Posts in Events
South Beach Wine + Food Festival : MIAbites picks for #SOBEWFF
South Beach Wine + Food Festival : MIAbites picks for #SOBEWFF

Countdown to #SOBEWFF! February is our favorite month in Miami as the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and it’s over 65, 000 guests take over Miami Beach and surrounding Miami venues from February 22-26 for 4+ days of Food, Wine, Fun and maybe even a little sun in between all of the over 85 different events and seminars.

Now in its 16th year and hosted by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Florida International University (FIU), the Festival benefits FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. To date, the Festival has raised more than $24 million for the school.

So, where to begin?  Here are MIAbites picks for best 12 SOBEWFF events with a focus on some of the amazing local chef talent and local venues featured this year in collaboration with many of your favorite Food Network stars. Many events sell out quickly, so check availability and buy your tickets online at www.sobefest.com.  ( Pro Tip- Many of the below events have limited discount tickets available on both Gilt City and Groupon.) 

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Events, #SOBEWFFMIAbites TeamMiami Beach, MiamiComment
Private Party Pairs Foodies and Scotch Lovers at Cypress Tavern
Private Party Pairs Foodies and Scotch Lovers at Cypress Tavern

Britain’s Winston Churchill was known for his quick wit.  The story is told that he was once confronted about his heavy drinking: 

“Prime Minister, people say that you’ve drunk enough alcohol to fill a room.”

“Ah,” Churchill replied gazing up towards the ceiling,  “So much to do, and so little time.”

Churchill himself might have been impressed this past Saturday night if he had been lucky enough to score an invitation to a gourmet Scotch tasting at Michael Schwartz’ Cypress Tavern. 

Organized by Gilt City, an affiliate of the online retailer, Schwartz teamed up with famed Scotch distiller, The Macallan to pair five of their distinct single malts with a number of his signature dishes. 

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EventsMIAbites TeamDesign District, MiamiComment
Weekly Nibble: Outstanding In The Field, Pinch Kitchen collab, Pizza & Burger & Beer and more
Weekly Nibble: Outstanding In The Field, Pinch Kitchen collab, Pizza & Burger & Beer and more

Each week, MIAbites features the Weekly Nibble, a listing of curated upcoming food events in Miami.  Schedule is subject to change so please check ahead to confirm at details and pricing. 

Jaya at The Setai is offering a three course Peking Duck menu to celebrate the Chinese New Year. One dish featured is the Peking Duck Wrapped In Bamboo Leaves with a Tangerine Marmalade and Bok Choy. Executive Chef Mathias Gervais and Executive Sous Chef Vijay Veena also feature desert truffles with Duck Bacon and chocolate. The menu will be available Saturday, January 28- Saturday, February 4th for $95 per person. Jaya at the Setai 2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139

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Events, Weekly NibbleMIAbites TeamMiami Shores, Miami Beach, MiamiComment
Weekly Nibble: Raw Bar Showdown, Jazzy Brunch, Wild Turkey at Yardbird and more
Weekly Nibble: Raw Bar Showdown, Jazzy Brunch, Wild Turkey at Yardbird and more

Each week, MIAbites features the Weekly Nibble, a listing of curated upcoming food events in Miami.  Schedule is subject to change so please check ahead to confirm at details and pricing. 

Thursday January 19th- Celebrate the grand opening of Bàcaro, Miami Beach's newest wine and food destination by acclaimed international chef, Carlo Bernardini. From 8pm to 11pm, the Venetian-inspired eatery and wine bar will offer guests complimentary hors d'oeuvres, along with an open bar of house wine and bubbles. Music will be provided by DJ Nuny Love, and European flair will fill the air at Bàcaro's grand opening experience. RSVP required. Free admission, 3-hour open bar and hors d'oeuvres will be offered only to guests who reserve in advance. To RSVP, email rsvp@bacaromiami.com. Bàcaro Miami is 1625 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139. 

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Events, Weekly NibbleMIAbites TeamMiami Beach, MiamiComment
Saturday Sweets: A Taste of Heaven at Patch of Heaven Gardens
Saturday Sweets: A Taste of Heaven at Patch of Heaven Gardens

Did you know there’s a farm in the Redlands called Patch of Heaven Gardens, that’s single handedly foresting and producing cacao?  Cacao is the purest form of chocolate you can consume, and refers to the beanlike seeds from which cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate are made.

Cacao doesn’t typically grow in our backyards here in Florida, but the ambitious people at POHG have paired up with our friends at Cao Chocolates to make it happen anyway.  Last weekend I was invited on a tour of the property complete with a five course dinner and wine pairing – the best part – each dish was made with cacao!

