Looking for a new kind of date night? Look no further than Ocean Drive, where you and your special someone could dine at a Miami Beach classic, A Fish Called Avalon {700 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.532.1727}. With its dim lighting, haute surroundings, mouthwatering menu, and direct views of the Atlantic, this indoor-outdoor seafood spot was practically made for romance.
Just next month, A Fish Called Avalon is giving you a new reason to dine there. With its first a la carte, wine-pairing menu—which will be released in November—the restaurant has created a select menu of appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, each with wine pairings. Every dish comes with a four-ounce pour, but if guests sip on something they love, they can forgo other pairings and just spring for the whole bottle for the entirety of their meal. Yum!
Here’s what diners and drinkers can look forward to on the new November menu:
Appetizers
Spanish Octopus, chargrilled with white balsamic vinaigrette, $25
Pairing: Prosecco, La Marca, Italy
Bang Bang Shrimp with turmeric curry spices, a mint yogurt sauce, and cucumber pepper relish, $24
Pairing: Riesling Kabinet, Mosel Germany
Baby Greens with pear, honey-roasted pecans, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, and a roquefort-lime dressing, $22
Pairing: Chardonnay Hartford Court, Russian River Valley
Ceviche Tasting with scallop, shrimp, calamari, and white fish ceviches, $29
Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc Bogle, California
Main Dishes
Macadamia-Crusted Snapper with spinach risotto and a raspberry beaujolais beurre blanc, $44
Pairing: Rose Miraval, Cotes de Provence FR
Free-Range Citrus Chicken with truffled sweet potato mash, sautéed haricots vert, and gorgonzola citrus beurre blanc, $35
Pairing: Merlot Alexander Valley, CA
8-Ounce Filet Mignon with leek potato mash, steamed spinach, roquefort cheese, and a cabernet reduction sauce $64
Pairing: Brunello Di Montalcino, Banfi Italy
Desserts
Chef Kal’s Cheesecake with a sugar glaze and blackberry purée, $17
Pairing: Prosecco, La Marca, Italy
Tiramisu with ladyfingers, espresso, mascarpone custard, and cocoa, $21
Pairing: Dow’s Port Wine
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Starting next week, the 5th-annual South Beach Seafood Festival will be back on the shores of Miami Beach—and it’s coming back bigger and better than ever. Sponsored by Breakthru Beverage Florida, CI Management, and a handful of partners, this festival officially kicks off stone crab season in Miami every October. Taking place at Lummus Park, this sand-in-your-toes event isn’t your typical outdoor festival. For one, it’s under the warm South Florida sun, features haute Miami Beach restaurants, raises money for child nutrition, includes 30+ open-food-and-bar stations, and has a week of food and wine events and top chef battles leading up to it. In short, this is one celebration of food you don’t want to miss.
Intrigued? We thought so. Find out everything you need to know about SOBE Seafood Festival 2017, below!
A Whole South Beach Seafood WEEK
Because why limit the fun to one day? This year, the week-long events include:

Crabs, Slabs, & Cabs (Tuesday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m.): Hosted by Jackson Family Wines and Menin Hospitality, this new event will couple Miami chefs with a Jackson Family Master of Wine for exclusive surf n’ turf-and-wine pairings. This walk-around tasting event will take place at Shelborne Miami Beach’s VIP pool deck garden. Shelborne Miami Beach is located at 1801 Collins Avenue. Tickets are priced at $100, and include goody bags, food-and-wine pairings, and more.

Cooking and Cocktails (Wednesday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m.): Join Executive Chef Sean Brasel, of Meat Market, and Celebrity Chef Fernando Desa, of GOYA, as they create a six-course, tapas-style seafood dinner at Meat Market on Lincoln Road. Each course will be paired with a Herradura cocktail that a Herradura brand ambassador and Ezra Pattek, lead mixologist of Meat Market, will help you make yourself. This sit-down event will take place at Meat Market Miami. Meat Market Miami is located at 915 Lincoln Road. Tickets are priced at $100.

