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Miami is a vibrant city fill of exciting nightlife and culture. The city is also a melting pot of many cultures, and those influences come alive in the city’s food scene. Get ready to eat your way through paradise with this foodies’ guide to Miami.
A Foodies’ Guide to Miami
The Tastes of Miami
Miami has quite a few food specialties that are unique to the region.
A Cubano is the Miami spin on the ham and cheese sandwich. This version contains ham and pork, pickles , swiss cheese and mustard on top of fresh Cuban bread.
Savory Stone Crabs are plentiful in South Florida. Each year the crabs are only available from October through May, and people line up for a cold stone crab with mustard sauce.
An Arepa is a small sandwich made from corn based bread and filled with anything you like, especially meats and cheeses. Arepas are a popular late night snack for the nightclub crowd.
Many people wake up in Miami and begin their day with a Croqueta. This breaded and fried delight is filled with diced ham and bechamel. The locals love to pile everything on top of a saltine cracker and a dash of lime juice and dig in.
Fritas are essentially Cuban hamburgers. This specialty consists of spicy beef and chorizo patty on a Cuban roll with shoestring fires on top. The two top places in Miami to grab your frita are El Ray de las Fritas, and celebrity magnet El Mago de las Fritas.
The Best Miami Foodie Neighborhoods
Wynwood is a unique graffiti-filled artsy neighborhood. This area has varied dining opportunities to accommodate every taste. The neighborhood has many Asian-influenced restaurants including sushi from Uchi or Hiyakawa. You could also order up a tasty Cubano Enriqueta’s Sandwich Shop, or scrumptious barbeque at KYU. If you wish to have a bakery treat, visit Zak the Baker for tons of croissants and other fresh bread and deli items.
Coconut Grove is the fastest growing foodie neighborhood in Miami. Locals love a glass of fine vino at Glass & Vine, or a tasty slice from Harry’s Pizzeria. At Kush Coconut Grove, diners can enjoy Frito pie, prawn toast, chili burgers and much more. For those that like a healthy food menu, The Last Carrot offers many delicious wraps, salads, and sandwiches- all included with their famous green sauce, also known as Last Carrot herb dressing.
Pass the tourist traps on Ocean Drive in South Beach, and instead pay a visit to one of the many locally owned restaurants for the best food. Gastronomy highlights include New York Italian food at Lucali, or sophisticated Eastern Mediterranean cuisine at Byblos Miami. You can also indulge yourself in 13 different kinds of tacos, as well as burritos at the fantastic Bodega Taqueria y Tequila.
More Places To Eat in Miami
Although it is a popular tourist spot, Miami Beach still has some areas like Sunset Harbour that embrace local-friendly food. Foodie highlights include tapas at Barceloneta, Thai street food at NaiYaRa, or awesome Italian fare at La Moderna. The area is also a popular spot to start your day with a great breakfast at Panther Coffee or the Icebox Café, which features Oprah Winfrey’s favorite cakes.
The spirit of Cuba is alive in Little Havana, but you can find many other culinary specialties here too. Doce Provisions features classic Cuban food with a modern twist served in a tropical garden. Try the Picada platterat the Columbian eatery Sanpocho Restaurant. For an outstanding Mexican taco, stop by Taqueria Viva Mexico. When you dine at Café La Trova, you will indulge yourself in the finest Cuban comfort food.
Downtown Miami +Brickell has plenty of unique dining opportunities. Diners can enjoy the seafood-centric fare of The River Oyster Bar, or a juicy filet mignon at Edge Steak & Bar. If you want your craft beer with a Thai influence, stop by EST.33 Thai Craft Brewery & Kitchen. Fine dining options in this area include Marabu Brickell for high end Cuban cuisine, or the yellowtail snapper at La Mar by Gaston Acurio. You can also experience the outstanding Asian cuisine and celebrity clientele at Komodo.
Miami Area Foodie Tours
There are many tour operators in Miami that offer fabulous foodie tours. Some of the best include:
Explore the city’s food scene with top culinary experts on Miami Culinary Tours. Tour highlights include the South Beach Food & Art Deco Tour, and Little Havana For and Cultural Tour, plus much more.
Food Tour Pros focuses on the food influences in many Miami neighborhoods. The SoBe Tour des Forks highlights the foods in the Art Deco District. When you join the Swooped with Forks tour, you will sample culinary delights from the Design District, Buena Vista and Wynwood.
Free Tours by Foot has many wonderful food tours that cover many of the popular Miami foodie neighborhoods including South Beach, Wynwood and Little Havana. The company also has a great foodie tour of Key West.
Head to dine in South Florida with this foodies’ guide to Miami!
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