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.
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.
Norka
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Fish House on Miller. The first time I went there, I was like 'what in the world, this is so strange and the decor!' But, I love it. I've never had anything that was bad. They have live music on the weekends. Another great place that we go for a treat is, Vicky's milkshake bar. It's in the Grove.
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.
Alexandra
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Going Bananas. If you're a farmer down here, you know them. I went there in the middle of the pandemic. They weren't actually open, but I ended up getting a hold of them and it was only a tiny order of three plants. I ended up chatting with her and the level of which she interacted with me and shared her knowledge and her passion for what they do was a stoke, the same as you guys.
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.
Skip
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We haven't gone anywhere this year, but in South Miami we like Pastis, which is a little French restaurant. There's a good pizza place on Sunset called Spritz. Whisk is a nice hidden restaurant next to Ace Hardware. And Red Fish Grill is very good and has a lovely water view.
Robbie
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
People always ask us and it's a tough one. Boia De for sure. It's such a memorable experience because they actually care. The servers take time to know you and they're not trying to just pump you through. That was the last restaurant we ate at. We like getting takeout from Lobster Shack, south of fifth. One of our perfect afternoons is getting lobster roll takeouts, bringing a bottle of wine, and going to sit in the park with the kids. And, Michael's Genuine is always a crowd pleaser for us.
Gretchen
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I love Ghee. I think Niven is doing Indian food like nobody else in this country. And the fact that he's growing much of it is just so special. We went to the opening of Salumeria 104's second location. They've had one in Midtown for a few years. It's very Italian, and it's reasonable. You can get three different kinds of prosciutto. It's just terrific.
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.