An Evening At Joe’s, Presented by La Crema (Thursday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m.): This event, which takes place in Jessie’s Room at Joe’s Stone Crab, will include a five-course, wine-pairing meal by Chef Andre Bienvenu, of Joe’s Stone Crab, and Jackson Family Wines’ Master Sommelier, Thomas Price. The culmination of this night will be to taste the world’s freshest stone crab catch of 2017—which event guests will be some of the first to experience. This sit-down event will take place at Joe’s Stone Crab. Joe’s Stone Crab is located at 11 Washington Avenue. Tickets are priced at $500.

VIP #ChefShowdown (Friday, October 20 at 7 p.m.): Hosted by Cambria Winery, this competition pits Miami’s top 16 executive chefs against each other and lets the guests choose the winners. Hosted inside the Range Rover VIP Hospitality Village and GOYA Culinary Pavilion, chefs will be paired head-to-head in a total of eight different seafood battles. Guests will sample the food at each station and vote to decide this year’s champions. The event will range from Battle Crab, Battle Surf N’ Turf, and Battle Taco, to Battle Fish, Battle Shrimp, Oyster Pit Battle, the 2nd Annual Herradura Showdown, and more. Our favorite chefs to look out for include: Chef Andre Bienvenu (Joe’s Stone Crab),  Chef Santiago Gomez (Tacology), and Chef Massimo Giannattasio (Cibo Wine Bar). Adding to its allure, this event will fuse competition-level food and tropical cocktails with live entertainment. This walk-around tasting event will take place at Lummus Park. The entrance to Lummus Park will be located at 12 Street and Ocean Drive. Tickets start at $150.

The Main Event: South Beach Seafood Festival 2017
This all-day festival, brought to you by Kendall Jackson and presented by Coca-Cola and Jack Daniel’s, welcomes over 13,000 seafood lovers to the sunny shores of South Beach. Sitting right on the sand at Lummus Park, this walk-around tasting event will feature special pop-up cafés from 18 of Miami’s top chefs, open bars, wine pairings, live music, a Jack Daniel’s Beach Club, iHeart Radio djs, culinary demos, a VIP Dance Club, and more. This festival will take place on Saturday, October 21, from Noon to 7 p.m. The entrance to Lummus Park will be located at 14 Street and Ocean Drive. Those with VIP tickets will get exclusive access to the festival until 9 p.m.

Buy Tickets!
Interested in any of these events? Get your tickets here.

A Way to Give Back
This festival isn’t just delicious; it’s for a good cause, too. When you buy tickets to any South Beach Seafood Week event, a portion of proceeds will benefit the Community Initiative Foundation’s “Eat Smart” program. This program works with schools to provide healthy weekend meals and nutritional guidance to children in the Miami Beach community.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Everyone who’s anyone in Miami knows about the iconic Joe’s Stone Crab {11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.673.0365}. Mainly famous for its juicy, fresher-than-fresh stone crab claws, fancy butlers, dazzling dining room, prime South of Fifth location, and in-the-know takeout window, “Joe’s,” as the locals call it, is a staple here in the Magic City. Confirming its fame, this Friday, October 13, the standout seafood spot will open for its 104th—yes, you read that right—stone crab season. And even though its still four days away, Miami locals are already counting down the days.
Having first opened in the same location in 1913, Joe’s Stone Crab wasn’t always a stone crab place. In fact, owner Joe Weiss originally opened it as a casual lunch counter named “Joe’s” and didn’t even start serving his famous claws until nearly a decade later. In 1921, a Harvard University ichthyologist, or someone who specializes in the science of fish, came to Weiss with a bag full of stone crabs and asked him to find a way for people to eat them; something completely unheard of at the time. Skeptical, Joe started experimenting with the claws anyway, and even came up with his classic Joe’s Famous Mustard Sauce (get the recipe here!). After that, there was no going back. Joe’s served the very first stone crabs later that year, and has become a haven for stone crab-loving celebrities, superstars, big businessmen, politicians, world leaders, and presidents ever since.
This Friday, we here in Miami get to honor Joe’s legendary history by once again kicking-off a season that the restaurant practically created. If you want to experience it, get there early. Joe’s doesn’t take reservations, and once it opens, there will surely be a line out the door. Given its annual popularity, the owners expect to serve around 1,500 pounds of stone crabs on opening night, along with time-honored side dishes and desserts like Joe’s hashed brown potatoes, creamed spinach, and of course, the key lime pie. As any veteran stone crab-lover will tell you, it’s both a meal and an experience you won’t want to miss.
The restaurant will reopen for dinner this Friday, October 13, at 5 p.m. Lunch will reopen in the main restaurant on Tuesday, October 17, at 11:30 a.m. Joe’s Takeaway will reopen Friday, October 13, at 5 p.m., with the first breakfast being served on October 14, at 7:30 a.m. The bar will open this Friday, October 13, at 4 p.m. Limited free parking is available across the street and Joe’s offers its own valet.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

