13 JANUARY 16-22, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | 3201 RICKENBACKER CWY, KEY BISCAYNE, FL 33149 305.361.3818 | WWW.THERUSTYPELICAN.COM BE SOCIAL WITH US! /RUSTYPELICANMIAMI Join us for SUNSET HOUR EVERY MONDAY-FRIDAY 4PM-6:30PM miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | and a familiar bookcase entry. The Swizzle in Miami made headlines for being Florida’s first non-standing bar, and the Fort Lauderdale spot keeps that vibe going. Walking past the intimate bar, which seats 14, guests can check out an outdoor patio, where cocktail-inspired hookahs are fired and there’s seating for 40. Back inside is the main room, which has seating for 46 and boasts an expanded food menu. Božović says some Miami fan favorites that departed the menu in recent years are making a triumphant return in Fort Lauder- dale. Those morsels include a handcrafted Cuban sandwich, Serbian croquettes, milane- sas, schnitzels, steaks, and pasta. In line with its Miami Beach offerings, there are wings, fries, and burger options, too. Vibe-wise, there expect white marble, leather, and wood elements with dashes of burgundy. The bar is covered in ornate bar equipment, golden table lamps, sleek brass fixtures, plush chairs, and velvet curtains, adding much more to the ambiance. But let’s not forget what has truly put Swizzle on the map, and that’s its drinks. Whereas some bars and restaurants diversify their menu with an expansion, Božović is opting for a consistent experience across his locations. He says, “If you haven’t been in a Swizzle for two years to have your favorite drink, I want you to be able to have it.” Fan favorite libations include the “Florida Rum Experience,” a flight of four shots stem- ming from Sunshine State-bred brands like Pa- pa’s Pilar and Fort Lauderdale’s Ouroboros. Most cocktails are in the $15 to $21 range, orga- nized by the categories of “Fancy,” “Exotic and Tropical,” and “Newcomers.” Each cocktail is concocted and loaded with dashes of this and that. An example among many is its “Vienna Strudel,” which includes an olive leaf-infused vodka with a black tea IPA cordial, Angostura bitters, citric acid, and mascarpone cheese with apple caviar, all finished with cinnamon raisins. For those seeking a bargain, Božović says there will be a happy hour daily from 6 to 8 p.m. “Everything is super detail-oriented,” adds Božović. “Going into the first location, it was the implementation of 22 years of bar- tending experience and wanting to create a space that felt like a pre-colonial era, hidden tavern. Being obsessed with details, this is re- ally everything I would want in a bar experi- ence. And now, we have a second one.” Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery. 305 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; swizzlerumbardrinkery. com. Opening Thursday, January 23. JESSE SCOTT ▼ WYNWOOD WYNWOOD PIZZERIA REOPENING PROVES SHORT-LIVED Less than eight months after a popular Miami pizzeria went up in flames and was forced to relocate, a similar obstacle has surfaced at its brand new location. Beloved pizza shop Square Pie City by Mi- ami-based chef Jeremiah Bullfrog has abruptly closed in Wynwood. According to the business, which an- nounced its sudden closure with an Insta- gram post on Wednesday, January 8, Bullfrog and his team were stunned to find their busi- ness had to close abruptly. The caption states, “The saga continues. We received some surprising news that the venue we were attached to has been terminated. Thus, Square Pie City cannot operate in its cur- rent location. The extremely short notice has put us in a tough position. As a scrappy local business, our small team has been rocked, and we are currently exploring all options to keep serving our community. It’s goodbye, for now.” Fans of the pizzeria quickly stormed the comments, with patrons writing, “So, so sorry, my favorite pizza in Miami. I make it a point to get it every time I visit. Just had it for New Year’s Eve. Wishing you a speedy re- opening!” and “Sorry to hear. Hope you can stay close by. I’ve seen new restaurants open- ing up in Little Haiti...maybe worth exploring for lower rent. Keep us posted!” Lauded as New Times’ “Best Pizza” in 2023, Square Pie City was founded by Bullfrog, who has worked in some of the world’s most presti- gious restaurants. Not only has he towed one of Miami’s first food trucks with Gastropod and created two popu- lar food events with Duck Duck Goose and P.I.G, but he even starred in Complex Networks’ reality se- ries Jeremiah Bullfrog Forks It!, eating and cooking his way through the U.S. His passion for cooking soon turned into pizza-making at his first pizza pop-up. The Miami native told New Times back in 2023 that he began experimenting with square-pan pies in late 2016 with the goal of opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant. After several setbacks, including the pandemic, Bullfrog in- stead chose to launch the concept via pop-up. Finally, in 2021, he opened his first perma- nent location inside Miami Beach’s Time Out Market. A year later, in May 2022, Bullfrog left the food hall to expand into a larger, standalone location, resuming his pop-ups in cities like Nashville, Chicago, and Orlando while prep- ping for the move. He then opened the shop permanently in the Miami Design District. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, in May of 2024, the restaurant suffered severe damages from a fire, which forced the spot to relocate. This time, the pizza shop moved to Wynwood. Now, only eight months at its new Wyn- wood location, the shop has had to halt its pie-making once again. Despite hopping around (like a bullfrog, no less), fans have stood proudly by the pizze- ria since 2016. Pizza lovers love Square Pie City’s red-and- white pies with the option for vegan or gluten- free substitutes. Prepared using chef Bullfrog’s 72-hour, double-fermented dough, the thick base is first topped with cheese before it’s smothered in a layer of sauce and baked to form the style’s quintessential crisp edges. Fans love the “Classix,” a combination of moz- zarella, provolone, and Parmesan beneath a layer of Bullfrog’s proprietary marinara “Dat Sauce.” Fans also love the “Red in the Head, Fire in the Bed,” which gets its heat from the chef’s Calabrian chili-infused oil. Soon, thin- crust pies were also added to the menu. Square Pie City is optimistic that it will find a new home once again. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR BULLFROG AND HIS TEAM WERE STUNNED TO FIND THEIR BUSINESS HAD TO CLOSE ABRUPTLY.
