New restaurants in Coral Gables

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Tapas Time at Bar Zorro

Bar Zorro on Giralda Plaza: Inside is rustic exposed brick and dark wood
The jamón ibérico: Salty slices of jamón with a stack of toasted bread

Bar Zorro is a new arrival on Giralda Plaza, with a menu centering on Spanish tapas. It is still a work in progress, with more dishes from Spain being added alongside familiar staples like Tortilla de Patata and Pan con Tomate. The look of the restaurant follows a rustic direction, with exposed brick, dark wood, and vintage-style lighting creating the character of an old-fashioned bar. Pops of artwork throughout add a modern edge.

We leaned traditional with our first dish, the Jamón Ibérico ($40), practically mandatory at a Spanish tapas bar. Rich, salty slices of jamón surrounded a stack of toasted bread, a simple but effective formula. The Bacalao Croquetas ($15) arrived as three golden, flattened croquetas, crisp on the outside with a creamy cod and béchamel paste inside, orange aioli and chopped chives on top.

Cocktails are $18, ranging from fruit-forward spritzes to bourbon, mezcal, and gin-based drinks. We started with La Fresa, a strawberry vodka spritz that balanced sweetness with a tart finish. The Garrison went in the opposite direction. Made with Bulleit Bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters, it was stronger; Bar Zorro does not shy away from letting the bourbon come through. The wine list ranges from Spanish Albariño, Verdejo, Tempranillo, and Cava to selections from France, Chile, and Italy. They also offer a daily happy hour from 5:30 to 7 pm, with $8 wines, $5 beers, and $10 cocktails.

146 Giralda Avenue
786.359.4121
BarZorroMiami.com

Pizza Bear

Coral Gables has seen a surge of pizza restaurants lately, and now another has joined the mix. Pizza Bear recently opened on Ponce de Leon in the former home of salad-and-sandwich MKT Kitchen. The interior now has a classic pizza-parlor look, with black-and-white checkered floors, black tables and chairs, and a disco ball overhead. A wood-fired oven sits in full view, with sourdough pizzas being slid in and out. Order at the counter, grab your own plates and utensils, and find a table.

A wood-fired oven in the open kitchen turns out nicely charred sourdough pizza with fresh tomato & pepperoni

Since the restaurant only recently opened, service is still finding its rhythm. Annoyingly, our order was initially overlooked. Once the mixup was resolved, we were calmed by an order of Broccoli Pesto Joysticks, a generous serving of sourdough sticks filled with broccoli pesto and served with marinara for dipping. They arrived crisp around the edges, with a soft, chewy center and plenty of pesto inside. The menu features five pizzas, from the Classic Cheese ($22) to the Mushroom ($28) and seasonal Summer Corn ($25). We opted for the Pepperoni ($26), made simply with red sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni. The sourdough crust was nicely charred from the wood-fired oven, thin through the center with a puffier, chewy edge. The red sauce stood out, with a fresh tomato flavor and slight tang.

Beyond the pizza, the menu also offers wings, a Caesar salad, and a grilled asparagus salad, $16 each. Pizza Bear is open Wednesday through Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday.

1831 Ponce de Leon Blvd
Pizza-Bear.com

Ingenious
Ami Ami

For anyone who appreciates good décor and even better food, Ami Ami gives equal attention to both. Owners Milena Damchevski and Dushan Drakalski moved to Coral Gables from Vienna

Ami Ami serves inventive crunchy salads in a cozy light-filled room with a bookshelf!

seven years ago with their children, Luka and Noah. Originally from Macedonia, they created Ami Ami as a place that fuses art, music, and food from their European roots – like their Austrian Kaiserschmarrn (“Emperor’s Mess” torn pancake dessert) or their sesame gevrek, a kind of Macedonian bagel.

The interior is warm and comfortable, with colorful artwork, wood furniture, and unexpected details. Natural light fills the room, creating a cozy setting for lunch or an afternoon working from a laptop. One element we especially admired was the full bookshelf lining the wall (for reading or buying), complemented by a suspended paper installation filled with handwritten notes from customers.

The lunch menu, served from noon to 9 pm, is a highly inventive array of dishes from northern and central Europe (Nordic flatbread, pistachio- kissed meatballs, roasted roots with cheddar cheese, etc). We opted for the Sesame Citrus Crunch Salad ($15), made with chiffonade cabbage, red bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, oranges, and candied cashews. Great shifts in texture, with an unexpected sweetness from the candied cashews. As for the drink, we could not resist their fresh lemonade (four types). We tried the cucumber mint variation ($7), which added a crisp finish to the citrus. Breakfast runs from 9 am to noon, with dishes like Avocado Bruschetta ($18).

318 Miracle Mile
786.397.8340

Le Macaron
Lands on the Mile

Le Macaron French Pastries has landed on Miracle Mile, bringing with it a very French problem: deciding which tiny, brightly colored dessert you want.

The colorful display of macarons includes pistachio, raspberry, and chocolate praline

The macarons are the obvious draw, with flavors ranging from pistachio, raspberry, and chocolate praline to bubble gum, tiramisu, birthday cake, and cookie butter. At $3.10 each, we did the only sensible thing and tried several. Cookie butter was the favorite – rich, spiced, and easily the one we would go back for.

There is plenty beyond the macaron case. The shop serves gelato and coffee, along with cakes, éclairs, Napoleons, croissants, pain au chocolat, and a rotating selection of pastries. The baked goods were fine, but they are not what would bring us back. Save the calories for dessert.

More interesting are the glossy, fruit-shaped pastries that have become social media fixtures lately – little mangoes, bananas, and other fruits that look remarkably convincing until you cut into them.

The space itself is unapologetically pink, complete with flowers, Eiffel Tower décor, and display cases packed with sweets. Le Macaron has locations across the country, including several in Florida, but the Coral Gables shop is currently its only South Florida outpost. Interestingly, the brand also had a brief Miracle Mile presence more than a decade ago, making this less of an arrival than a return.

392 Miracle Mile
LeMacaron-US.com