Coconut Grove, Bohemia By the Bay

Hi, I'm David Hoffman, travel host and Miami native. I travel the world in search of the best things to see, do, and eat for my web show, David's Been Here. The Grove, as we locals like to call it, is an area known for historic landmarks like the 1920s Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and the Kampong, a beautiful botanical garden where my wife and I got married. And finally, the Barnacle State Park. All three are located along the shores of beautiful Biscayne Bay. In The Grove, you can take it as slow or fast-paced as you like. When I was a kid, I would call my parents to dine, shop, and enjoy this amazing Miami weather. It's one of the best places in the city for outdoor dining, and over the years, I've probably eaten at every restaurant here. You'll notice there's less crowds here compared to South Beach, which gives it a more relaxed vibe. Stay tuned as we take you around historic Coconut Grove to show you what makes this community unlike any other in Miami. The Grove is Miami's oldest seaside neighborhood, founded in 1873. More than 140 years later, this bohemian village offers the ideal setting for strolling, shopping, and dining. Located in the heart of Miami, The Grove offers an array of boutiques, sidewalk cafes, and gourmet restaurants all in a pedestrian-friendly zone that can be enjoyed year-round. You can also enjoy the Coconut Grove waterfront by participating in free yoga classes in Peacock Park, paddleboarding, or heading over to Dinner Key for a boat ride. Virtually everything here exists beneath one lush canopy along Biscayne Bay. La Gamba is a family-owned Spanish restaurant. We specialize in Spanish cuisine with a focus on fresh seafood. Our goal is to create an immersive experience for all our guests. We fly all our seafood in from the best providers in the Mediterranean. We do this twice a week. We've really become a reference point for Spanish cuisine in the city of Miami and a meeting point for foodies and experienced gourmets alike. Grove Inc. is a full custom tattoo shop. We've been here in The Grove for over five years now, adding color to The Grove, is what we like to say. It's just a collaboration of a group of fabulous artists that all do custom work. I mean, we've taken tattooing to a different level as far as, at one point, tattooing wasn't allowed here in Coconut Grove until our sister store, New Age Body Piercing, opened up thirteen years ago and kind of gave us a door. It opened up a door for us to come in here and be able to do our art on our canvases, which is human skin. New Age Body Piercing is actually our sister store. They've been in business over twelve years. They're the ones that actually opened the door for us as a tattoo shop. They have a huge selection of custom jewelry, exotic pieces to the simplest pieces, and they have customers that come in, not only local customers, but from all over the world. Store in The Grove is an authentic, non-traditional Italian place. We have an extensive wine list, and we pair our wine with the food and cheese. We have our meat. It's organic, grass-fed. We don't use pesticides. We don't use anything that is not organic when it comes to our products. And the fish, we buy from the local fishermen to make sure, daily, it's the freshest that you can find. Rinos and The Grove has been here for three years now, and it's a very well-liked place from tourists and locals as well. We serve wines from all over the world, provide a selection of 25 different wines by the glass. Our friendly staff and patrons alike make this a very comfortable, relaxing environment in a non-pretentious way. We love to have weekly events with live music, burlesque shows, art shows, wine tastings, where everybody's welcome. We complement our wide wine selection with meat and cheese platters, and we welcome you to come to Rinos and The Grove. Here at Jaguar, we are a Latin American restaurant. We specialize in ceviches, but we have dishes from all Latin America. We have dishes from Colombia. We have dishes from Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, all over the place. We try to make them with the authentic ingredients, and we try to make them as they make them in those countries. This is what makes Jaguar the most exciting place, because you have flavor from all over Latin America, and we also use the ingredients that they use in those countries. So that's, I think, what makes our dishes so special, and also a little bit spicy as well. But the ceviche is the most. You have to try the ceviches, because that's what we're known for, and we've been doing them for so many years. Ceviches is our passion. Two icons in The Grove are Green Street Cafe and Lulu. Both are considered to be the see-and-be-seen restaurants at the corner of Commodore and Main Highway. It is rare enough to encounter celebrities or simply dozens of locals enjoying life at Green Street. Brunch here is a must. Across the street is Lulu, a funky sidewalk cafe specializing in fresh, organic ingredients. Both restaurants feature international menus and a lively ambiance. No visit to The Grove is complete without a stroll through Coco Walk, an outdoor shopping center and popular meeting point. Coco Walk features four floors of large, open courtyards, premier shops, restaurants, cafes, and a movie theater. Located at the intersection of McFarland Road and Main Highway, this is the true heart of The Grove. The Grove is a bohemian and historic neighborhood with a storied past and storied people with their own distinct laid-back lifestyle. It's a tropical village within a city. It's a place with its own traditions, culture, history, and community. It's Bohemia, by the way. For more information about what you can experience in Coconut Grove, visit www.coconutgrove.com. Travel along with me by tuning into my web show on davidsbeenhere.com and connecting with me on Instagram at davidsbeenhere. To see what's happening around Miami, follow Welcome Channel on Instagram at welcomechannelTV.