After much success in Kendall and the Gables, this chef opened a new spot in South Miami
Jorge “Jorgie” Ramos, native of Miami and owner of the trendy Cebada Rooftop restaurant, had finally reached a point where life was not a constant battle.
His beloved Cuban-inspired cocktail bar Abi Maria in Downtown Dadeland closed in the summer of 2023 and was no longer a worry. The popular Kendall spot Vice City Pizza, which he co-owns with his father and partner and chef Carlos Estarita, is being managed beautifully by Estarita — and is considered one of the best pizza joints in Miami.
And the crowds keep returning to Cebada Rooftop, a Spanish restaurant and cocktail bar in Coral Gables known for tapas and comically Miami-centric cocktails like Every Belen Guys Christmas Vacation and Bro, Why Are Your Pants So Tight?
Add to that the fact that the former Christopher Columbus High School baseball player, who fell in love with the restaurant business and cooking via his father Jorge Sr., had gone through the painful economic reality of his restaurants closing, particularly Barley which closed in 2019, and was no longer financially unstable.
Why, then, did Ramos, 44, throw his free time into opening Bar Bella, his new restaurant in South Miami in the former space of Taco Craft, at a time he could kick back a little, relax and spend more time with his wife and two kids?
“My life was too easy,” he admits. “With all the struggles I had getting to this point, I need that kind of push. I need to keep working hard.”
Opening Bar Bella, though, is not just about needing to stay busy. Ramos is thrilled with the success of Cebada Rooftop and calls its patrons “an amazing crowd.” But part of him craved what he had at Abi Maria: a close-knit community.
“I was missing the personal connection with people,” he says. “South Miami has more of a neighborhood crowd than the Gables. I want to be here, I want people to see my face. And I can see my wife and children more, because they can come here.”
Bar Bella, which opened at the end of 2024, offers indoor and outdoor seating, blending Ramos’ Cuban heritage with his wife Alicia’s Midwestern background — which means smoke and barbecue play a starring role in the tapas style menu. You’ll find the usual suspects like jamon croquetas, crudos and crispy, light pan con tomate but also shockingly good smoked duck drumsticks, served with escabeche, fennel and whipped feta.
There are different types of barbacoa on the menu, too, and the smoked paellas with different types of meat or vegetables — mushrooms, short rib, duck, wagyu beef cheeks carnitas — offer a perfectly scorched socarrat (the almost-burnt, crunchy layer of rice at the bottom of the pan).
Most plates are made for sharing, because that’s the way Ramos prefers to eat.
“I hate just getting one big plate for me,” he says. “I want a family-style situation. I want people talking and sharing and interacting. You can get a steak anywhere. I like hearing ‘What did you get?’ It opens up your palate.”
The restaurant also offers a robust drinks menu, because though he thinks of himself as a family man now, Ramos can’t help but want to keep the party going. He has even instituted the Cebada Rooftop tradition of the porrón. At the end of the night, waitstaff will stroll around the tables offering guests a chance to drink from the porrón, a traditional glass pitcher used in Spain. Filled with white wine — usually pinot grigio, Ramos says — the servers lift the pitcher high and aim for the mouth.
Splashing is a distinct possibility: “We make a lot of messes, so we stick to white wine,” Ramos explains.
Creating a lively and fun atmosphere is important to him, and in addition to the restaurant’s regular bar, Ramos is transforming Taco Craft’s old hidden speakeasy into a new version of Abi Maria. Named for his grandmother and mother, the bar seats around 40 and will host lunches, late-night dinners and pop-ups — and sometimes, just plain old gathering at the bar for the sake of camaraderie. At first, it will share Bar Bella’s menu, but Ramos plans to eventually create its own unique offerings.
The original Abi Maria was “my mom’s spot,” Ramos says. “She took it hard when it closed. So when we had the opportunity to bring it back, we did with great joy.”
Being part of a South Miami revival brings joy, too. Ramos says the city has been encouraging for his business and others. The former Town Kitchen & Bar just down the street has reopened as Kitchen 57, and the new Grape Ape wine bar is now open, too. Several blocks away, the high-end restaurant Recoveco is making noise as well.
“All the elements of this neighborhood are ready to explode,” Ramos says. “Going out two blocks from your home and having good food and drinks and not worrying about parking is great. If I’m being honest, what neighborhood is greater than South Miami? South Miami is what the Grove used to be. It’s surrounded by great neighborhoods and people desperate to stay close to home.”
Even with an accommodating city, the restaurant business isn’t easy at this point in time, with costs for everything from labor to food to insurance rising astronomically. Still, to Ramos, the hardest thing about the job is way more personal than prices.
“The biggest challenge, and I keep harping on it, is controlling your ego,” he says. “I see people making the mistake of trying to do too much. I think people want the comfort things that don’t feel pretentious. We can’t keep increasing our prices, because everybody is struggling. Let’s get people in here and work through this together.”
Bar Bella
Where: 5829 SW 73rd St., South Miami
Hours: 5 p.m.-midnight Wednesday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday
More information and reservations: www.bellastapas.com