A Taste of the New

New Restaurants in Coral Gables

Each season, a new raft of restaurants arrives to test their mettle in the notoriously unforgiving culinary scene of Coral Gables. And, as the saying goes, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. A quick look at a few of the new entries.

Coppola’s Bistro Ristorante

Coppola’s is the replacement for Spritz, which had some of the best pizza in town at affordable prices. Unfortunately, Coppola’s does not – its pizzas are small and overpriced. We forgive them for that, however, because the rest of the menu is much better, with a huge selection of pastas, chick- en, fish, and beef. Pear ravioli in a butter sage sauce? Yum. Mushroom risotto with cream robiola cheese? Yes please. A small eatery with a nice atmosphere.

2305 Ponce De Leon. 305.403.9494. coppolasbistro.com

RATING: B

Tempo

Aloft Hotel has been searching for the right restaurant for years. Now comes Tempo, with its short but intriguing menu by chefs Carlos Garcia and Richard Ortega. They call it Mediterranean, but eclectic is a better description. Artichoke risotto? Grilled branzino with kimchi sauce? How about an Osso Buco with hazelnuts, pearl onions and pecorino cheese? The cocktail menu is also inventive; we loved the Catalonia with vodka, apricot liqueur, lime juice, and raspberries.

2524 S. Le Jeune Rd. 786.244.6860. tempomiami.com

RATING: A

Pura Vida

With a clean, bright interior that reminds you of wellness, Pura Vida delivers on that promise with a menu full of healthy items like wraps, acai bowls, and superfood smoothies. Their all-day breakfast is sure to be a favorite and the counter full of pastries (all baked fresh in-house) rocks – from the guava coconut cookies to the banana bread loaf to the vegan chocolate chip cookies. And don’t miss their “flu shot” (ginger, lemon, honey, and cayenne pepper).

244 Miracle Mile. 305.204.0602. puravidamiami.com

RATING: A

Don Favio’s Pizza Gourmet

Finding a place that sells pizza by the slice anywhere south of Brooklyn is a rarity, especially in the Gables. But Don Favio’s sells pepperoni or cheese slices at the counter. If you order the whole pizza, the choices are extensive, from shrimp to Toscano (prosciut- to & arugula). The milkshakes are perfect creamy goodness, and the garlic rolls are truly garlicky. Still, as far as fast food goes, it’s just not that fast, so stick to the slices if you’re on the go.

220 Miracle Mile. 305.569.0311.

RATING: C

My Roots Juice Bar & Kitchen

For anyone into vegan and vegetarian dishes, Green Gables Café was a favorite spot. As far as a replacement, My Roots falls short. Sure, it’s all healthy, but a clustered menu makes ordering more difficult, and it’s not helped by the service, which is also lacking. We imagine that’ll improve with time – and to be fair, we didn’t try the breakfast, a Green Gables institution.

327 Alhambra Circle. 786.391.3119. myrootsjuicebar.com

RATING: D

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

We get it. It’s fast food. Slow cooking isn’t in the name. The pork ribs, for example, could be improved with more time and smoke, and the sides could use a little more flavor. But the price is right, the service is fast, and both the pulled pork and the burnt rib ends are quite good. Hopefully they’ll work out the quirks in this national chain, since it fills a family niche we didn’t have.

374 Miracle Mile. 305.934.3753. dickeys.com

RATING: B