16 June 6-12, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | vote VOTE 1X A DAY VOTING ENDS JUNE 15TH OFFICIAL 2024 BEST OF MIAMI® READERS’ POLL HITS STANDS JUNE 27 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ LITTLE RIVER BELOVED LITTLE RIVER POP-UP SUNNY’S TO REOPEN PERMANENTLY THIS FALL Although there were plenty of pop-up restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Miami, one in particular outshined the rest: Sunny’s Someday Steakhouse at Lot 6 in Little River. While the Little River restaurant was in- tended to open as a temporary outdoor resi- dency by the team behind Jaguar Sun in response to the lockdown, the restaurant be- came an instant hit among foodies and locals craving delicious, high-quality food in a chill, outdoor environment. The residency was such a success, that it even scored a coveted “Best Restaurant in America” accolade from Bon Ap- pétit and was even honored as a Tales of the Cocktail “Spirited Award” Regional Honoree. Plus, its unique location, centered on a mas- sive banyan tree, made it a one-of-a-kind eatery in the city. Therefore, when the residency ended in May 2022, fans were truly devastated. This is when its founders knew they had to make the spot permanent. Thankfully, the team was able to retain the outdoor space and build a permanent indoor restaurant that will open this fall. Sunny’s in Little River will serve the same delicious steakhouse cuisine and drinks it had become known for in addition to hosting a major nightly dinner party. Sunny’s food menu will include raw-bar selections, wood-fired proteins, and steak- house classics, alongside handmade pastas and salads. On the beverage side, the team has created a substantial wine list spanning the traditional to the more adventurous and ob- scure. Sunny’s will also be pouring classic and house cocktails, in addition to adding two brand new cocktail menus: a pick-your-path martini menu and a zero-proof drinks menu. The new restaurant has been built into an abandoned roofing factory, while its iconic banyan tree and brick courtyard filled with bistro-light glowing dining tables will remain the same. In terms of interiors, the design of Sunny’s will be a modern interpretation of classic, white table-clothed steakhouses. The restau- rant will seat 220 guests across its indoor and outdoor dining spaces, private dining room, and two bars. Sunny’s. 7357 NW Miami Ct., Miami; insta- gram.com/sunnysmia. Opening this fall. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ MIAMI MIAMI SIBLINGS TURN SMUGGLING COCONUTS INTO A FAMILY BUSINESS Coconut Cartel isn’t an actual cartel, but the way the Miami-based premium Guatemalan rum company came into existence did involve some “smuggling.” Now, the Miami natives and sibling duo have grown their brand from the days of “smuggling” coconuts to a suc- cessful premium rum company. In 2012, siblings Dani and Mike Zig saw an opportunity to bring what they considered real coconut water to Miami after noticing an increase in bottled coconut water consump- tion around town. This inspired them to stuff suitcases with fresh coconuts from El Salva- dor, bring them to Miami, and sell them to hotels and restaurants across South Florida. “We were born in Miami, but we were raised in Central America,” explains Dani. “We lived in El Salvador and Guatemala most of our childhood, and over there, as you’re driving, you can buy fresh coconuts on the side of the road. Drinking bottled coconut water here in the United States compared to the one over there was a completely different experience.” As the brand started growing with the de- mand for their fresh coconuts, the Zig sib- lings started working with the hotels’ beverage directors to make cocktails with the coconuts. Soon, their go-to drink was a rum- based cocktail with coconut, which was in- spired by the cocktails their family made with premium aged rums from brands like Zacapa, Flor de Caña, and Santa Teresa. “We saw that people in the U.S., compared to Latin America, have a different perception | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Sunny’s photo A rendering of the bar inside the highly anticipated opening of Sunny’s in Little River
