11 May 15-21, 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 Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | ▼ FLORIDA HOW DOES PUBLIX STACK UP NATIONWIDE? Miami doesn’t play when it comes to grocery shopping. We’re picky about our produce, loyal to our local staples (and go wild over vi- ral ones), and proud of our supermarket stan- dards. While other cities debate over who has the best grocery store, here in Florida, we’ve long known where to go when we want a de- licious sandwich for lunch, a bakery that never misses, and staff who somehow always remember where the marinara is. So when a new nationwide ranking set out to determine the best grocery chains in the U.S., using thousands of Google reviews from major cities to settle the score, we weren’t surprised by the results. According to a 2025 analysis that scraped and reviewed data from 3,000 locations across the country, Publix came in at No. 2 with a sky-high 4.50 average rating. Publix isn’t just a grocery store. It’s a life- style. It’s where you grabbed a Pub Sub before a beach day, stocked up on snacks before a hurricane, or ran into your high school teacher still wearing their work lanyard in the frozen aisle. For Floridians, Publix is embed- ded in everyday life. But now, there’s data to back it up. The study ranked 30 major grocery brands by calculating the average Google rat- ing of each store, only counting locations with at least 1,000 reviews to weed out one- off flukes. Publix beat out buzzy national names like Aldi, Whole Foods, and even Weg- mans, falling just behind Trader Joe’s, which topped the list with a 4.65. Over the years, Publix has quietly evolved into a hybrid grocery store, food hall, and ca- sual hangout, and we’re not mad about it. Some locations now offer beer and wine on tap, acai bowl counters, burrito stations, and poke bars, so you can grocery shop while sip- ping sauvignon blanc and snacking on a tuna bowl. If you’re lucky enough to live near one of these upgraded stores, congrats. You’ve reached peak suburban luxury. This isn’t the first time Publix has earned national praise. People love it so much that every new location across Florida practically goes viral, whether it’s got beer on tap or a deli that feels like a social club. And now, the rest of the country is finally catching on. Ear- lier this year, Publix tied with Trader Joe’s for the top spot as America’s favorite grocery store, according to the 2025 American Cus- tomer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) rankings. So yeah, this time Publix technically came in second. But here in Florida, we know better. From the “BOGO” deals (buy one, get one free) to the bakery cookies to the staff who somehow always know where everything is, Publix isn’t just where shopping is a pleasure. It’s a way of life. We’ll let Trader Joe’s have the gold medal this time. We’re too busy enjoying our fried chicken in the car to care. CLARISSA BUCH ZILBERMAN ▼ COCONUT GROVE STRADA REOPENS WITH A NEW LOOK After closing for nearly a year, Strada in the Grove has made its grand comeback, with a twist. The Italian mainstay now occupies the former home of its sister restaurant, Farinelli 1937, bringing the best of both worlds under one roof. Since opening along Commadore Plaza in 2013, there has always been something uniquely comforting about the Italian gem. From its vast wine collection, including bou- tique labels from every region of the world, to its great Italian brunch and lunch menus, it has always been a mainstay for families and couples in the area. When news of its sudden closure came to fruition in 2024, residents grew worried. However, as luck would have it, its future lay directly across the street. Strada in the Grove was forced to close in February 2024 after its landlord declined to renew the lease at its original location. Owner Javier Uribe and his family faced a pivotal de- cision. “We had to shuffle and see where we were going to locate Strada in the Grove,” Uribe ex- plains. “We looked at a bunch of places that we thought might be suitable, but weren’t able to find anything that matched what we were looking for.” Rather than settling for an imperfect spot or enduring a lengthy build- out, the family-owned business hatched a plan to combine their two restaurants. The | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar The Boar’s Head Turkey Pub Sub is a beach or boat day staple in Florida