We all like to go out to eat and explore in Miami, but sometimes, we want to do it in a way that doesn’t break the bank. Fortunately for you, the Magic City has tons of standing discounts, at some of its hottest spots, designed to get you through every day of the week.
Want the inside scoop? We’ve got it. Read below for some Miami steals and deals that only the real locals know about.
The Betsy Hotel:
Head to The Betsy Hotel {1440 Ocean Drive, South Beach; 844.862.3157} on Thursdays, and you can immerse yourself in a taste of the local culture for free. At 10:30 a.m., start with Morning Culture Break, where visiting artists and creatives from the Miami community come and host “artist talks,” and move on to a 4 p.m. guided tour of The Betsy’s Art Collection with the hotel’s Visual Arts Specialist herself. From 6 to 10 p.m. that night, enjoy live jazz in the lobby as part of the hotel’s Live Music Series. All of the above are free to get into and there’s absolutely no drink minimum. All you do have to RSVP! (Pro tip: Get to the live jazz right at 6 p.m., and you’ll also be able to catch the last 30 minutes of the “Grape Escape” deal, where you can get glasses of wine for just $7 at the Lobby Bar.)
LT Steak & Seafood:
Head to LT Steak & Seafood {1440 Ocean Drive, South Beach; 844.862.3157}, Laurent Tourondel’s restaurant at The Betsy Hotel, and you’ll get a treat for all the senses. There’s free live jazz Tuesday through Saturday, from 6 to 10 p.m., and free popovers—or light, hollow bread rolls made from an egg batter—with every meal.
Cantina La Veinte:
Get ready, ladies! Every Wednesday, from 5 to 10 p.m., Cantina La Veinte {495 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 786.623.6135} gives girls free (free!) bottomless margaritas.
Café Roval:
With its rustic interior and lush, lantern-lit Japanese gardens, Café Roval {5808 NE 4 Court, Miami, Morningside; 786.953.7850} is one of the most romantic spots in town. If you want to impress your date, but don’t want to break the bank, opt for one of the Mediterranean restaurant’s set, prix-fixe menus. The cheapest one is $60 per person, but it gives you a three-course meal with standout options like Baking Bread with French feta, Lamb Meatballs with whipped ricotta, Beef Shawarma, Short Rib with garlic kale, Deboned Yellowtail Snapper with tabbouleh, Chocolate Marsala Cake, Warm Sour Cherry Strudel, and more.
Cibo Wine Bar Coral Gables:
Every Monday night, go to Cibo Wine Bar {45 MIracle Mile, Coral Gables; 305.442.4925} for Monday Pizza + Peroni. Here, you can get homemade pizzas and a cold Peroni for just $10.
Ironside Pizza:
Known for its Neapolitan pizza, Ironside Pizza {7580 Northeast 4 Court, Miami; 305.531.5055} is where you go for wood-fire oven pizzas made with only the finest organic products, homemade cured meats, and mozzarella fiordilatte. Here, you can get a real taste of Italy without buying a plane ticket to get there—in fact, you don’t even have to pay for wine. Grab your friends, split a few pizzas, and BYOB your favorite bottles (plural) of vino. Ironside Pizza as no corkage fee.
Sawa Restaurant & Lounge:
You’ve heard of happy hour… but have you heard of bonus hour? At Sawa Restaurant & Lounge {360 San Lorenzo Avenue, Coral Gables; 305.447.6555}, in Village of Merrick Park, there’s happy hour Monday through Friday, from 4 to 7 p.m. But, if you sit at the bar, you can take advantage of Bonus Hour; which is that same happy hour deal, but longer. It runs seven days a week, from 4 to 8 p.m., and has all of these deals.
Joe’s Stone Crab:
Most people go to Joe’s Stone Crab {11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.673.0365} for the full experience; they want the expensive stone crabs, the white-glove service, the dolled-up waiters buzzing around them, and the perfect glass of wine. But as the locals know, you don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars for that same quality food. For a real treat, go to Joe’s Takeaway for breakfast or lunch, where you can get much of the same food to go for $30 or less.
