Bring on the New Restaurants

Covid or no Covid, new restaurants are coming to life in Coral Gables.

Some 15 new eateries opened during the pandemic itself, with at least another ten just now opening or due to open in the near future. Here are two that are brand new. 

Forte by Chef Adrianne

Chef Adrianne is becoming an unstoppable force in the Gables cuisine scene, having opened Red Fish during the pandemic, and now launching Forte on Miracle Mile. The new restaurant, in the former Cibo Wine Bar space, features her take on Italian food (the name comes from her Sicilian grandmother). So expect the kind of Southern Italian food that we don’t have enough of in the Gables, like homemade pasta with Italian sausage, but with some new dishes that Chef Adrianne will bring. “Forte is my mother’s maiden name and I wanted to celebrate her and my Italian heritage from my maternal side,” says the chef. “These are my recipes, collections of lessons, memories, and a huge amount of passion.” Buon mangiare.

Cebada by Chef Jorge Ramos

Once you go up to the large patio that overlooks Giralda Plaza from atop Coyo Taco, you will wonder why there are not more rooftop restaurants in Coral Gables. At least we have this new one by Chef Jorge Ramos, best known for his Barley and Avi Maria restaurants in downtown Dadeland. His latest is “contemporary American with a Latin overlay” that allows him to infuse the cuisine with his heritage – grandparents from Spain, parents from Cuba. Also expect baked seafood dishes, an oyster bar, and a wood oven, along with classic Cuban and American cocktails. As of press time, the restaurant was scheduled to open in July. Says Ramos, “If you see people drinking on the railing, then we’re open.”