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.
David
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
That list is supremely long. Do we go geographically...alphabetically? My buddy Niven, just opened up (Mamey) a new spot in Coral Gables. The food looks great, but I haven't been yet. The guys that Bar Lab cocktails opened up their natural wine popup on South beach, and it looks amazing. I still haven't gotten my hands on one of those pizzas that Brad and Old Greg's are doing in the Design District. I really miss the eating the ceviche at Itamae on an everyday basis. I still get my share of my EL Bagels - that's like my essential breakfast and brunch item. I still eat a ton of Stanzione's pizzas. I had an amazing lobster roll from Justin Flit and Mike Beltran at Nave. They're doing a New England style clam shack menu on the weekends. Aaron Brooks is doing a pop up at Stanzione 87. It's like a Turkish inspired pide and lahmacun. Aaron is supremely underrated. His food is incredible. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is all the creativity that's coming out of it. I've also had some random homemade things. There's a nice girl, that I met through the Miami food community, that's making homemade Armenian food every weekend. People are signing up and she's selling out every weekend. Her name is The Spicy Dolma. The guys from Kyu, Chef Raheem and his crew, are doing amazing barbecue right out of their front yard. It's impossible to list everyone. Jaguar Sun is doing amazing things right now in Little River. People are finding ways to survive. They're finding ways to thrive. They're finding ways to support their teams and to support their families. All of that is really amazing.
Kevens (round 2)
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
If you are in Fort Lauderdale, there is a place called Green Bar. They have great vegan food. I am vegan, but once a year I have poke in Hawaii. For a good bottle of wine, go to Happy Wine in Coconut Grove. You are surrounded by wine and can sit in the middle and order some food. If you eat seafood – they have a great grilled octopus.