Salumeria 104:
From 5 to 7 p.m., go to this Midtown Miami spot for food and see if you can “beat the clock.” There are three items on the menu that apply to this deal—Spaghetti al Pomodoro, Gnocchi alla Romana, and Tagliatelle Bolognese—and what you pay depends on the time you order it. For example, if you order one of those three dishes at 5 p.m., you’ll pay five dollars for it; if you order one at 6:15 p.m., you’ll pay $6.15 for it. Last orders must be placed by 7 p.m. at Salumeria 104 {3451 NE 1 Avenue, #104, Midtown; 305.424.9588}, and the deal is available Monday through Friday, for dine-in guests only.
Happy Dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Pineapples & Pizza at Matador Bar
When: Thursday, October 26 from 9 to 11 p.m.
Every month, Matador Bar hosts its monthly live music series, Pineapples & Pizza—and the next one is happening at the end of this month. On Thursday, October 26, join the luxury-loving locals and sip and savor a one-time-only Beef Carpaccio Pizza with button mushroom, arugula and parmesan (by Chef Jean-George Vongerichten himself!) and an Absolut Elxy Pineapple cocktail paired specifically with it. While you eat, sway to the tunes of local legends, Patrick & The Swayzees. It’s a casual night of music, pizza, cocktails, and haute surroundings that you’ll be glad is coming back the following month. The pizza and pineapple cocktail pairing costs $35, and is available at Matador Bar only.   
Oysters & Rosé at Market at EDITION
When: Daily from 4 to 6 p.m.
Did somebody say happy hour?! At this Mediterranean market-inspired restaurant, get $10 Whispering Angel rosé by the glass and premium oysters for just $2 each every single day.
Love For Locals
When: October 2017
Are you a Florida local? If so, visit either Market at EDITION or Matador Room, from now through October 31, and you’ll get 15% off your meal. All residents must show a valid Florida driver’s license to get the discount.
Croquetas & Champagne at Matador Bar
When: Daily from 6 to 9 p.m.
Inspired by the ever-popular Croquetas & Champagne event at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Croquetas & Champagne hour at Matador Bar has become somewhat of a staple. Every night, head to Matador Bar for $15 glasses of Moët & Chandon champagne and two-for-$5 gourmet croquetas. The croqueta options? Truffle Cheese Croquetas with sliced beef carpaccio, and aged balsamic; Cinco Jotas Jamon Croquetas with aged manchego cheese with a smoked paprika emulsion; and Corn and Jalapeño Croquetas with a chipotle emulsion and cilantro. Yum!
Morning Coffee 2.0
When: Every Morning
Thanks to a recently-updated coffee program, Market at EDITION is putting a new spin on your morning pick-me-up. Now, head there for a rotating brew selection from Philadelphia-based La COLOMBE, which has everything from drip brew, French press, and pour-over coffee, to cold brew, Espresso, and specialty coffees, all on draft. You can drink it black, have it with milk, or punch it up with a slew of new gourmet syrups like vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, coconut, chai, and white or dark chocolate. On top of that, you can be a good and happy citizen of the world, too. Every coffee cup is now completely sustainable and eco-friendly, and you can snag a basket of pastries for your office for just $10.
Happy Dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Pizza & Burger by Michael Mina
What you’re getting: These mini, house-made Donuts come alive with the flavors of Macallan 18, butterscotch, and caramel.
4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.674.4636


