Stop for the gas, stay for the food, take home the wine
Despite the maniacal drivers of Dade County, traveling by car is generally the safest and most efficient mode of transport. Public transit is too hit-or-miss and walking is almost unheard of – and often life - threatening. The downside of being car-dependent, of course, is having to frequently fuel up. When your tank is low, you should hope it happens near this BP station on 17th Avenue in Coconut Grove.
If you’ve ever taken Spanish lessons, it’s safe to say you learned what carajo meant outside the classroom. But according to - Carajo’s proprietors, who cite the Royal Academy of Spanish, the term originally referred to the crow’s nest atop the mast of an old Spanish caravel. The expletive evolved from being sent to the carajo as punishment.
Info
Address 2465 SW 17th Avenue, Miami, FL 33145, +1 305.856.2424, www.el-carajo.com | Hours Wine store: 24 hours; restaurant: Mon–Thu noon–10pm, Fri–Sat noon–11pm, Sun 1pm–9pm; bakery café: Sun-Fri 7am–10pm| Tip If you don’t have enough gas to get to Coconut Grove, fret not! Fill up at another one of Miami’s lux gas stations, Europa Car Wash & Cafe (6075 Biscayne Blvd), serving up free WiFi and a wide array of gourmet sandwiches in what looks like a hotel lobby on South Beach.
A three-generation family business, El Carajo started as a humble gas station and quickie mart but has expanded over the last 30 years owing to the passions of its owners. Beyond the racks of window cleaner, cigarettes, Altoids, and other convenience-store staples is an unexpected and hidden destination for food and wine lovers. There’s an excellent Cuban coffee and pastry bar, stocked with whole cakes and pies, croquettes, and sandwiches, and a brick-encased wine cave outfitted with polished wood counters and a sophisticated international bottle collection that rivals any in Miami. But the real surprise is yet to come.
Pass through the wine room and you’ll find yourself in the mural-bedecked dining room of a gourmet restaurant serving traditional Spanish tapas. The menu is extensive and the food is a knockout. Pair your wine selection with the acorn-fed ham, cured for three years, or a classic meat board with serrano ham, manchego cheese, and chorizo; or bring a group of friends and go for the family-style seafood paella.
You’ll never judge a gas station by its exterior again.
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