14 April 25 - MAy 1, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ CORAL GABLES NEW PUBLIX APPROVED DESPITE COMMUNITY PUSHBACK The City of Coral Gables Commission has ap- proved a site plan for a new Publix Super Market near Miracle Mile on South Le Jeune Road, which will be the largest Publix Super Market in the city and will include a half-acre public park. On Friday, March 12, the city commission approved the new Publix Super Market after noting the former Publix at the same location needed an update. The new facility, designed by Clearwater- based architecture firm Fisher Associ- ates and civil-engi- neering firm Graef, will replace the one-story, 43,490- square-foot Publix store at 2551 Le Jeune Rd. that was built back in 1962. The site plan for this new Publix in- cludes a 58,302- square-foot Publix supermarket, a 2,500-square-foot Publix li- quor store, and two levels of parking. In addition to the large grocery and liquor store, the proposed project will include retail spaces spanning approximately 132,514 square feet in total. “The existing store is showing its age and this new store will be a state-of-the-art location and a flagship facility,” explains Mario Garcia- Serra, Publix representative and attorney. Atop the store will be 285 parking spaces spread across two levels. Publix will also con- struct bicycle lanes along Andalusia Avenue and Salzedo Street before receiving a tempo- rary certificate of occupancy. Under the latest site plan, Publix will deed 20,000 square feet of land on the eastern side of its three-acre parcel to Coral Gables for use as a public park. “There will still be some work to be done [such as] agreeing on a park improvement plan, but at least we will be finished with the overall site plan approval process,” Garcia- Serra told Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago and four city commissioners at the March 12 meeting. Despite the commission’s approval, con- struction isn’t expected to get underway for 18 months. Those opposed to the construction of the new Publix have noted congestion in the area, lack of street parking, and fears of Coral Gables losing its charm. With new condominiums and an influx of restaurants in the City Beautiful recently, Coral Gables is certainly evolving. Unfortunately, with some positive change there is negative change. The news of the new Publix comes after Coral Gables city offi- cials attempted to evict Fritz & Franz Bier- haus, which led to a community outcry, earlier this year. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ SOUTH FLORIDA TAKE THE CAKE It’s the end of an era for Icebox Cafe, a Miami Beach staple that has served its community with delicious cakes and elevated comfort food for more than 25 years. The café has shut down both its Miami Beach and Hallandale Beach locations permanently. Icebox Cafe’s locations at Miami Interna- tional Airport, located at gates D-8 and D-28, will continue to offer signature Icebox menu items, according to a statement from the Ice- box Group. Since 2010, passengers departing from Miami International Airport’s Terminal D have been able to enjoy Icebox Cafe en route to and from domestic flights. The café was best known for its diverse of- ferings and desserts, including Oprah’s favor- ite cake. At the Hallandale restaurant, they had designed a new menu around the restau- rant’s best-selling dishes. Founder and owner Robert Siegmann an- nounced the closure to his customers in an email, in which he said, “It’s been an honor and a privilege serving you for over 25 years and now it’s time to turn our focus on to new adventures.” In 1998, Siegmann opened Icebox Cafe as a full-service restaurant in Miami Beach with Siegmann’s from-scratch cakes and elevated, better-for-you comfort food. Fast forward to 2010, and Icebox Cafe quickly became widely known nationally af- ter being featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show’s “The Best Cakes in America” segment. According to Oprah.com, it all started in February 2006, when “Gayle King went on a mission in search of the best burger in America — but after traveling coast-to-coast, Gayle real- ized she had a higher calling...to uncover the country’s best cake!” This is when King visited Icebox Cafe for the very first time. She tried the cinnamon butter bundt cake, the straw- berry shortcake, the coconut buttercream cake, and then the cake that launched the na- tional fanfare, the “Bomb,” a cheesecake brownie sandwiched inside of a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling. Soon, the brand was even known internationally, as well. In 2013, after 15 years at its original loca- tion, Icebox Cafe relocated to a larger space in Sunset Harbour in Miami Beach, where it was located until its closure. In 2017, Icebox opened a location in Doral, which closed soon after, and in 2020, the brand opened the now- closed Hallandale Beach location. “The Icebox Cafe brand has connected with the community for more than two de- cades,” reads a statement, in part, from the group. “While on-premise operations will come to a close in South Beach and Hallan- dale, customers can continue to enjoy offer- ings and services through new touch points, including numerous Icebox Pantry locations and through special event and celebration space available in Hallandale.” In 2019, the Icebox Group launched Icebox Pantry, an automated smart fridge vending system selling healthy, restaurant-inspired food. Icebox Pantry, which offers wholesale opportunities to office buildings, universities, | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Photo by Josh Hallett / Flickr Coral Gables is getting a new Publix “flagship,” whether residents like it or not. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL NOT ONLY FEATURE THE LARGE GROCERY AND LIQUOR STORE, BUT ALSO ADDITIONAL RETAIL SPACES. Icebox Cafe photo The “Bomb,” a cheesecake brownie sandwiched inside of a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling, started the Oprah Winfrey fanfare of Icebox Cafe.
