12 January 1–7, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ PINECREST AT LONG LAST SERGIO’S For more than 20 years, Sergio’s has wanted to open in Pinecrest. Zoning challenges, lim- ited parking availability, and shopping plazas built in an era that left little room for modern restaurant amenities repeatedly stood in the way. This week, the wait finally came to an end. On Monday, December 15, Sergio’s opened its long-anticipated Pinecrest loca- tion, marking not only the seventh full-ser- vice restaurant for the local group but a full-circle moment for one of Miami’s most enduring family-run institutions. Founded in the 1970s by the grandmother of its current owner, Carlos Gazitua, Sergio’s expanded in the 1980s under the leadership of Gazitua’s mother, Blanca Cabrera, who still runs the business alongside her son today. Now a woman-founded, third-generation, family-owned institution, Sergio’s is rooted in family, culture, and the pursuit of the Ameri- can Dream. The Pinecrest opening coincides with the restaurant’s 50th anniversary, cele- brated on October 1, and offers a moment of reflection on how much can change while the heart of a business remains the same. What began as a modest hut serving sand- wiches and shakes on Bird Road in the 1950s has evolved into a South Florida staple, with seven full-service locations and multiple Ser- gio’s GO outposts, including Florida Interna- tional University’s campus and area airports. The concept has always been simple: food that is fast, but never fast food. For the Cabrera family, the American Dream was never abstract; it was a tangible reality. It meant a place where families could gather for a satisfying meal and still have time to catch a movie afterward. From the very be- ginning, Sergio’s positioned itself as a com- munity restaurant, welcoming everyone and making that everyday version of the Ameri- can Dream accessible. Stepping into the role of third-generation owner comes with its own pressures. For Gazitua, leadership means advancing the brand without erasing its foundation. Miami’s dining scene evolves quickly, and Sergio’s has adapted alongside it, but never at the expense of identity. The result is an evolu- tion that feels deliberate rather than trendy, allowing the restaurant to modernize while preserving the emotional connection that longtime guests have come to expect. Although Pinecrest had been part of the family’s long-term vision for two decades, the current location has been in active develop- ment for more than a year. Cabrera worked closely with the City of Pinecrest, the proper- ty’s landlord, and planners to reimagine what the space could offer the neighborhood. The result is one of Pinecrest’s first ap- proved outdoor terraces: a shaded, oak-lined gathering space designed to meet the needs of the community. It is dog-friendly, includes a bike rack for cyclists, and invites guests to linger, connect, and return. In a village largely built in the 1950s, the project required collab- oration between local government and pri- vate business, creating a model that could shape future development in Pinecrest. “It’s about time,” says Cabrera, referencing not only Sergio’s long-awaited arrival but also the opportunity for Pinecrest and neighboring communities to enjoy fast-casual dining in a setting that feels truly integrated into the neighborhood. The goal, he says, is to offer a welcoming space paired with a menu that cel- ebrates Cuban-American cuisine in a way that feels both familiar and forward-looking. Inside and out, Sergio’s Pinecrest feels rooted yet current. It is designed to be part of daily life, not just a destination for a single meal. Guests can stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, grab coffee at the ventanita win- dow, refill a water bottle, or take advantage of ample parking, all small details that reflect Miami’s everyday rhythms. The Pinecrest location also introduces a progressive approach to Cuban food culture without abandoning tradition. During the day, guests can order “beauty lattes,” Cuban coffee topped with collagen-infused cold foam flavored with turmeric or lavender. It is a distinctly Miami fusion of cafecito culture and modern wellness trends. The foam can also be paired with Sergio’s signature pasteli- tos, and the concept has proven popular enough that the team plans to roll it out across additional locations in early 2026. As evening approaches, the menu takes on a playful tone. Sergio’s Pinecrest has launched a croqueta bar featuring location-exclusive flavors, including Caesar salad with anchovy, guava and goat cheese with mint, jamón ser- rano with garlic aioli, bacalao al pil pil, and hot honey with chorizo. Available during happy hour, the offerings are inventive yet stay true to the brand’s core identity, reinforcing that innovation and tradition can coexist. Sergio’s Pinecrest. 