Heidi
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
That's tricky. I have a lot of friends in the industry. I like going to dives as much as I do fine dining. Right around here, Keg South is pretty up there...it's between the wings and the burgers. I think their wings are fried and then tossed with their hot sauce and thrown on the grill. Sometimes - the dirtier the dive, the better the food. I recently found this place Lung Yai Thai tapas. It's on eighth street. When you sit down, you order and then you can't order anything else, they will not allow you. So, it's a conundrum to order too much or not order enough. It's one of my favorite places right now.
Buster
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
My favorite restaurant was a Vietnamese place called Hy Vong. Unfortunately, they closed. They do some popups now and at some farmer’s markets. We go to places nearby - Whisk, Titanic and Matsuri.
Anthony
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I'll give some shout outs. My friend Josh from Premium Meats is in the wagyu business. He's gone from being an incredible host where you would get meat from his house. And now, he's in the Bird Road Arts District. He started by ordering wagyu beef for himself, and then thought his friends would like some too. He's got a real passion for it and he's happy to talk any cut of cow. I want to frequent places where the passion is coming from the owner like that because it's gonna bleed into the bite or the sip that you have.
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.
Ricky
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We're members of the Coconut Grove Sailing Club and there's a restaurant there and it's so beautiful that it wouldn't even matter what food they were serving just to be there and looking out over the water is lovely. We have a little sailboat there. That's really nice.
Jorge
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Local Pie. Last Sunday, I left your stand and went and bought two cauliflower pizzas. Another business is Phitness Lab. It's a small boutique gym and the owner has poured 13 years of his life into it. It's a great family environment. I like to support them.
Carlos
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We like Miss Saigon Bistro – The rice noodle bowls are great. Also, Joanna’s Market – I strongly recommend the latte, sandwiches and bagels. And, Chocolate Fashion on Sunset – it’s a coffee place. They have a tremendous breakfast. The omelet with vegetables is out of the park! My wife likes Spanish food. Sometimes we go to Rincon Espanol. Also, Two Chefs is excellent quality and underrated.
Randy
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We've been cooking a lot at home since the pandemic started. But, our favorite restaurant in town would be Bombay Darbar, the Indian restaurant in Coconut Grove. Locally, we've been doing a lot of Ana Capri lately.
Susan
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I really enjoy Whisk, with my husband, for a date night. We love Tropical Chinese. They've been around forever.
Dan
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
My wife’s favorites are Zuma and Petite Mason. Also, we love Bazaar Seafood at the SLS. Sakura on Le June always has high quality sushi and the chef has been there for 35 years. For Valentines dinner, I blind folded my wife and drove her around the city and then came back home. As she opened her eyes, our boys were the host, waiter and cooks. They had the table set for two with a menu they prepared. She cried all night and said it was the best dinner ever.