The South Beach Wine & Food Festival offers a multitude of celebrity chefs cooking their best for thousands of fans who flock to its parties and dinners. This year, however, one particular event will feature actual local heroes. At Fireman Derek’s Midnight Breakfast, Derek Kaplan, the pie-making City of Miami…

The 2016 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists have been announced, and several Miami chefs — and one restaurant — are in the running. This year sees a dramatic increase in the number of local chefs up for an award from the New York-based organization. A Beard is the…

Ralph Pagano is getting naked again.  The celebrity chef’s Naked Tiki, the third in his naked restaurant series, opens today, February 11, at the Stiles Hotel (1120 Collins Ave.) on South Beach. Pagano is also chef/owner of Naked Taco, a taco and tequila concept at the Dream South Beach hotel,…

Long before Dominique Ansel’s cronut and Momofuku Milk Bar ‘s corn cookies, New York’s cult favorite treat was Junior’s cheesecake. Since its introduction in 1950, the decadent dessert was a sensation with New Yorkers, who raved about the creamy cake, with fans of the treat have making weekly (sometimes daily)…

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Carnival, Shrove Tuesday — there are a lot of different names for tomorrow, February 9. The holiday marks the last day of revelry before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. While its roots may be firmly planted in Christianity, some say the holiday is even older, with…

Pincho Factory is poised to become the next big fast casual chain. The brand started as an eatery in Westchester in 2010, after Nedal Ahmad and his cousins Otto Othman, and Nizar Ahmad, decided that their barbecue creations should go public. The restaurant quickly grew steam after word got out of the…

Landry’s, Inc., the giant restaurant company that owns over 500 different eateries under 40 different brands like Morton’s The Steakhouse, McCormick & Schmick’s, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and Rainforest Cafe, has finished an internal investigation of widespread credit card fraud. In December 2015, Landry’s issued a press release acknowledging there…

To David Bonilla, a kava bar is much more than a business. “It’s more about a lifestyle and creating a community of like minded people, ” the Awa Kava Lounge partner says. The lounge (3930 NW 2nd Ave., Miami) soft opened a few months ago in an old 1940’s house in Buena…

The finalists have just been announced for the fifth annual Johnson & Wales University’s Zest Awards which celebrate excellence in South Florida’s culinary arts scene. This year, the Zest awards will honor Miami’s leaders in the local food scene in nine categories at  a private reception at Johnson & Wales University’s…

Just one month into the new year and already Miami’s restaurant landscape is changing. Ariete, the Coconut Grove restaurant by Michael Beltran and Jason Odio, opened to much buzz in Coconut Grove. Ariete will be joined by several more Grove restaurants including Glass & Vine, The Spillover, and Spasso, making a…

While Miami restaurants are gearing up for Valentine’s Day dinners, French 27 softly opened with romantic dining and French fare in SoFi. The restaurant takes over the old Porfirio’s space at 850 Commerce St. The dining room, already a stunning structure, has been transformed into a sea of fresh red…

Ramen fans in Coral Gables can look forward to a steaming bowl of goodness once Ichimi opens this Friday, January 29. Ichimi, Japanese for “dedicated to”, will feature modern takes on traditional ramen, gyoza, and izakaya dishes, while still paying respect to classical Japanese styles. The 2,000 square foot restaurant,…

When consumers shop at Whole Foods Market, they expect high quality products. Willing to pay a little more, shoppers search out organic produce, sustainable seafood, and antibiotic-free meat from animals raised in humane conditions.  The grocer’s website lays out its five-step animal welfare rating system that provides standards for how…

  Over the past decade or so, smart phones have completely changed the way we communicate, get directions, or make restaurant reservations. Now, it’s the best way to source fresh oysters. The newly launched Pearl app allows users to find oysters in restaurants, mark their favorites, and check in to…

City Hall, Steve Haas’ Biscayne Boulevard restaurant has closed. The restaurant closed after dinner service yesterday evening. A day before, City Hall’s Facebook page posted the following message to fans: The two-story 6,000 square foot establishment was a tribute to Art Deco design, but instead of the ice cream colors…