Coney Burger, the burger joint that won over Miami from a weekend stall in Wynwood, will permanently close on November 30 its location at 1306 N Miami Ave, in the Park West area north of Downtown, after its owners decided not to engage in a bidding war for the lease.
The announcement was made by chef Pedro Lara and his wife Vanessa Lara in a video posted on their Instagram account, where they explained that they were informed their time in that space had come to an end. Considering the possibility of entering into a bidding war for the location, they chose to withdraw.
"Miami is for the highest bidder, and we were not the highest bidder," summarized Vanessa Lara, as reported by Miami New Times.
The story of the business is one of an endeavor built from scratch in the post-pandemic era. Pedro and Vanessa Lara—both of Venezuelan origin—launched the concept in March 2022 as a pop-up at Smorgasburg Miami, the outdoor food market in Wynwood, where they won the Burger Battle of the market and built a loyal customer base.
A year later, on March 30, 2023, they opened their first permanent location at 2298 SW 8th St., in Little Havana, presented as the first "ventanita" for hamburgers on Calle Ocho. That same year, Miami New Times selected them as "Best Burger" in Miami in the editor's choice category. They later moved the operation to the N Miami Ave location, which is now closing.
The menu that made them famous included Wagyu beef burgers, smashburgers, vegan options like the Coney burger —made with maitake and oyster mushrooms, sweet potato, black beans, and carrot— as well as loaded fries and milkshakes.
The closure is not an isolated case. In 2026, the pressure from commercial rents has left a trail of closures in South Florida: Pasta in Wynwood, Le Chick, Gramps, Rosemary's, Shiso, Niño Gordo, Hard Rock Cafe Miami, Yardbird, Sultan, La Latina, and the City Food Hall Doral, among others. Joining them will be Shorty's BBQ, founded in 1951, which will close its original location in Dadeland on December 27.
Market data explains the pressure faced by independent businesses. According to Cushman & Wakefield, the average retail rent in Miami-Dade reached $49.82 per square foot per year in the second quarter of 2026, with a year-over-year increase of 1.8%. In Wynwood, the average reached $57.19 in the first quarter, and in the most sought-after corridors, it exceeds $100. A survey from the Federal Reserve mentioned in local coverage indicates that 54% of small businesses are struggling to pay their rent.
The bidding war model for leases—in which the landlord chooses the tenant who offers the most—is displacing small businesses in favor of chains or investors with greater financial muscle. It has not been publicly confirmed who won the bid for the space on N Miami Ave or who the new tenant will be.
Despite the setback, the Lara family left the door open for a return. "We have been praying for the right doors to open, and there is more to share," they wrote on Instagram, where they also thanked their community and invited them to say goodbye in person before closing on November 30.
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