10/27/2025
Hey hey that's us!
On any given Sunday morning, a line of diners stretches down Commodore Plaza and Main Highway. They’re hoping to score an outdoor table for brunch at Greenstreet Café, a Coconut Grove institution.
For owner Sylvano Bignon, sidewalk seating has been synonymous with his brand since opening in 1990. “We have such a beautiful corner location that gives us great exposure,” Bignon tells the Coconut Grove Spotlight. “It is working extremely well.”
In fact, sidewalk cafes have become part of Coconut Grove’s identity as much as its tree-lined streets and brick-paved walkways.
For more than 30 years, restaurateurs have staked out patches of public right-of-way, turning sidewalks from mere pedestrian throughways into outdoor dining areas.
But how much of a good thing is too much? For some Grove residents, the outdoor tables, decorative planters, menu boards, and electric fans that accompany sidewalk cafes have become a nuisance.
Read more at the link in bio.
Story by Francisco Alvarado and Jenny Jacoby
