Interview with Tapeo Restaurant Owner Mara Fernandez

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Hello Casual Winers! Dad and I recently visited with Mara Fernandez. She’s is the owner of Tapeo on Giralda in Coral Gables. Let me tell you right now. You want to pay her a visit.

The crazy thing is that Tapeo was not always Tapeo. It used to be called Mara, a restaurant named after owner and chef, Mara Fernandez. It was a more formal dining place.

Once the construction happened on Giralda, the atmosphere changed. The people that visit that area are different. It went from a family oriented area to a much younger crowd. So, Mara decided it was time to change her concept from fine dining to tapas with a flair.

Mara, as you can see in the video, is very hands on. She took charge and changed the name of the restaurant to Tapeo. It did require that they close the restaurant a while for the reconstruction. Tapeo has a big sit down area when you walk in, a bar, outside seating, and a lounge area. It’s a ‘Spanish style taperia’ that is very enticing. Personally, whenever I end up getting married (I need to find a man first), I would love to have my bridal shower here. It’s fun and relaxing.

The menu is meant to be shared. If you are new to the whole ‘tapas’ concept, let me tell you about it. So you pick some food there, pick some food here, etc. In Spanish the word is, “pica pica.”

Her wine list is great! The price is very friendly and pairs really well with what they serve. Once she changed from Mara to Tapeo, she added wines that are more affordable to the younger crowd.
Let me tell you the Pinot Noir was amazing! She still has the previous selection from Mara (the restaurant) in case you want to splurge or are feeling fancy.

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