We arrived at the farm mid-afternoon right after a crazy Florida rainstorm blew through, and blew through it did, as a tree fell and knocked the power out on the entire 20 acre property.  In a hurry to be able to use what daylight we had left, we rushed to the fields for a quick lesson on how to pick the cacao and then over to the Chocolate Bar Tasting area for dinner.  Let it be known that I will definitely be back to check out the rest of the property, I hear there’s an amazing barn that’s almost complete.

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Events, Saturday SweetsAmber Love BondRedlands, MiamiComment
Weekly Nibble: Blue Collar Anniversary, Chef Mendin at PAO, Prosecco at La Moderna, National Peking Duck Day & more
Weekly Nibble: Blue Collar Anniversary, Chef Mendin at PAO, Prosecco at La Moderna, National Peking Duck Day & more

Each week, MIAbites features the Weekly Nibble, a listing of curated upcoming food events in Miami.  Schedule is subject to change so please check ahead to confirm at details and pricing.

Thursday January 12th-   Five years ago, on January 12th in 2012, Blue Collar opened its doors in the MiMo District in Miami, FL. Chef/Owner Daniel Serfer took a gamble on himself and the neighborhood, when he conceived his home-style menu in comfortable surrounds.  To celebrate the restaurant’s 5-year anniversary, Blue Collar will give a 100% guaranteed-to-win scratch-off ticket to every table and take-out order on Thursday, January 12th until all 1,200 tickets have been distributed.  Prizes include Blue Collar coffee mugs; gift cards; a free Blue Collar side dish plus the restaurant’s ‘dailies’; an order of Ribs, Braise Parm.  Blue Collar  6730 Biscayne Blvd Miami, Florida 305 756 0366

Friday January 13th- LDV Hospitality’s Regent Cocktail Club celebrates their first live musical act of 2017 with a night of themed cocktails and a performance by the nine-piece electronica band, Latin Grammy nominees, Spam Allstars who will provide a unique blend of improvisational electronic elements alongside other Latin, funk and hip hop rhythms that they’ve originally dubbed electronic descarga. To enhance the lively evening of Latin funk, Regent’s skilled mixologists have developed a specially handcrafted cocktail menu inspired by the music stylings of the talented musicians. Regent Cocktail Club Gale South Beach 1690 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33139

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Events, Weekly NibbleMIAbites TeamMidtown, Miami Beach, MiamiComment
Burger Beast Opens First Burger Museum at Magic City Casino
Burger Beast Opens First Burger Museum at Magic City Casino

Looking for something fun and different to do with the kids this next holiday week?  How about a visit to The Burger Beast Museum, curated by Miami comfort food expert, Burger Beast? Amber Love Bond reports on the museum's grand opening earlier this month.  

About eight years ago, I found myself on a Google search for the best burger in Miami and I stumbled upon a newly started blog, called Burger Beast.  Sef Gonzalez was on the same mission as I was, except he was documenting and sharing with others.  He was one of the very first food blogs in Miami and the moment I found him, I instantly added his link to my bookmark bar – think pre-Facebook and Instagram days.

Flash forward to December 2016 and Sef has spent the last 7 years collecting over 2,000 pieces of burger and comfort food memorabilia that now fill his 1500 square foot Burger Beast Museum space.  The history in the museum spans decades and Sef is eager to share it with everyone.  On my visit I chatted with Burger Beast for over an hour learning about restaurants I had never heard of and talking about ones I missed from my own childhood.  There were even a few that I had been to that he hadn’t, and I was able to share my memories of them with him.

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EventsAmber Love BondMiamiComment
Chef Brad Kilgore: Passport to International Food Star
Chef Brad Kilgore: Passport to International Food Star

Jamaica Food & Drink Festival pictures include Chefs Brad and Leah, Miss T's Kitchen, Brad and Leah's Pork Dish and Crackerjack with Jerk Bacon by Smoked Marlin. Photo Credit: Andrew Giambarba.

Like the light from a really bright star, Chef Bradley Kilgore is on fire.

We would love to claim him in Miami as a native son, but we must admit we know that he is originally from Kansas City. The city of Chicago got to watch him shine during some of his formative years under Grant Achatz at Alinea (Boka and L2 as well). When he left the Windy City to come to Miami, few knew what we had just gained.

Soon though, his brilliance was difficult to miss at Azul and Jean-George Vongerichten’s J&G Grill. And then it was time for him to shine in a spot of his own. He collaborated with several local chefs for Basel week pop-ups as the finishing touches were being put on Alter. 

When the doors opened in early 2015, night after night, diners sat down, dipped their spoons through a soft cooked egg, Gruyere crisp and scallop espuma and sighed.

