With Winter upon us, and CT residents itching for some warmth and sun, we asked our sister site MIABites.com for a little dining advice for all those heading to Florida this season. Here are some of MIAbites Contributors Best Bites for "am to pm" dining in and around Miami, Miami Beach, Wynwood and the Design District.
Obviously, all of the Miami Beach hotels have top restaurants and prices to match. Jose Andres The Bazaar and Katsuya at the SLS South Beach, Scarpetta, StripSteak and Pizza Burger by Michael Mina and Hakkasan at The Fontainebleau , Mr. Chow at The W South Beach, Pao by Paul Qui and Los Fuegos at Faena and Jean Georges, The Matador Room at the EDITION, the relocated NOBU in the Nobu Hotel Eden Roc, are all popular and top picks where chances are you will have a delicious albeit expensive meal. But if you’d like to dig deeper into the Mimi food scene, check out our guide by category…
In an unusual but convenient industrial park in Groton, just near the Groton Airport, Mystic Cheese Co. is opening a new location this month to serve homemade and artisanal cheeses to the after-work crowd and cheese connoisseurs alike. Upon stepping into the front doors at the new site of Mystic Cheese, visitors are welcomed into a cozy tasting room in which they can perch on barstool seating that offers glimpses into the impressively sized cheese maturation room.
The feeling that the owners, Brian Civitello and Jason Sobocinksi (former owner of the beloved Caseus Cheese), have tried to create with their events and cut to order cheese is relaxed, fun, and unpretentious. Mystic Cheese has definitely accomplished this with their communal tables, friendliness, and awesome narwhal logo. By doing this, their overall aim is to attract people to the world of artisanal cheeses by offering cheeses at multiple price points, cheese-centric food, and educational classes.
Art Basel and Miami Art Week starts next week with previews, opening night parties and of course, ART. But did you know that MIAbites has nicknamed Art Basel… EAT Basel? "Where should we eat in Miami?" Here are some ofOurContributors Best Bites for Art Basel dining in and around Miami, Miami Beach, Wynwood and the Design District.
All of the Miami Beach hotels have top restaurants and prices to match. Jose Andres The Bazaar and Katsuyaat the SLS South Beach, Scarpetta, StripSteak and Pizza Burger by Michael Mina and Hakkasan at The Fontainebleau, The Dutch and Mr. Chow at The W South Beach, Pao by Paul Qui and Los Fuegos at Faena and Jean-Georges’ The Matador Room at the EDITION, the relocated NOBU in the Nobu Hotel Eden Roc, are all popular and top picks where chances are you will have a delicious albeit expensive meal.
The Holiday season is upon us and everyone is always asking us, "Where should I eat in Miami?" Here are some of MIAbites Contributors Best Bites for "am to pm" dining in and around Miami and Miami Beach. Dinner reservations are strongly recommended and should be made in advance if possible.
All of the Miami Beach hotels have top restaurants and prices to match. Jose Andres The Bazaar and Katsuyaat the SLS South Beach, Scarpetta, StripSteak and PIzza Burger by Michael Mina and Hakkasan at The Fontainebleau , The Dutch and Mr. Chow at The W South Beach, Pao by Paul Qui and Los Fuegos at Faena and Jean Georges, The Matador Room at the EDITION, the newly relocated NOBU in the Nobu Hotel Eden Roc, are all popular and top picks where chances are you will have a delicious albeit expensive meal.
So by request, the MIAbites contributors put our heads together to flesh out the restaurant scene and to compile our suggestions for dining while in Miami.
Dare I say they have some of the best freshly made pasta in the state? Yes! I’ll tell anyone who asks — Paul’s Pasta serves my favorite pasta dishes in Connecticut. This family-owned pasta shop is nearly as old as I am, and I have two decades of experience dining at Paul’s Pasta to share with you in this review.
If the tell-tale sign of a great restaurant is a crowded establishment with smiling customers eating with gusto, then Paul’s Pasta is definitely one of the best in the state. When coming during the height of mealtimes, Paul’s Pasta always has a waiting list, but this shouldn’t dissuade visitors — turnaround times are generally not substantial and the wait is always worth it. Reservations are not accepted.
Inspired by a recent inquiry from a local chef, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite places to take a flavorful break on the way to or from Connecticut’s casinos. No need to gamble on where to stop for a bite; the southern shoreline towns along I-95 dish up some amazing food—from banh mi to seafood, donuts, Greek specialties and more.
Branford
You’ve heard us say it before, but the recommendation bears repeating: look no further than Takumi Sushi, Ramen & Lounge for the finest sushi and ramen around!
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.)
Art Basel Miami and Miami Art Week November 29- December 4th welcomes over 75,000 art enthusiasts from around the world for a week of huge tented shows like Untitled, PULSE, Art Miami and Spectrum, gallery and museum shows and private and intimate art shows at private homes. But, Miami also offers an amazing array of dining and late night options, some of which were highlighted in this past weekends, New York Times “36 Hours in Miami”( insert NYT link? ).
If you are headed to Miami for Art Basel, here are MIAbites Top picks.
Dinner reservations are necessary and should be made in advance if possible.
By request….CTBites is trying out a new column, TravelBites, for our readers heading out of the great state of CT. These articles will feature popular vacation/business travel destinations for local CT residents, but if you have a suggestion for a TRAVELbites, contact us.
Our first article features Chef Dena Marino and MC Kitchen in sunny Miami….one of the fastest growing “foodie” hubs in the US.
Hot culinary spots are opening in hotel restaurants like SLS South Beach with Katsuya or The Bazaar by Jose Andres as well as Soho transplant, Lure Fishbar in the Loews. Funky hipster dining options are popping up practically daily in the emerging fashion and art neighborhoods like in the Design District , Midtown and Wynwood…Miami and Miami Beach has something for everyone.
MC Kitchen, opened a little over a year ago, is the passionate creation of Chef Dena Marino and her friend, Brandy Coletta Hence, the M and C ). Chef Dena, who actually hails originally from northern New Jersey, moved to Miami a little over three years from her executive chef position at Ajax Tavern in Aspen to head up the kitchen at the now defunct Danny Devito’s restaurant, Devitos.
