Buccan Coral Gables Brings James Beard-Nominated Small Plates to the Gables

Buccan opened its Coral Gables location on May 22, marking chef Clay Conley's first Miami-area restaurant since he left Azul. Conley built his name on Buccan's original Palm Beach outpost, a James Beard Award-nominated small-plates concept that turned sharing-format dining into a destination rather than an afterthought.

What's on the menu

Buccan's format stays true to the small-plates approach that made the original location a Palm Beach fixture: a wide-ranging menu meant for ordering several dishes across a table rather than one entrée per person. It's built for a group that wants to graze through courses rather than commit to a single dish.

Three concepts, one address

The Coral Gables opening isn't a single restaurant so much as a small dining complex. Buccan shares its space with two adjacent concepts: Imoto, a Japanese sushi and small-plates room, and a Buccan Sandwich Shop for a faster, counter-service option. All three sit under Conley's direction, giving the same address three distinct ways to eat depending on the occasion.

Why it matters

A James Beard-nominated chef opening his first new Miami-area restaurant in years is a real event for the local dining scene, not just another opening. Coral Gables has been building a denser restaurant row in recent seasons, and Buccan's arrival, paired with its sister concepts next door, gives the neighborhood a genuine anchor for a full night out: drinks and small plates at Buccan, sushi at Imoto, or a quicker bite at the sandwich shop, all without leaving the block.