you in navigating the holiday season.
Cake Thai Kitchen, helmed by chef Phuket Thongsodchaveondee (who goes by the name of Cake), finally opened its second location in Wynwood at 180 NW 29th St. today. The restaurant opens on the heels of Miami’s largest happening, Art Basel, but partner Javier Ramirez says that was out of their hands. “We…
Here’s the scenario: It’s Sunday afternoon, and you just woke up. Feeling fuzzy with a slight headache, you recall having a wee bit too much fun at last evening’s holiday fete. You pop a few Tylenol and vaguely recall making plans to get together with your squad today. No worries…
This is the last weekend before holiday madness kicks in. This is the time to do any last-minute shopping. Instead of running to the mall, consider calmer, more fun options: The Miami Flea and Little River Cooperative’s plant sale are this weekend, offering gifts sure to please anyone on your list. Then, take some time for yourself by enjoying live jazz or heading to the movies.
Three years ago, when Wynwood Brewing Company opened its doors, Luis Brignoni had no idea the brewery he and his father started would be as successful as it is. But after numerous awards and a positive reception by Miamians and the beer community at large, the brewery is doing so…
Instead of regifting that oil diffuser or fake cactus, why not trade it in for a juicy Whopper? December 26, the Burger King at 910 Arthur Godfrey Rd. in Miami Beach will exchange your present for a Whopper sandwich.
The holiday season is here, and you’re likely up to your eyeballs in shopping lists, potluck invites, and boozy parties. Christmas is also the time when visions of sugarplums dance in your head. Though Miami doesn’t have many sugarplum shops, we do have plenty of places that peddle other confections. From doughnuts to chocolate to a perfect loaf of bread, here are five sweet stories to treat yourself to.
Upland, the collaborative café from restaurateur Stephen Starr and chef Justin Smillie, opened in Miami Beach’s tony SoFi neighborhood November 29. This is the second Upland for Smillie and Starr, whose original is located in New York City. Starr also owns Steak 954 at the W Hotel Fort Lauderdale, Makoto and Le Zoo in the Bal Harbour Shops, and the Continental in South Beach.
With only two shopping weeks left until Christmas, there’s a frenzy in the air. What to do, what to do? This weekend, shop at the Wynwood Yard for handcrafted goodies, make a gingerbread house, and let your kids get creative. Then celebrate Wynwood Brewing Company’s third trip around the sun.
The last night of the year is fraught with price-gouging for plastic flutes of cheap prosecco and extravagant cover charges. Take, for example, Justin Bieber’s appearance at the Fontainebleau, where for $500 general admission you can spend the night with the bad boy of pop. Beliebers can get up close with a stage-side private space for $40,000 (although that holds up to 30 guests).
On December 4, 2013, Wynwood Brewing Company officially opened its doors to the public with a celebration of music, art, and a nitro stout made with java from Panther Coffee. In a short period of time, the brewery, helmed by the father-and-son team of Luis G. Brignoni and Luis “Pops” Brignoni, along with brewer Nik Mebane, has become a staple in the Florida craft beer scene and beyond. The brewery was prominently featured at this year’s Great American Beer Festival and has won several national awards, including a gold medal at the 2014 GAB for its flagship beer, Pop’s Porter.
Every year, Miami plunks down the welcome mat for a host of new eateries. Each one is a new beginning for the chefs and restaurateurs who have high hopes of making it big in the Magic City. Some are small mom-and-pop cafés run by individuals with small budgets and big dreams. Some are grand affairs run by celebrity chefs.
If you work or live in Westchester, chances are you’ve seen the vinyl off the windows at Mojo Donuts & Fried Chicken. You’ll have to wait a few more days for a chance to finally sample the shop’s unique doughnuts.
The holiday season is upon us. That means stressing over buying presents for co-workers and friends, along with the ordeal of taking items for office potlucks and holiday gatherings. This year, forget the mall and Publix and do your holiday shopping at Bachour Bakery + Bistro. Baker extraordinaire Antonio Bachour has introduced a host of treats for the holidays that are Instagram-worthy. And, yes, they’re delicious.
