Stephan
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Not surprisingly, I’m interested in Indian food. One of my favorites is on South Dixie – called Saffron. I’ve eaten Indian food all over the world, and they have some of the best I’ve ever had. I get the paneer makhani – fried cheese with spicy sauce, malai kofta – dumpling with Indian cheese, chickpea flour and gravy. They adjust the spice level to your taste. There’s also a great appetizer with baby spinach leaves, coated in chickpea flour and fried. Another recommendation, if you need quick and cheap Indian food, there’s a place called Bollywood Masala – near the quick stop on Red Road. I get the Dal and Sambar soup. Sometimes they have fresh dosas. It’s a good deal. One dosa is really big and my wife and I can split it for a meal. They have some tables, but it’s mostly take out.
Kim
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We do a lot of walking around our neighborhood. Ben and I are in office buildings all day. So any opportunity to be together with our girls and be outdoors is our go-to. In the evenings and weekends, we do a lot of walking to restaurants in the neighborhood. We go to Sports Grill a lot. Mia Italia is down the street. In the mornings, we'll walk to Deli Lane. Before I moved back to Miami, I was living in New York. I think this area is about as close as you can get in Miami to feeling that energy and be able to just pop in somewhere. If we're doing take out or bringing home food, I love Havana Harry's and Flanagan's. I'm a pescatarian, so we eat a lot of Mediterranean food. When we go out to eat, Mandolin is one of my favorites. If we're going a little nicer, we'll go to some Michael Schwartz places.
Alex
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I don't really go to too many restaurants. I like simple spots and farmer's markets.
Luis and Natalia
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
For Thai:Bangkok City – everything is good. Especially the fried rice and the peanut sauce. The peanut salad is incredible. Origins on the Key is also great. They have a bunch of different cuisines - Thai, Malaysian, Japanese – but it’s not fusion. They have different dishes from each style. The Malaysian roti is really good. For Tacos: El Toro Taco – we get everything, it’s all well made, and you can’t go wrong. Las Carnitas – the mole is real. You would never pull over and think to eat there. It is a little window with seating on 8th street. You need to be taken there.
Stephen
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I like a place called Fratelli La Bufala. It's the most authentic Italian food I've found in Miami. I get the pizza napolitana and just a bowl of homemade pasta. If you haven't been, you've got to try it.
Richard
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We've been going to Fairchild Tropical Garden, especially during quarantine, it's really an incredible escape. The landscape there may not change, but it's different every time you go. It's a great place to just explore and for the kids to run around. You feel like you have the whole place to yourself, even if there's a lot of other people there. One place we love for take out it Fratellino on Miracle Mile. It's a very small Italian restaurant, two doors down from the Playhouse. The owner is this guy Beto, you will love him. My wife grew up on Miami Beach, and Beto had a restaurant in Bay Harbor that she and her family would go to at least once a week. When we went to his new place, it was as if no time had passed. He knows everybody in there, he's a sweetheart. My wife who had a crush on him openly when she was 10, I think still has a crush on him.
Ashley
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
There's one place on the beach called 'Under the Mango Tree.' It's predominantly organic. They have Acai bowls, smoothies, and empanadas. There's another place in Midtown called Thatch that's 100% plant based and and really good. In Wynwood, there's a place called Love Life Cafe. It's also a 10 out of 10 recommend.
Naomi
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Ghee. I really enjoy Chef Niven's food. And, Lincoln's Beard Brewery.
Ben
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
My kids love Sports Grill. It's right down the street from our house. I loved Scotty's, before it left us. I like something with a water view outside with a breeze where you can get a good fish sandwich. While you don't quite have the view, I like the patio at the Spillover, and they have music on the weekends. We'll usually go to River Oyster bar. It's kind of a go-back to our old days of being single and no kids. And if it's a nice weather night, we like going to Mandolin.
Toma
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
My favorite Mexican place – anywhere I’ve ever been! It’s down in Florida City, across from the Cracker Barrel. It’s a taco stand called Rosita’s. It’s the best Mexican, hands down, you will ever eat. There are only a few things on the menu. I just point to order and you can’t go wrong. I also love the Asian Thai Kitchen inside the Quickie Mart on Grand Avenue in the Grove. $11 for Pad Thai – no question. So good.