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(Courtesy La Feneteria)

La Feneteria's rooftop deck

From Garden to Rooftop

May brings fresh ways to dine al fresco, plus other exciting foodie opportunities

This month we focus on outdoor dining with rooftop dining, elevating the restaurant scene in Wynwood, and a Garden Brunch serving up a fresh, colorful menu in Coconut Grove. A new Wagyu Bar opens in Coral Gables, the Caracas Bakery pops up in South Beach, and restaurant collaborations become the new strategic partnerships.

ROOFTOP DINING/SKYLINE VIEWS

When paired with the city's skyline views, Miami rooftop dining offers spectacular ambiance. Located in Wynwood, La Ferneteria rooftop restaurant and lounge, 305-564-8150, 230 NW 24th St., 9th Floor, Miami, features a blend of live music, artisanal cocktails, and authentic Italian cuisine, providing a backdrop for an elevated experience. There is a live DJ Thurs. through Sat. starting at 10:30 p.m., and on Saturdays there is also a fire dancer.

The restaurant offers a curated, prix-fixe menu featuring some of its most iconic dishes. To start, guests can choose from Arancini, crispy risotto bites stuffed with mozzarella di bufala; Yellowfin Tuna Tartare; Carpaccio di Manzo; or Burrata alla Caprese.

For the main course, options include Gnocchi al Ragù alla Bolognese, with potato and ricotta gnocchi and braised short rib; the Ten Layers Lasagna, layered with slow-cooked short rib and mozzarella di bufala; Salmone alla Griglia, served with sautéed asparagus and salmoriglio sauce; and Ternerita Braseada, braised for eight hours and served with mashed potatoes and red wine reduction. A vegetarian option is also available.

To finish, choose from Vanilla and Peaches Panna Cotta; Dulce de Leche Pancakes with affogato; Marquise di Cioccolato; or a selection of gelatos. An optional wine and cocktail pairing is available to complement each course. Prix-fixe menu: $70; with pairing: $120. The full menu will also be available during dinner.

SECRETS OF MAKING PASTA

Join Pasta, 786-558-4308, 124 NW 28th St., Wynwood, Miami for an ongoing pasta-making class and dinner every Wednesday at 6 p.m, by acclaimed Peruvian chefs Juan Manuel Umbert and Janice Buraschi. Their celebrated, modern pasta-focused restaurant concept, Pasta, is a true labor of love, with a menu rooted in authenticity, simplicity, and traditional Italian cuisine, blended with innovative techniques and Peruvian influences. Hosted by Pasta’s head chef Luis Jose, attendees will roll up their sleeves for a hands-on experience where they will learn the secrets behind creating perfect pasta — from mixing and kneading to shaping and saucing. After class, they’ll enjoy their creations.

Whether a seasoned home cook or simply a pasta lover, this class offers the perfect blend of learning, flavor, and fun — all in one evening. Tickets are priced at $95.50 per person and includes one welcome cocktail per guest, water, pasta (part of the pasta making class), appetizer, and dessert.

Isabelle’s Coconut Grove 305-644-4680, The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, 3300 SW 27th Ave., Miami welcomes back its Garden Brunch series on Sunday afternoons. Enjoy a charming brunch on the restaurant's outdoor patio, Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a whimsical à la carte menu, transportive live music and elegant, Insta-worthy décor.

Isabelle’s Tartine Tower, arrives as a striking, multi-tiered presentation of fresh fruit and three distinctive tartines: the Green Goddess Tartine with avocado, lemon labneh, basil oil, puffed quinoa, Zak the Baker toasted ancient grain sourdough and edible petals; the Whipped Feta and Honeycomb Tartine with roasted fig, Keez-Beez honeycomb, pink peppercorn dust, and thyme oil; and the Smoked Salmon and Beet Hummus Tartine topped with citrus-cured smoked salmon, cucumber ribbon, dill blossom, and lemon ash.

For something bright and nourishing, the Blue Grove Glow acai bowl blends blue spirulina, mango, banana, pineapple, coconut milk, dragon fruit, kiwi, toasted coconut and edible blossoms, finished with fresh mint and flowers.

To complement the fresh flavors and colorful presentations, a new lineup of Garden Brunch cocktails is curated by Gio Gutierrez of @chatchowtv, in collaboration with local cold-pressed juicer, Monday Juice.

Each cocktail highlights fresh juice and thoughtfully layered flavors: Garden Glow with Havana Club Blanco, Aperol, pineapple, watermelon, apple, lime, beet, and prosecco; Golden Hour with Patrón Reposado, cinnamon, agave, apple, pineapple, turmeric, lemon, and ghost pepper; and Leaf and Looms with Grey Goose, fig leaf, cucumber, spinach, celery, lemon, and dandelion. The Garden Brunch Series available through Sun., May 30.

