The café inside Coral Gables' landmark bookstore at 265 Aragon Ave. is no longer just a place to grab coffee between readings. Under general manager Jonah Kaplan, 33, The Café at Books & Books has grown roughly 25 percent each year since he took over in 2022, by his estimate, filling tables even through Miami's slow summer months.

Kaplan, son of Books & Books founder Mitchell Kaplan, told the Miami Herald that the café now has "no downtime, no down season," with overflow seating set up in the events room and lunch customers using the outdoor courtyard despite the August heat.

The turnaround started after Kaplan returned from Denver, where he ran an independent bookstore and bar during the pandemic. He added daily breakfast service in 2025, revamped the menu and eliminated plastic cups in favor of proper dishware.

This summer, he partnered with Neighborhood Bagels for bagels and Pan Nom bakery for Japanese milk bread used in sandwiches. New dishes include halloumi bites with guava, a spicy chicken sandwich and grilled mahi with pineapple and couscous. Longtime staples like the curried chicken and turkey panini stayed.

Kaplan also hired staff who love books and expanded live music in the courtyard at night. He told the Herald the changes drew a younger weekend crowd without displacing longtime regulars.

Chef Papo Santiago, who has worked the café kitchen for 26 years, remains on staff.

Kaplan credited Santiago and chef Alan Susser, who led collaborative dinners at the store, with shaping his approach to the food.

"For most of my life the café was an afterthought, kind of an amenity for the book store," Kaplan told the Herald on Aug. 5. "When I was in Denver I saw the potential for having a community place where you could hang out and have a coffee or co-work, or hang out with your friends for happy hour, a one-stop place that has it all."

Mitchell Kaplan, who founded Books & Books in 1982 and co-founded the Miami Book Fair International, said his son has made the café integral to the store's business.

The café's growth adds energy to a block that already includes the Coral Gables Art Cinema at 260 Aragon Ave. and the Coral Gables Museum at 285 Aragon Ave. The stretch sits one block north of Miracle Mile, where the city's Taste the Gables promotion featured a record 75-plus restaurants in July.

Breakfast runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. The café is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.