Vinya Table

One could argue that it’s never been more demanding to visit a restaurant in Miami. Booking hot reservations has become a bloodsport, price points are ballooning, and then there’s the usual laundry list of minor to significant inconveniences—parking, slow service, being seated directly underneath a furiously cold AC vent.

And this is why Coral Gables’ Vinya is such a delight: it’s a restaurant where almost everything seems designed to make life easy on you, the diner.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Vinya is an easy-to-book weekend reservation, with plenty of walk-in bar seating that’s never an elbow-to-elbow mess. There's a subtle grandeur to the dining room that makes it work for special occasions. The ceilings are tall, archways line the walls, and there are all these nooks that can make dinner feel private even if you’re only five feet away from another table. But there’s also no whiff of pretension in the air. At one table, a casually-dressed diner bites into a huge cheeseburger with yolk dripping from the bun. At another, someone just ordered a bottle of wine with a price tag that’d make most people choke on that cheeseburger.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

The consistently great food is exciting enough for the more ambitious eater in your life, but safe enough to give a slightly boring loved one no shortage of options. They have crispy morcilla spring rolls and a sweet/savory lamb baklava alongside straightforward classics like a gorgeous Niçoise salad and simple roasted proteins. There are small plates you can eat alone at the bar and big, showstopper dishes great for groups—like a massive smoked short rib with d.i.y. taco accompaniments. The highly accessible and diverse wine menu (Vinya is part wine bar, by the way) is the equivalent of that Microsoft paperclip who’d pop onto your screen with helpful suggestions. It’s broken into easy-to-understand categories, offers clear flavor descriptions, and lets you know what you should be drinking by the glass and what you should be drinking by the bottle.

And when you’ve finished your meal, Vinya has an outstanding liquor store with all kinds of unique spirits and wine located at the back and front of the restaurant, so you can avoid making a pit stop on the way home for that nightcap. We wouldn’t even be surprised if Vinya returned after that nightcap to tuck us into bed. This place is just that considerate.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Morcilla Spring Rolls

These might be our favorite thing here. The flavor of the morcilla—perfectly wrapped in its crispy spring roll—pairs so beautifully with sweet onion marmalade served alongside for dipping. It’s unique, creative, and the perfect drinking snack if you’re just coming here for Happy Hour.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Mariano's Gnocchi

These little dudes may look a tad naked when the plate hits the table—the gnocchi are placed atop the sauce rather than tossed in it. But give them a quick stir in the really good tomato passata and you’ve got one of the most simple, satisfying plates of gnocchi in town.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Tableside Tiramisu

This isn’t the most elaborate tableside presentation in town—but it’s cute and efficient, just like Vinya. At the table, they pour espresso onto three lady fringers straight from a cafetera, then unscrew the bottom, where a thick layer of mascarpone is waiting to be spooned over top. It’s finished with a sprinkle of chocolate pearls, and the whole presentation is done in under a minute, just in case you’re a bit impatient when it comes to dessert.