Big Easy Winebar & Grill
What you’re getting: The Nutella Bread Pudding infuses a decadent, chocolate-soaked bread pudding with salted caramel and tops it all with whipped cream.
701 South Miami Avenue, Suite 339, Brickell; 786.814.5955

Morton’s The Steakhouse
What you’re getting: The name speaks for itself—Morton’s Legendary Sundae takes a warm, molten chocolate lava cake and piles it high with drizzled caramel and chocolate, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and a cherry.
1200 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 305.400.9990

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
What you’re getting: It’s warm Apple Strudel with house-made whipped cream. Need we say more?
315 South Biscayne Boulevard, Downtown Miami; 305.487.7130

La Mar by Gastón Acurio
What you’re getting: This colorful dessert is called Mascarpone, Maiz Morada y Frutos Rojos, and it’s made with chicha morada, mascarpone parfait, red berries coulis, and a five-spice crispy meringue. Get it with a glass of Travieso “El Grand Fiasco” Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, and the flavor will explode in your mouth.
500 Brickell Key Drive, Brickell Key; 305.913.8358

Seaspice
What you’re getting: The Garden of Eden dessert is gluten-free, beautifully arranged, and made with passion fruit cremeux, seasonal tropical fruit, braised pineapple, and coconut sorbet.
422 NW North River Drive, Miami; 305.440.4200

