Coral Gables This Week: Havana Harry's Returns & Early Voting Opens

It's a busy Monday in the Gables: a beloved Cuban restaurant is back after more than a year, early voting opens today for a city election with real stakes, and Halloween season shifts into high gear downtown. Here's what business owners and anyone with office space Coral Gables-side should have on their radar this week.

Havana Harry's reopens today on LeJeune

After more than a year dark, Havana Harry's reopens today, Monday, October 19, at 4612 South LeJeune Road. The Cuban comfort-food institution, founded in 1995 and part of Centurion Restaurant Group since 2022, has been refreshed with green leather booths, mosaic tiling, and Cuban-inspired art — but according to founder Carlos Centurion, the recipes and famously generous portions haven't changed. Lunch and dinner service starts now, with breakfast returning December 1.

If you work nearby, there's a reason to go early: the first 50 diners today get a $20 gift card, and through October 26 a $10 minimum purchase earns a free mojito, Cuban tamal, flan, or café Cubano. For teams in executive suites Coral Gables-wide, this is a client-lunch staple coming back online just in time for Q4 entertaining.

Early voting opens today for the November 3 election

Coral Gables holds its municipal election on Tuesday, November 3 — the city's first November vote after moving elections from April — and early voting runs today, October 19, through November 1. Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia appeared before the City Commission on October 13 to urge residents to vote early or by mail.

Beyond the mayor's race, there's a charter question worth every business owner's attention: whether to extend the mayor's term from two years to four. As CBS News Miami reported last week, supporters — including Mayor Vince Lago, who is running for re-election — argue two years is too short to see major initiatives through, while opponents say shorter terms keep City Hall accountable. If the measure passes, the four-year term would start with the 2028 election, so this November's winner still serves two years. City commissioners already serve four-year terms. For companies weighing office rental Coral Gables decisions, who runs City Hall shapes everything from permitting speed to parking policy, so it's worth a few minutes at the ballot box.

Halloween week kicks off downtown

The city's Halloween calendar gets serious this week. On Friday, October 23, the Adult Activity Center on Andalusia hosts its Halloween Spooktacular from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, October 24 is the big family day: the Coral Gables Museum holds its first-ever Kiddo-Ween Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aragon Avenue, and the Pumpkin Float at the Coral Gables Country Club pool runs 6 to 8 p.m., with prizes for the best carved jack-o'-lanterns.

It all builds toward Saturday, October 31, when Trick-or-Treat on the Mile takes over Miracle Mile from 3 to 6 p.m., followed by the adults-only Drink-or-Treat happy hour crawl at 6 p.m., plus a Day of the Dead celebration at Ponce Circle Park from 4 to 9 p.m. We covered the full lineup in our October on Miracle Mile guide. If your office hosts clients downtown that afternoon, plan around street activity on the Mile — or lean into it; the trolley runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. that day.

The market backdrop: space keeps tightening

One more note for anyone tracking the Miami office market: Savills' third-quarter report, covered by Commercial Observer in early October, shows Miami-Dade office availability down to 14.6% — a 1.2-point drop in a year — with average asking rents up 8.4% year over year to $68.50 per square foot. Notably, only about a dozen available blocks county-wide exceed 50,000 square feet, and premium submarkets like Brickell now average above $90 per square foot. We broke down what those numbers mean locally in our Q3 rent analysis. The short version: quality space keeps getting scarcer and pricier, which makes flexible, furnished options in the Gables look better every quarter.

Skip the lease math — start working this week

If the Q3 numbers have you rethinking a conventional lease, Gables Executive Offices offers furnished office Miami businesses can move into immediately — private executive suites steps from Miracle Mile, with staffed reception, conference rooms, and flexible terms that don't lock you into a multi-year commitment at rising rates. You get a Coral Gables business address and a professional front door for a fraction of the cost of building out your own space.

Want to see what your business could get in the Gables? Book a tour