Coral Gables Restaurants: Five places to Eat & Drink (Wine) Around the World

Coral Gables is called “The City Beautiful,” and that’s for good reason. This is one gorgeous little city in the Greater Miami area.

Discerning diners love it too! Take a walk down remodeled Miracle Mile or any of the parallel streets in Downtown Coral Gables and you will notice a diverse range of bars and restaurants tucked away along the manicured sidewalks. Coral Gables restaurants have become hot destinations for locals and travelers looking for culinary exploration.

While there are many dining options in the downtown area, we’ve picked out five that can be part of your journey of eating and drinking around the world at Coral Gables restaurants.

Luca Osteria (Italy)

Giralda Plaza might be The Gables’ most lively street to wander. It’s also home to some of the city’s coolest restaurants. This list includes Luca Osteria by one of the Gables’ longtime resident chefs and Chopped winner, Giorgio Rapicavoli.

You may know Chef Rapicavoli from his previous hotspot, Eating House, which was very popular amongst the Miami foodie community. His latest restaurant, which opened in early 2021, is affectionately named after his son. Here at Luca Osteria, he shows us what he can do with Italian cuisine. Spoiler: it’s very good.

The concept of the restaurant is contemporary Italian with a Mediterranean influence. Dishes range from an assortment of antipasti to freshly extruded pasta made in-house. The cocktail list is creative, and the wines lean heavily Italian (as they should).

Expect to see Piemonte favorites like Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi DOCG and Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo DOCG, but also more exotic choices like Tenuta Tascante Ghiaia Nera Etna DOC from Sicily, or something a little more interesting like the Teifenbrunner Pinot Grigio DOC from the northern region of Alto Adige. The U.S. and Argentina are well represented on the list too. While enjoying freshly prepared Bucatini all’Amatriciana or Osso Buco alla Milanese, you should pair accordingly.

116 Giralda Avenue

Graziano’s Market & Restaurant (Argentina)

Graziano’s offers two opportunities for diners to enjoy a culinary experience that is uniquely Argentine.

Whether you are in the mood for a quick empanada and coffee, or you want to sit down for a full dinner, you can do both at either Graziano’s market or restaurant, both located in Downtown Coral Gables.

Market

The market is the perfect place for a business lunch or even happy hour with daily wine specials. A selection of sandwiches and grab-and-go bakery items are available throughout the day. If you want to dine in, you’ll be seated amongst the wine boxes and bottles, an element that gives the market a bodega feel. You also have the option to eat outside on the sidewalk facing Galiano Street. Because it is an actual retail market, it’s possible to buy wines to go, and the choices are seemingly endless. Argentina, Italy, and Spain are heavily represented in the market, but you’ll also find lots of great choices from France and the U.S. Need a bottle of Billecart Salmon or Bruno Paillard Champagne for a celebration? Graziano’s has that too!

Restaurant

If you’re looking for an evening of Argentine fine dining, the full experience happens at Graziano’s restaurant on Giralda. Be impressed with the view of a fire pit and two large grills through floor-to-ceiling glass. Your dining options include items like aperativos de la parrilla, lomo de bife, or bife de chorizo, with pasta or risotto.

Enjoy your meal with an Argentine red! Here, the wines from Mendoza are separated by the producer. If you love wines from this region, you will be extremely impressed with the selection of available bottles. Catena Zapata is represented by over 10 of their wines. Bodegas Rutini has at least 20 + bottles on the list. Zuccardi is there, as are many other South American favorites. If you’d prefer a bottle of Italian to enjoy with your ravioli, that part of the list is robust as well with pages dedicated to wines from Italy. Spain is on the menu, and so is Slovenia! Spend some time perusing the 15 pages of wine, and pick a few labels from the comprehensive selection. When it comes to Coral Gables restaurants, Graziano’s is where you dine when you’re craving steak and wine.