11927 S. Dixie Hwy., Miami; 305-964-7322; sergios.com. VICTORIA STANZIONE ▼ CORAL GABLES DIN-DIN AT TÍN TÍN Tinta y Café is officially open after dark. The longtime Cuban coffee and sandwich spot an- nounced on Instagram that Tín Tín Miami, its new dinner spot, opened late last month, expanding the restaurant beyond its daytime roots with dinner service and a full bar. The launch marks a shift for a restaurant best known for its morning and lunch offer- ings in Coral Gables. Under the Tín Tín name, the space now operates as a full-service res- taurant at night, complete with reservations, cocktails, and a menu built for longer meals. Tinta y Café opened in 2005 and built a loyal following around elevated Cuban coffee culture, pressed sandwiches, and a setting de- signed for conversation rather than speed. The Michelin Bib Gourmand spot gained rec- ognition for its ventanita culture, comple- mented by a sit-down experience, featuring cafecito, cafe con leche, house-made croqu- etas, and Cuban-style pressed sandwiches. Think of Tín Tín Miami as an evolution rather than a replacement of Tinta. The team describes it on their website as the “big sis- ter” to Tinta y Café, carrying the same food ethos into a dinner format. The dinner menu is described as grounded in Cuban flavors with influences from French and Italian cuisine. Starters include malanga and shrimp bisque with poached red shrimp and chili oil, compressed papaya with serrano ham and herb oil, and a Cuban panzanella layered with heirloom tomatoes, toasted bread, crispy pork belly, pickled red onion, and mojo vinaigrette. A Wagyu beef carpaccio can be found in a Cuban sandwich featuring lechón tonnato sauce, pickles, and sazón completa, as well as cured egg yolks. Seafood dishes include wa- hoo crudo with sweet potato relish, crispy canchitas, and coconut leche de tigre. The entrees are Italian-leaning. Malanga gnocchi replaces pasta in their cacio e pepe, while ropa vieja is reimagined as a single ravi- olo served in sofrito consommé. Other mains include a boneless half chicken with spicy kale and garbanzo frito, pargo rojo in a tomato and white wine broth, and an Ibérico duroc pork chop paired with creamed yuca and Spanish sauce. A ribeye steak for two rounds out the menu, served with confit potatoes, bone marrow butter, and onion bordelaise. Desserts include an olive oil cake with charred orange marmalade and honey ricotta ice cream, flan, and a coffee-driven dish fea- turing Maria cookies, guava mascarpone, and espresso. Tín Tín Miami. 1315 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables; 305-285-0101; tintinmiami.co. OLEE FOWLER ▼ FORT LAUDERDALE VICEVERSA 2.0 A James Beard–nominated Miami aperitivo bar — one that’s currently ranked number 56 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025 — landed in South Florida last month, just in time for the holidays. Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale has launched its first-ever bar residency, and it has recruited one of Miami’s most beloved new bars to do it. ViceVersa, the Italian-style aperitivo bar led by bartender Valentino Longo, is serving drinks nightly inside the hotel’s lobby until May 2026. This is the Michelin-recognized bar’s first pop-up outside of Miami, and choosing Fort Lauderdale is a significant milestone. Within the past six months, the city has been recog- nized by the Florida Michelin Guide for the first time, with MAASS earning a Michelin star and Evelyn’s receiving a feature — both of which are located inside the Four Seasons. The residency introduces a cocktail menu called Vacanza, inspired by the Italian idea of vacation as a mindset. The menu includes ViceVersa signatures alongside drinks cre- ated exclusively for Fort Lauderdale. Standouts include the “Martini Doppio,” a Gibson-style martini with Grey Goose or Bombay Sapphire, Americano Rosa, Tio Pepe, and pickled onions, and the “Vice- Versa Negroni” made with Bombay Sapphire and the bar’s Mi To amaro blend. Fort Lauderdale exclusives include the “Beeswax Old Fashioned” and two spritzes made exclusively for the hotel: the “White Wine Spritz,” featuring Italicus, peach, white wine, elderberry, and soda, and “Coast to Coast,” a spritz with Aperol, toasted coco- nut, and Prosecco. Rosy Villanova leads the bar day to day, with Longo appearing on select dates. DJs take over on Fridays and Saturdays. ViceVersa opened in downtown Miami, inside the Elser Hotel, in June 2024, founded by Valentino Longo in partnership with Carey Hynes and Will Thompson, formerly of Jaguar Sun. Longo is a Rome native who worked at Stravinskij Bar at Hotel de Russie and luxury hotel bars in London before opening his own spot in Miami. The bar quickly established itself as a seri- ous Italian-style aperitivo spot with a loyal following among the industry. With its inti- mate, teal-toned interiors and a menu cen- tered around spritzes, Negroni variations, and pizza, it has become both a pregame stop and a late-night anchor for locals who know their cocktails. People started paying attention almost immediately. Within a year, it landed a final- ist spot for the 2025 James Beard Award for Best New Bar, and climbed to No. 56 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list. Now, they are bringing that same energy to the Fort Lauderdale residency, where the focus remains on lower-proof, bittersweet cocktails meant to complement the night rather than take over. ViceVersa at Four Seasons Hotel and Resi- dences Fort Lauderdale. 525 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; fourseasons. com/fortlauderdale. OLEE FOWLER
[email protected] | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Iconic Cuban restaurant Sergio’s in Miami celebrated 50 years in business on October 1 Sergio’s photo
