Year-End Picks and a Fond Farewell

2022 is coming to an end, and so is our time at the Biscayne Times. This will be our last column for the publication, which we’ve been a part of since 2017. It’s been a fun five years, but we need to step back and welcome a new addition to our family. Thank you for joining us on our culinary adventures.

To help you finish out the year on a strong gastronome-friendly note, we’ve rounded up a final few restaurant recommendations to get you through the holidays. If you haven’t yet visited these restaurants, you need to. And if you’re familiar with them, it’s a good time to revisit them, especially if you have friends and family in town for the season.

The first place to keep top of mind: Miami Slice, located at 1335 NE Miami Ct. (305.217.5423). As you can probably guess from the name, it’s a pizza shop. And it’s a great one that serves not only whole pies, but slices as well (which isn’t as common). If you can’t commit to a full pizza, this downtown hot spot is happy to offer NYC-style wedges to your stomach’s content. Two options to consider are the pepperoni with hot honey and the leeks and bacon. Just trust us.

A little more inland, The Gibson Room at 2224 SW 22nd St. (305.570.4311) combines great food, great drinks and great music for a winning equation. The elevated cocktail bar on Coral Way has the feel of a local watering hole … but better. Among the items you can nosh on are chicken liver mousse, croquetas, trout tartare and tamal en cazuela. The menu tends to change, but one constant is The Burger: The double smashed patty with special sauce is absolutely divine.

On the lighter side of things, there’s Paperfish Sushi at 1421 S Miami Ave. (305.741.0936) in Brickell. It’s a bit hidden, but eagle-eyed guests will be rewarded with some tasty Japanese-Peruvian fusion. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the area; generous sushi rolls can be had in the $15-$20 range. Expect to find the usual suspects – think spicy tuna and rainbow rolls – alongside more fun fare like the acevichado roll with shrimp katsu, avocado and white fish, or the non-fish Tropical Yasai with just mango, cucumber, cream cheese, avocado and passion fruit sauce. Want to save a little more money? The lunch bento box specials are worth a look.

And up in MiMo, Gorilla City Bar B Que, located at 709 NE 79th St. (305.773.1045), has taken up shop at The Anderson Miami. The Magic City isn’t really known for its BBQ, but Gorilla City is trying to change that with delicious selections like smoked pulled pork, Memphis-dust spareribs and Texas-style brisket. Given the name, you can expect some huge portions, especially when it comes to the family-size platters that come loaded with meats on meats on meats. Diets come to die here, but the calorie count is worth every single bite.

Openings

Miami is heading into the new year strong with a bevy of restaurant openings, including Midtown’s Italica, located at 3201 NE First Ave. (786.850.2600). Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen in Miami, but this place just exudes coolness; it’s a stunning restaurant that boasts flavorful options like porchetta, burrata, gnocchi ragu and squid ink risotto. Yes, it’s stuff you’ve seen before, but it’s done really well here. Don’t forget to take a look at that spritz menu, too.

Not too far from Italica is Jass Kitchen at 190 NE 46th St. (305.603.8748) in Buena Vista. The Mediterranean jazz house is big on passed plates and live music – a match made in heaven for outings with friends or a romantic dinner. You can share an assortment of dips or other appetizers like zucchini pancakes and stuffed grape leaves, or opt for more substantial bites like lamb chops and branzino. Reservations are a must, particularly when there are performers involved; we wouldn’t risk just walking in.

And finally, another spot offering entertainment and food is Puttshack at 701 S Miami Ave. in Brickell City Centre, a mini golf experience bolstered by globally inspired fare and stiff drinks. In between holes of golf, you can indulge in Maryland crab dip, Thai fried chicken, Korean BBQ bao buns and poutine – it’s a fairly impressive menu for a mini golf place.

Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne Rubin-Anderson are co-founders of Miami Food Pug, an award-winning South Florida food blog that fuses the couple’s love of dogs and food.