El Carajo

"Maybe this isn't the first time you were taken on a date to a gas station (oh, high school, you were so weird) but it will be the best gas station date you'll ever go on. That's because inside this Coconut Grove gas station is El Carajo, a classic Spanish restaurant where you can drink wine, eat tapas, and have a generally wonderful time. There's an old school vibe to this place—so maybe skip it if you're looking for something new and trendy. But we've always had fun here eating bacon-wrapped dates, fluffy Spanish omelettes, crispy croquettes, and drinking a bottle of wine. Speaking of wine, there are tons of bottles for sale inside the gas station, which you can buy for your meal at retail price plus a reasonable corkage fee. " - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo

"Gas station food usually evokes images of wrinkly old hot dogs rotating on metal rollers. And while the Mobil on US1 in Coconut Grove certainly has its fair share of candy and cigarettes, it’s also home to El Carajo. You’ll forget where you are as soon as you step into the dining room, which looks like a Spanish plaza, surrounded by painted bricks and fake balconies. Pick out a bottle of wine from their giant selection and start with a big tabla of manchego cheese, jamon serrano, chorizo, and quince before moving on to sweet bacon-wrapped dates and plump gambas al ajillo, which are both under $15. But El Carajo isn’t just great for tapas. They also have tender lamb chops with manchego potato terrine and paellas perfect for big group celebrations." - virginia otazo, mariana trabanino, ryan pfeffer

"Gas station food usually evokes images of wrinkly old hot dogs rotating on metal rollers. And while the Mobil on US1 in Coconut Grove certainly has its fair share of candy and cigarettes, it’s also home to El Carajo, one of our favorite Spanish restaurants in Miami. You’ll forget where you are as soon as you step into the dining room, which looks like a Spanish plaza, surrounded by painted bricks and fake balconies. Pick out a bottle of wine from their giant selection and start with a big tabla of manchego cheese, jamon serrano, chorizo, and quince before moving on to sweet bacon-wrapped dates and plump gambas al ajillo, which are both under $15. But El Carajo isn’t just great for tapas. They also have tender lamb chops with manchego potato terrine and paellas perfect for big group celebrations. photo credit: El Carajo" - Virginia Otazo

"Most Miami gas station food consists of shriveled hotdogs and sketchy Jamaican beef patties, but El Carajo is a gas station where you’ll actually want to eat. Past the pumps, candy, and cigarettes, there’s a really great Spanish restaurant in the back, where you can order tons of tapas and drink a bottle of wine (there are hundreds of options). They have a pulpo al ajillo you’ll absolutely finish, bacon-wrapped dates, and fluffy Spanish tortillas. There are also walls full of wine for sale here, which you can buy for your meal at retail price plus a $10 corkage fee." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo

"Gas stations are generally not associated with fine wine, but this unconventional destination is the place to go to fill up the tank and much more. There are 40 wine selections available by the glass and more than 1,500 bottles to choose from, as well as traditional Spanish food (think paella, Spanish tortilla, and gambas al ajillo—garlic shrimp) to enjoy. Oenophiles will want to put this one on their list, regardless of what the gas tank reads." - Alona Martinez