Bar carts – you’ll see them rolling at your next dinner, or even hotel stay

Masks, gloves, glass partitions, tables spaced 6-feet apart, and even stuffed animals filling empty seats. While things may look dramatically different at our restaurants since reopening after quarantine, our new normal has also super-charged creativity and luxe amenities that recall a bygone glamour. With restaurant bar areas currently closed to prevent crowds from gathering, restaurant owners/managers are focusing on personalized cocktail experiences by utilizing bar carts.

At stunning Fiola Miami restaurant in Coral Gables — where Chef Partner Fabio Trabocchi brings Michelin-star cred — the evening begins with a rolling aperitivo cart arriving at the table for pre-dinner drinks. A masked and gloved attendant will pour glasses of bubbly, a classic peach Bellini, or create a cocktail tableside. Choose from several specialty cocktails like the potent Mr. A Negroni (named after co-owner Tom Angelo) concocted with pineapple-infused Bacardi rum, or the refreshing Bellagio made with grapefruit, lemon, and vanilla that will transport you to Italy. “It’s critically important for us to revive the desire for tableside luxury,” says Tom Angelo, co-owner of Fiola Miami. “With our new aperitivo cart, we’re bringing back old-school glamour directly to our guests. This allows us to limit congregating at the bar, while still integrating the allure of cocktail presentation into the dining experience. We consider it the new white-glove luxury moment.” The restaurant also boasts a new menu dreamed up by Chef Brian Garcia with standouts like a chilled corn gazpacho dotted with slivers of crispy pancetta and a melt-in-your-mouth beef short rib agnolotti with summer truffles.

If you’re craving a leisurely brunch like the old days (minus the large group), the weekend brunch at Fi’lia SLS Brickell now means cart service at your table featuring all of your favorite, free-flowing cocktails. Diners can opt for bottomless, made-to-order mimosas (orange, grapefruit, peach) or bloody mary cocktails (signature or spicy) for $25. The restaurant says the cart, which roams the restaurant during the entirety of brunch, ensures refills are as timely as possible. Brunch takes place Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features an array of small and large plates; and don’t forget to try another tableside staple: their coveted Caesar salad where the garlic croutons are toasted right in front of you.

At Villa Azur, a swanky French-Mediterranean restaurant in South Beach with an enchanting courtyard meant for romantic alfresco nights, diners can indulge in a refreshing gin and tonic from the roving G&T bar cart. While the restaurant’s regularly scheduled entertainment hasn’t returned yet, tableside cocktails provide fun entertainment during these unique dining times. Snag a spot on their open-air terrace and customize your gin and tonic with a variety of fresh and seasonal ingredients. The bar cart is packed with fresh fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, and herbs such as basil, mint, and rosemary. Because, summer.

Hotels Raising the Bar

Knock, knock. Who’s there? A bar cart! Some of South Florida’s luxury hotels are also joining the bar cart craze to better serve guests. If you’re staying at the Five-Star Eau Palm Beach (which reopened to public on July 1), expect whimsical room service with the new “At Your Service Cocktail Butler”. Guests simply call down for their preferred cocktail, choosing from a diverse menu of classic and Eau’s signature cocktails, and a bar cart will magically arrive at the door. While watching from a safe distance and comfort of your room, a bartender will create your desired cocktail outside of the suite. The hotel can also curate the in-room experience with custom-stocked minibars available for pre-order. Get ready to hit speed dial.

At EAST Miami in Brickell, they’re allowing guests to play bartender with beautiful in-suite bar carts. During your stay in the Suite, the bar cart is loaded with high-end spirits like tequila, gin, vodka, and whiskey (hello, Macallan) as well as red and white wines. Guests can also prepare their own cocktails like a margarita, cosmopolitan or an old-fashioned by requesting specific ingredients — all while luxuriating in wraparound balconies and epic views of the Miami skyline. That’s social distancing in style.