52 Courses: Smorgasburg Miami Coming to Wynwood This Spring

Smorgasbord is a Swedish word for a variety of food; a grand offering of cuisine options. A play on that

Smorgasburg

Smorgasbord is a Swedish word for a variety of food; a grand offering of cuisine options. A play on that word, Smorgasburg was opened in Williamsburg – a Brooklyn neighborhood in New York City. It’s a market-like destination that combines local vendors to give diners a wide variety of options to choose from and was an instant smash hit. Smorgasburg in Williamsburg became the place to go to try new and imaginative foods, and it gave vendors a chance to try out their dishes without investing in a brick-and-mortar startup. 

In 2016, Smorgasburg headed West, opening another location in Los Angeles and a few more satellite locations around New England. Now, it’s donning some shades and heading for Florida. 

Smorgasburg Miami

Smorgasburg

It’s official: Smorgasburg is coming to Miami. Opening in the heart of Wynwood at 2612 NW Second Avenue, the newest location will be opening in March of 2022. Smorgasburg Miami will be open Saturdays 11AM to 6PM, ultimately hosting 60 food vendors and 10 retail vendors. Six Miami-area restaurants are already locked in as vendors as the opening day approaches:

  • Ted’s Burgers
  • Drinking Pig BBQ
  • Sandwiches From Eleventh Street Pizza
  • The Sister Yard
  • El Diner Latino (by the team behind La Natural)
  • The Maiz Project

As well as NYC-based Bona Bona Ice Cream with many more to come. 

The owner of Omotenashi Group, Gaston Becherano Cohen, discovered Smorgasburg in New York where he launched the first iteration of his wildly popular Bonsai restaurant. Immediately a hit with visitors to Smorgasburg, Bonsai was opened as a standalone restaurant due to a rapidly expanding clientele and the experience helped launch Becherano Gaston’s career. The entrepreneur wants to see that kind of opportunity come to Miami, and now it’s happening.

In a statement, Becherano Cohen says, “Over the past couple of years, the culinary scene of Miami has evolved at a breakneck pace. There are dozens of new underground food concepts in Miami that are top-class. We are bringing Smorgasburg to Miami to provide the right spotlight and conditions for these vendors to flourish and grow and to build a market that represents the talent and diversity of the South Florida food scene. At its core, Smorgasburg allows vendors to launch their own successful food concept without having to take the risk and undergo the headaches associated with opening up a brick and mortar.”

For more information on this delightful new dining destination, visit the website

Wynwood

Art Basel

The home of the new Smorgasburg location is Wynwood, which is rapidly becoming the heart of the art, entertainment and dining scene in Miami. The neighborhood is now over 100 years old, its roots dating all the way back to 1917. It started out as farmland, subdivided and sold as lots. It started with a park and a few retail locations, humble beginnings for what would become the center hub of a booming modern city someday.

Wynwood began as a neighborhood for working class families, of the solidly middle-class variety. Retailers moved into the space as well, making it a convenient place to live and work. By the 1930’s, Coca Cola had a bottling plant in the neighborhood and other larger businesses were taking note. The Garment District sprang up around the same time, drawing many immigrants – including a large number from Cuba – who found jobs working for both clothing manufacturers and retailers as they moved into the area. By the ’80’s, Miami’s Fashion District was the third largest in the country, owing it all to the immigrants who built the garment industry up in Wynwood. 

From after World War II to the ’70’s, the original middle-class workers began moving out of Wynwood in search of larger lots and more space in other suburbs. Lower-class families moved in and unfortunately a rapid shift in identity brought a bit of chaos and no small trouble – unemployment and drug user were high in the neighborhood by the ’70’s. 

In the mid ’80’s, South Florida Art Center moved into what was formerly an American Bakeries building. The 2.2 acre building was turned into Florida’s largest working artist space and the gentrification of Wynwood began in earnest. By the ’00’s, Goldman Properties had taken notice of Wynwood and began purchasing large chunks of the neighborhood. Tony Goldman – known for his revival of SoHo and South Beach – saw through the struggles that had plagued Wynwood since it lost its identity in the mid-20th century. 

In 2009, Goldman opened an art gallery to coincide with Art Basel, linking it with the modern art scene in Miami. The shift to an art district that began in the ’80’s came full circle as more art galleries moved into the neighborhood. This attracted more dining and entertainment venues, and Wynwood ceased to be lost and looking for an identity – it had found one. Now, Wynwood is the center of an art revival in the Southern city and its proximity to festivals and events like Art Basel make it the perfect place to connect with your love of art, go for a stroll, have a bite – or just get to know Miami. 

52 Courses

Smorgasburg

The announcement of Smorgasburg Miami’s opening comes as the first in a new CELEB series: 52 Courses. With 52 Courses, we will take you on a culinary journey throughout the year. From restaurant openings and culinary events to new food trends and popular recipes, 52 Courses is the foodie series you’ve been waiting for.

Join us in 2022 as we go on this journey through the wonderful wood of delightful food and destinations. 

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