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Events, TravelBitesMIAbites TeamMiamiComment
Weekly Nibble: Art Basel + EAT Basel
Weekly Nibble: Art Basel + EAT Basel

As over 75, 000 art dealers and art fans descend on Miami for the big shows like PULSE and UNTITLED on Miami Beach and Context/ArtMiami, Spectrum and the many smaller shows in and around Wynwood, a number of parties and food events are available to anyone who braves the traffic to Miami Beach, Wynwood, Midtown and other art-centric areas.  Many kick off the beginning of the week and continue thru Sunday 12/4.  Here is MIAbites Weekly Nibble curated listing for Art Week 2016.

Monday November 28th-  Kick off the start of Art Basel with at LDV Hospitality’s Rooftop at the Gale South Beach on November 28th from 7pm – 10pm. Tasting Table and the Lincoln Motor Company will host the exclusive event.  Tickets cost $45 plus tax and includes three drink tickets, specialty appetizers and shared plates and two interactive stations.   Learn to make a Smoked Old Fashioned – blowtorch included, and how to make two different types of authentic Italian pastas  Suitable for every kind of Basel-goer ( 21+ only), start your week at this trendy rooftop terrace. There will even be Live art mural by Miami artist Stuart Sheldon. Tickets on Eventbrite link here.  Gale South Beach 1690 Collins Ave Miami Beach, FL 33139

Tuesday November 29th- Join Human Rights Campaign South Florida as our friends at the White Porch Gallery at R House Wynwood host a special event celebrating Art Basel and the HRC. Art for Equality will feature fun, food, drinks, and a DJ along with a silent auction featuring some of the most talented domestic and international LGBTQ and LGBTQ-allied artists. Tickets from $25 to $140 for full dinner on Eventbrite link here   R House Wynwood  2727 Northwest 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33127

Tuesday November 29th-  Coyo Taco Wynwood invites all Art Basel attendees( and anyone else! ) to Come & party during #ArtBasel at a Major Rum and Bass block party with Walshy Fire and Friends. Very special guests will be dipping in from 7 PM to 2 AM. Tickets are $20-30 and on Eventbrite link here .  Coyo Taco 2300 Northwest 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33127

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Events, Art BaselMIAbites TeamWynwood, Midtown, Downtown, Brickell, Miami Beach, MiamiComment
LUCKYRICE Returns November 11th: Enter to WIN two VIP tickets
LUCKYRICE Returns November 11th: Enter to WIN two VIP tickets

WIN TWO VIP tickets by entering our contest on MIAbites Instagram!  Or Sign Up for MIAbites Weekly Newsletter.  We have TWO pairs of tickets to giveaway. 

The annual LUCKYRICE Feast presented by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® East Gin, is returning to The Raleigh Hotel Pool and Oasis for a grand feast celebrating Asian culinary collisions hosted by Chef Paul Qui of Pao by Paul Qui - Faena Miami Beach. The traveling LUCKYRICE Feast debuted in New York on June 2nd and continued on to the West Coast to San Francisco and Los Angeles over the summer. After the first annual Houston event in October, the final Lucky Rice Feast will end in Miami on November 11th.

Buy your tickets here http://luckyrice.com/event/miami-feast-2/

General Admission tickets are $88 (8:30pm - 11:00pm) and VIP tickets are $150 (7:30pm - 11:00pm).

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EventsEllen BowenMiami Beach Comment
Miami Weekly Nibble: SEED Food & Wine, Election Watch Party at Vagabond, Fooq’s and Friends, Lucky Rice, P.I.G.7 and more.
Miami Weekly Nibble: SEED Food & Wine, Election Watch Party at Vagabond, Fooq’s and Friends, Lucky Rice, P.I.G.7 and more.

With this week’s National Election hovering over our heads, this is the time to plan your week ahead and try to find peace and some semblance of normalcy in your life.  This week’s MIAbites Weekly Nibble provides you will plenty of fun, food based events for the upcoming week.  And please don’t forget to VOTE on Tuesday November 8th!

Tuesday, November 1 – Friday, November 4- Paris 6, Miami Beach’s highly anticipated 24-hour French Bistro, opens its doors to locals and guests and in celebration of its grand opening, the restaurant is offering guests 50% OFF their dining experience! Only available from Tuesday, November 1 – Friday, November 4, MIAbites readers can redeem their voucher by downloading the “Paris 6” app (available via App Store and Google Play). The discount will be applied over menu prices before taxes and service charge and does not cover alcoholic drinks or wines. Disclaimer: One voucher is valid per person. Paris 6 2200 Collins Ave. Miami Beach FL

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Events, Weekly NibbleMIAbites TeamMiami Beach, MiamiComment