Quality Meats Miami Beach
What you’re getting: There are different varieties of Dressed-Up Scoops at Quality Meats, but the Burnt Marshmallow with burnt marshmallow ice cream, chocolate fudge, chocolate chunks, and graham cracker bits is a classic.
1501 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.340.3333
Happy Dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in all corners of Miami, restaurants are finding ways to raise money for a cure. From glowing-pink buildings and flamingo-colored cocktails, to beneficial prix-fixe menus created by some of the best chefs in the Magic City, here’s how you can eat and drink for a cause in “the 305” this October:
Drink for a Cause at The Setai!
For the rest of this month, raise awareness and support for breast cancer with something you already love doing: drinking. From now through October 31, head to The Lobby Bar and The Courtyard at The Setai, Miami Beach {2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.520.6000} and order a Cherry Blossom Sour cocktail. It costs $18, is made with a delicate mix of Toki Japanese Rare Whisky, Cherry Heering, cherry vanilla syrup, fresh citrus juice, and egg whites, and is garnished with filthy cherries. If that’s not enough to draw you in, $5 from every Cherry Blossom Sour bought through the end of this month will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Turn Dinner into a Staycation
Head to Dolce Italian {1690 Collins Ave, Miami Beach; 786.975.2550} at the Gale South Beach for dinner, order the Heirloom Tomato Salad and Linguine alle Vongole from its Miami Spice menu, and stay until morning. From now through the end of October, Gale South Beach will offer a 25% discount on best-rate hotel rooms, and a portion of every room booked will benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation.
Bleau Goes Pink
For the ninth year in a row, Fontainebleau Miami Beach {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 877.326.7412} has partnered with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Health System to raise money for breast cancer research. As it does every year, on the first of the month, this iconic hotel illuminated its Chateau building in pink with 100+ high-powered light fixtures—a sight that can now be seen nightly, from 10 p.m. to sunrise, through October 31!
Along with that, two of the hotel’s famed restaurants, StripSteak by Michael Mina and Scarpetta by Scott Conant, are offering special $55 three-course menus, a portion of the proceeds from which will benefit breast cancer research. At each restaurant, guests will get one glass of rosé with their choice of an appetizer, entrée, and a dessert from the prix-fixe menu. Go to Scarpetta for Yellowtail Crudo or Braised Short Ribs of Beef and farro risotto appetizers, followed by mains like Duck & Foie Gras Ravioli, Ricotta Raviolini, Local Snapper with fennel & shellfish brodetto, or Honey Glazed Duck with caramelized endive. Want something heavier? Head to StripSteak by Michael Mina for appetizers like Jumbo Gulf Shrimp Cocktail or Prime Steak Tartare, and then move on to your choice of Black Truffle Risotto with a 63º egg, Gallus Braun Chicken with mushroom dashi, or Moyer Farms Angus 8-ounce Filet Mignon for dinner. Of course, no meal is complete without dessert, so let the chef surprise you with something seasonal, sweet, and downright delicious.
Happy Dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Miami New Times‘ Iron Fork will return tomorrow for its 10th anniversary! And to celebrate this milestone in style, attendees can expect a chef showdown, VIP open bar, and savory bites, drinks, and sweet delights from 50+ of the Magic City’s top restaurants and bars.
Taking place at The Hyatt Regency in Downtown Miami, Iron Fork 2017 is sure to be a night that brings together food, fun, and Miami’s finest. Here are just a few things to look forward to at tomorrow night’s event:
A VIP Experience
Want to feel like a food-loving rockstar? Buy a VIP ticket, and you’ll get access to a special VIP lounge with complimentary drinks from Estrella Damm, Voga Italia, Miami Cocktail Co., Russian Standard Vodka, Tequila Corazon de Agave, Prescribed Spirits, Zubrówka Bison Grass Vodka, and Barton & Guestier, along with exclusive food from BLT Steak and BLT Prime. Don’t want to wait until 7 p.m. to go? You won’t have to. VIP ticket holders also get admission to Iron Fork 2017 an hour early for some extra food and fun.
A Battle of Chefs
The popular Iron Fork Chef Competition is one of the most coveted parts of this annual event. This year, Brian Nasajon, Chef/Owner of Beaker & Gray and Santiago Gomez, Executive Chef of Tacology {701 South Miami Avenue, Brickell; 786.347.5368} and Corporate Chef of Cantina La Veinte {495 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 786.623.6135}, will take the stage in a duel of fire, knives, and a little trash-talking for the coveted Iron Fork “Skillet of Excellence.” This event will start at 6 p.m.
A Way to Give Back
At Iron Fork, you can eat for a cause. This year, the event has partnered with Miami Rescue Mission, a charitable organization that feeds and houses more than 1,300 homeless men, women, and children in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. To help give back to this honorable cause, Iron Fork will host a silent auction and give 100% of the proceeds to Miami Rescue Mission.
And of course, some of the best restaurants in town…
…like Mr. Chow {2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.695.1695}, Morton’s The Steakhouse {1200 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 305.400.9990}, Cibo Wine Bar {Multiple locations, South Florida; 305.442.4925}, Tacology, Glass & Vine {2820 McFarlane Road, Coconut Grove; 305.200.5268}, and Soyka {5556 Northeast 4 Court, MiMo; 305.759.3117}. And those are just our favorites.
Miami New Times’ Iron Fork will take place at the Hyatt Regency Miami on Thursday, October 5, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The Hyatt Regency Miami is located at 400 S.E. Second Avenue.

Tickets to Iron Fork 2017 can be purchased here. General Admission tickets start at $50 and include entry into the event at 7 p.m., food samples, cash bar access, and entertainment. VIP tickets start at $80 and include early entry at 6 p.m., unlimited food samples, complimentary drinks, access to the VIP lounge area, and entertainment. All attendees must be 21+ and will need a valid, government-issued photo ID to get in the door.
Happy Dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor