{"id":364168,"date":"2026-08-06T10:02:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T10:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/364168\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T10:02:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T10:02:09","slug":"cafe-expands-at-books-books-in-coral-gables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/364168\/","title":{"rendered":"Cafe expands at Books & Books in Coral Gables"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Jonah<\/p>\n

Jonah Kaplan inside The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books in Coral Gables. Kaplan, 33, has revamped and revived the restaurant, making it a vital part of a Miami institution.<\/p>\n

PHOTO BY AL DIAZ<\/p>\n

adiaz@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n

Summer can be (and has been) a difficult time for restaurants in Miami. With tourists who fled in the spring, ongoing economic uncertainty and the cost of literally everything rising, business can slow to a painful trickle, with the season feeling awfully far away.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re grabbing a bite at The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books in Coral Gables, you might have to wait for a table.<\/p>\n

Get there early, and you can usually grab a spot. The indoor tables fill up quickly, lined up against a wall of photos of the famous authors who have visited the store over the years \u2014 Salman Rushdie! Jimmy Carter! Dave Barry! A few small tables have been set up in the events room to accommodate overflow. And even in the heat of summer, you\u2019ll find lunch customers wandering into the outdoor courtyard with laptops or an appetite or both, seeking shade, coffee or a good meal that doesn\u2019t break the budget.<\/p>\n

Even general manager Jonah Kaplan is a little startled by the caf\u00e9\u2019s increasing popularity.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsually in the summers I have a little break,\u201d he says. \u201cNow we have no downtime, no down season. I have a lot of friends in the restaurant business, and I know how hard it is for them. It\u2019s really unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"General General manager Jonah Kaplan at The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books in Coral Gables, which has started opening at 9 a.m. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

Since Kaplan, son of Books & Books founder Mitchell Kaplan, took over as general manager in 2022, the caf\u00e9 has seen steady growth every year, about a 25 percent increase, he estimates. And instead of taking a backseat to the books and the nightly events that draw readers from all over Miami, the caf\u00e9 is not only more integral to the store but also a destination on its own.<\/p>\n

Kaplan, 33, who virtually grew up in the book store along with his siblings Daniel and Anya, says Books & Books feels like part of his DNA. This is not an unusual sentiment amongst the readers of Miami: The store, which first opened in 1982 and then at its current location in 2000, exerts a powerful pull on the city as a cultural icon.<\/p>\n

But Kaplan, who has long loved to cook, found himself gravitating to the food side of the business. He worked with and learned from chef Papo Santiago, who has been at the caf\u00e9 for 26 years. He also took advantage of the store\u2019s collaborative dinners with chef Alan Susser, watching one of Miami\u2019s culinary founders at work.<\/p>\n

Kaplan left Miami for Denver during the pandemic and ended up running an independent bookstore and bar in that city. When he returned a couple of years later, he had ideas for change.<\/p>\n

\"Chef Chef Papo Santiago prepares a meal in the kitchen at The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books in Coral Gables. He has worked at the restaurant for 26 years. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

\u201cFor most of my life the caf\u00e9 was an afterthought, kind of an amenity for the book store,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen I was in Denver I saw the potential for having a community place where you could hang out and have a coffee or co-work, or hang out with your friends for happy hour, a one-stop place that has it all. I came back with that in mind. I really wanted to create that all-day atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Revamping the menu was the first priority. Kaplan added breakfast as an option last year, and this summer, he partnered with Neighborhood Bagels<\/a> \u2014 \u201cthe best bagels in Miami,\u201d he says \u2014 to improve it further. He also has partnered with Pan Nom bakery<\/a> for Japanese milk bread for sandwiches.<\/p>\n

And while longtime favorites like the curried chicken and the turkey panini remain on the menu, the rest of the choices are new, from the addictive halloumi bites served with guava (\u201dtequenos without the bread,\u201d Kaplan jokes) to a spicy chicken sandwich and grilled mahi with pineapple and couscous.<\/p>\n

He changed the dishware and flatware and got rid of the plastic cups. He hired more caf\u00e9 staff members who loved books. The changes, along with more live music in the courtyard at night, began to draw a younger crowd.<\/p>\n

\"Spicey Turkey sausage, egg and cheese bagel at The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books. The restaurant has partnered with Neighborhood Bagels for the new menu item. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t change the customer base,\u201d he says. \u201cWe added a new base. We have the same number of older customers, but we\u2019ve added this young demographic that comes out on the weekends and for other events. That\u2019s really helped us in the caf\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to loving the fact that he\u2019s working with his son, Mitchell Kaplan said that Jonah\u2019s skills have made it integral to the bookstore\u2019s success.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s done a remarkable job in increasing our business and organizing it in a way it hadn\u2019t been before,\u201d he said. \u201cJonah\u2019s been able to bring his special sauce to the team. He\u2019s a savant when it comes to food, and he loves the notion of bringing people together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bringing the community together, of course, is Books & Books\u2019 primary reason for existing. Mitchell Kaplan has long been a proponent of the concept of the book store as a third place, that special social spot outside of work and home where people can gather and share common interests, whether it\u2019s books and writing or food and music.<\/p>\n

\"Tropical Tropical mahi mahi is now on the menu at The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

\u201cThese days, these places become more and more important,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve always been a diverse city, but we need these places where people can interact one on one in real time. We\u2019re all about community, and you feel that when you walk in to the caf\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonah Kaplan agrees about Miami\u2019s need for community gathering places and, more importantly, for Miami to have locally-owned businesses to support instead of encroaching out-of-towners. He has plenty of ideas to highlight the Books & Books brand, because playing a role in the transformation of strong, independent, local businesses is vital to him.<\/p>\n

Just like cuisine is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought I\u2019d work in the book store,\u201d he admits. \u201cI\u2019m glad there\u2019s a caf\u00e9, so I have my own path that\u2019s different from my dad\u2019s. I love food. I love to create a space where I see people happy, and restaurants are conducive for creating that space. When I walk in, and we\u2019re rocking, it\u2019s great.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Breakfast Small plates of hummus, fried halloumi bites and labneh are now offered at The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com The Caf\u00e9 at Books & Books<\/p>\n

Where: 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables<\/p>\n

Hours: 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday; breakfast served until 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

More information: booksandbooks.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Connie Ogle loves wine, books and the Miami Heat. Please don\u2019t make her eat a mango.\n <\/p>\n