WAGYU BAR EXPANDS IN CORAL GABLES

When the popular Italian restaurant Caffe Vialetto closed in 2025 after 26 years of feeding families and sharing milestones, diners across Miami mourned the loss of the Coral Gables icon, a stable oasis for quiet dinners and family celebrations in a wildly changing culinary landscape. Now, the property has a new tenant, one familiar to Gables diners: The Wagyu Bar, 786-579-2498, 4019 Le Jeune Rd., Coral Gables, which was originally located on Coral Way.

The new Wagyu Bar, which originally opened on Coral Way in 2021, is bigger, with seating for 70 customers. There’s more parking, a bar and a private dining room that seats up to 16. The look is darker, more dramatic. According to co-owner Gabriel Llaurado, the owners are mindful of how Miami views Caffe Vialetto’s history. “I’m truly excited to bring this space to life and introduce something fresh to our beloved community, because no great story ever begins with a salad,” he said. “We look forward to elevating every aspect of the experience.”

The menu features many of Wagyu Bar’s famous steaks, as well as a few items from its sister restaurant, The Wagyu House in Hallandale Beach. Steaks generally range in price from $25 to $200 and highlight Japanese, Australian, and American wagyu, as well as some of the top USDA steaks, like ribeye and New York strip from the midwest.

Some of the menu highlights include A5 wagyu nigiri; charred beef tartare with tobiko (flying fish roe); baby back ribs and grilled branzino. You can order burgers and katsus, too. The restaurant also serves lunch specials daily, including platters with a choice of protein (chicken, salmon or, naturally, steak) with rice or quinoa and a side salad. Meanwhile, back on Coral Way, the original Wagyu Bar space will become Meat N’ Bone Kitchen, a butcher shop and casual cafe serving burgers, sandwiches and breakfasts.

Caracas Bakery, the Venezuelan bakery that started in Doral, then opened in Miami’s MiMo neighborhood and Coral Gables, has now opened in another neighborhood, Sunset Harbour in South Beach. Founded by Jesús Brazón, the bakery, famous for its croissants, sourdough and cachitos, is now at The Harbour Club, 305-910-0415, 1766 Bay Rd. Miami Beach.

An exclusive members-only social club, The Harbour Club is also home to the Italian-Mediterranean restaurant a’Riva, open during evening hours. Caracas Bakery is open on the first floor during the day for breakfast and lunch, in a more relaxed setting that’s somewhat less intimidating than its neighboring luxury restaurant.

In the mornings, there's a full bakery menu, the same one you’ll find at the MiMo location, with breakfast sandwiches and toasts, such as avocado, salmon, mushroom among them, as well as yogurt bowls and frittatas and breakfast platters.

At lunchtime, the space transforms into Casa Caracas, with a new menu that includes grilled piri piri chicken, prawns sauteed in garlic olive oil and lemon, hanger steak or pasta. There are also salads and side dishes as a cocktail menu.

PURA VITA AND ABBALE COLLAB

Restaurant collaborations are the new strategic partnerships between food brands, celebrities, and influencers. Collabs are designed to create limited-time offers (LTO), boost restaurants' social media buzz, and drive traffic with info about unique menu items.

The benefits of restaurant collaborations are increased brand hype: Utilizing LTOs to generate excitement and social media attention; new audience acquisition: Tapping into the fan base of a partner brand or celebrity; innovation: blending culinary styles to offer unique, trendy food experiences; and cultural relevance: Aligning with current trends to remain relevant.

Pura Vida Miami and Abbalé Telavivian Kitchen have partnered for the first time to introduce a new plant-based protein to Pura Vida Miami’s all-day menu: falafel, developed in collaboration with Abbalé’s culinary team.

Rooted in simplicity, balance, and ingredient integrity, Pura Vida Miami, which has a location at 15180 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach, is known for its thoughtfully prepared, seed-oil-free dishes designed for everyday living without sacrificing flavor.

Abbalé Telavivian Kitchen is celebrated for its vibrant Tel Aviv–inspired cuisine. Executive chef Samuel Gorenstein worked closely with the Pura Vida team to translate its signature flavors into a falafel that aligns with the brand’s clean, approachable culinary philosophy.

Available at select Pura Vida Miami locations (puravida.com), the collaboration debuts across two new menu items: the Herb Falafel Bowl: Oven-baked falafel, quinoa, arugula, mint, parsley, cilantro, cucumber, cherry tomato, radish, red onion, bell pepper, spiced pumpkin seeds, lemon oil, sumac, and a side of green tahini — contains sesame, tree nuts: cashew/Vegan + Gluten-Free; the Falafel Crunch Wrap: Oven-baked falafel, avocado, hummus, arugula, mint, parsley, cilantro, cucumber, cherry tomato, red onion, sprouts, lemon oil, sumac; contains sesame, tree nuts: cashew/Vegan + can be made in a gluten-free wrap or as a bowl.

Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world.