Zitz Sum

Zitz Sum is the modern Asian restaurant that grew out of chef Pablo Zitzmann’s wildly popular dumpling pop-up, now settled into a sleek, intimate room in Coral Gables. The Colombian-born chef draws on influences that range from China and Japan to Italy, and the result has been a critical favourite from the start, a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand every year since 2022 and a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant.

Dumplings are the heart of the menu and the reason to come. The lobster and shrimp har gow are delicate and precise, the pork-belly potstickers arrive with a bright green-apple amazu, and the rest of the small-plates list is just as inventive, crossing borders with confidence. The à la carte changes with the seasons, while a seven-course tasting menu, which evolves weekly, is the best way to follow the kitchen’s imagination.

For all its accolades, Zitz Sum stays refreshingly unpretentious and genuinely good value, which is the whole point of a Bib Gourmand. The room is small and modern, the mood relaxed, and the cooking does the talking. It is a place to share widely across the table, ideal for couples and small groups, and it makes an excellent lunch as well as dinner.

Because the room is compact and the following devoted, it is wise to book ahead, and lunch is often the easiest way in. It is about a twenty-five-minute drive from the residence, a rewarding trip from South Beach to one of Coral Gables’ most creative and talked-about kitchens.