South Florida Food 50: Robert Ferrara of Lure Fishbar, Rum Line

Robert Ferrara, Bar director at Lure Fishbar and the Rum Line

Why he’s in the Food 50: Robert Ferrara epitomizes the traits of a true spirits professional: knowledgeable without being pretentious, enthusiastic but not overbearing, refined but not buttoned-up. He also mixes a hell of a drink: Gin is his specialty, meaning the martinis he slings at Lure Fishbar in the Loews Miami Beach are crystal-clear perfection. Turns out, Ferrara is pretty great with rum, too: Loews’ new Rum Line bar is putting out tropical tiki cocktails and punches that are sneaky-strong. More than “just” a bartender, Ferrara (a veteran of Swine Southern and The Dutch at the W Hotel) is an ambassador for craft cocktails, showing Miami the light beyond frozen premixed drinks and vodka with Red Bull.

Where to find him: Lure Fishbar and The Rum Line, 1601 Collins Ave., Miami Beach.

Web: lurefishbar.com

Social: @RJFerrara3, @LureFishbar, @The_Rumline

This story was originally published February 17, 2015 at 7:31 PM with the headline "South Florida Food 50: Robert Ferrara of Lure Fishbar, Rum Line."