2301 Galiano Street (Market)

394 Giralda Avenue (Restaurant)

Pascal’s on Ponce (France)

Pascal’s on Ponce has been a mainstay amongst Coral Gables restaurants for over 20 years. Chef/Owner Pascal Oudin opened the intimate 55-seat restaurant on Ponce de Leon Boulevard in 2000. It quickly became one of the top dining destinations in the city.

Chef Oudin brings his extensive experience as a decorated chef from France to Downtown Coral Gables and has created a concept that is quite perfectly contemporary French.

The menu includes French-inspired dishes combined with local ingredients. You can enjoy meals such as warm octopus with hearts of palm, confit baby eggplant, and Cipollini Onion, or crispy Moulard Duck Confit, sautéed spinach with Pommes Sarladaise and sauce Forestiere. Did someone say Foie Gras Terrine, or how about twice-baked upside-down Gruyere cheese soufflé? The desserts are delectable and should not be ignored. The chef also prepares a tasting menu if that is what you prefer.

The wine list includes “chef’s cellar selections” with the owner’s top bottle recommendations. Pascal’s offers glass, bottle, and even half-bottle options. Whether you are in the mood for Sancerre or Vosne-Romanée, Champagne or Châteauneuf, there is a French wine to quench your thirst. The U.S., Spain, Chile, and Argentina are also included throughout the list. From Ribera del Duero to Carneros, there’s a little something for every taste.

2611 Ponce de Leon Boulevard

Zitz Sum (Asia)

With influences mostly from China and Japan– but also Korea and Laos, it’s hard to put Zitz Sum (zeetz-som) in one box. However, when you consider the entire menu, including the eclectic wine list, this place checks all the boxes.

Zitz Sum is a tiny but mighty restaurant in a beautiful marbled office building located on Alhambra Circle in the heart of downtown. However, when you walk in, you immediately feel transported somewhere else. You know this Coral Gables restaurant will be something special.

The menu ranges from starters like Korean-style Steak Tartare and Kampachi Crudo to Bing Bread or a cucumber and carambola salad. You can order flavorful pork potstickers or an incredible vegan mushroom bao bun – yes vegan! Chicken dumplings and charred cabbage are also on the menu. Everything is tasty, and everything is worth ordering and sharing.

Now, when it comes to wine, Zitz Sum has managed to put a world of options on one little list. You can taste a Bosnian Zilavka or a Pinot Noir from Slovenia. Order an “orange” Torrontés from Chile to soften your spicy Crudo, or perhaps you prefer a Beaujolais Morgon made in a more natural way to drink alongside your pork potstickers.

Whatever you decide to order, it will add layers to the dining experience. Think of this spot as a place to not only explore a world of cuisine but to see just how far you can stretch your palate into regions undiscovered.

396 Alhambra Circle, Suite 155

Bulla Gastrobar (Spain)

You may see Bulla Gastrobar popping up in other neighborhoods around town, but it started right here in Coral Gables at the corner of Ponce de Leon and Andalusia, a block away from Miracle Mile.

Bulla is an energetic meeting spot where diners can enjoy traditional Spanish tapas, such as albóndigas, patatas bravas, and pulpo a la parrilla, or larger plates like paella mixta and pollo al chilindrón with a range of sangrias made in-house.

When it comes to glasses or bottles of wine, you have come to the right restaurant to delight in a sip of Spain. The list is extensive and includes a range from Manzanilla Sherry to Cava and everything in between. Perhaps the most helpful wine list in town! Bulla separates their bottles by style. Do you want something light and crisp? How about the Pata Negra Verdejo or the Inazio Urruzola Txakolina? Feeling like a rich and powerful red? Try the Clos del Mas Priorat or Aalto from Ribera del Duero. Whichever way you go, you won’t be disappointed by a night in Spain at Bulla.

2500 Ponce de Leon Boulevard

For nearby recommendations, see our article, Coconut Grove: Eat & Drink (Wine) Around the World at these 5 Restaurants.