Where to Eat Right Now: Glass & Vine
[caption id="attachment_3769" align="aligncenter" width="618"] Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli at Glass & Vine[/caption] South Florida chef Giorgio Rapicavoli–champion of Food Network’s Chopped, a man listed on FORBES “30 Under 30,” James Beard Award semi-finalist and all-around Miami favorite–has
Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli at Glass & Vine
South Florida chef Giorgio Rapicavoli–champion of Food Network’s Chopped, a man listed on FORBES “30 Under 30,” James Beard Award semi-finalist and all-around Miami favorite–has done it again. After the wild success of his first restaurant, Eating House Miami, he teamed up with Grove Bay Hospitality in March 2016 to open his latest restaurant concept, Glass & Vine {2820 McFarlane Road, Coconut Grove; 305.200.5268}. Located right in the heart of Coconut Grove’s Peacock Park, this is Miami’s first restaurant inside a park. And even today, nine months after its opening, fans still can’t get enough of it.
At enchanting Glass & Vine, Rapicavoli has put together a menu of creative plates inspired by his surroundings, including whimsical and modern Floridian plates like the Broccoli-Cheeseburger with cheddar and buttermilk on a brioche bun, or the Stone Fruit Salad with bitter lettuce, yuzu, grana Padano, and green herbs. The restaurant has become known for its “Garden, Sea and Land” menu, which has plates like the Pan Tumaca, bread topped with heirloom tomatoes, jamon Serrano, or the Half Chicken, Rapicavoli’s acclaimed mojo canario roasted chicken on a bed of bitter lettuce. The best part? To make sure you don’t have to miss a bite of it, all plates are designed to share.
At dinner at Glass & Vine, you can pair your delicious evening meal with sunset views over an enchanting landscape of lush greenery. Start your meal with appetizers like Sweet Potatoes with “huancaina sauce,” queso blanco, lime, and cured egg yolk or Florida Stracciatella with California olive oil, local bread and garlic confit. For a taste of the sea, Rapicavoli’s Local Fish ‘Aguachile’ with carrots, passionfruit and Florida citrus certainly won’t disappoint, and neither will his Shrimp ‘Al Ajillo’ with red pepper romesco, parsley salad and olive oil toast. Whatever you choose, complement your meal with the restaurant’s impressive cocktail menu, also helmed by Rapicavoli, and order cunning cocktails like the Peacock Punch with Leblon cachaça, passion fruit, condensed milk, and mint, or the Bay View Spritz: a concoction of orange flower-infused aperol, Cocchi Americano, and Montelliana prosecco. Cheers, indeed!
Wood Oven Baked Eggs at Glass & Vine
Of course, when in Miami on a weekend, there’s nothing better than a hearty brunch. At Glass & Vine, munch on modern Floridian sharing plates like Sweet Potato Tater Tots with buttermilk ‘ranch’ dressing, fluffy Semolina Pancakes with buttermilk, lemon zest, vanilla-maple syrup and whipped butter, or Wood Oven Baked Eggs with confit garlic cream, black pepper, Grana Padano, grilled bread, cauliflower, nutmeg, and if you want it, cured meats or truffle sauce. The perfect starter, the Pan Con Tomate with raw tomato, jamon serrano, and dehydrated olives on local bread is another fan favorite; it’s somehow equally light, hearty, and as with anything at G & V, delicious.
Craving a taste of Glass & Vine? We are, too. To try it for yourself, head there for lunch Monday through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m, or go to dinner Monday through Thursday, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., on Fridays and Saturdays, from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., or on Sunday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor