Jose
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Matthew
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I'm more of a classic guy. I like the mainstay type restaurants, like Caffe Abbracci or Christys , or even Garcia's Seafood Market, or Captain's Tavern. These local gems have really good food and they're not touristy.
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.
Naomi
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Ghee. I really enjoy Chef Niven's food. And, Lincoln's Beard Brewery.
Mike
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I am a Palmetto Bay guy, and having a small business, I understand the need to support our small businesses. My favorite place not just to eat, but to have a beer, is Golden Rule, which is right next to my house. There's a great Italian place in Palmetto Bay called, Cafe Portofino, which I absolutely love. And, there's a pizza place called Zio Artú, which is fairly new.
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.
Kate
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Right now, my favorite restaurant and the only restaurant we've been going to right now, is La Natural. They have a sourdough made with a really old starter and they make amazing pizza. When I first started going, they had this grilled pineapple, and it was so good. It was seasonal, but now they have these mushrooms with green sauce. My husband and I are both very particular about food and there's certain places where it might taste good, but you don't feel good afterwards, so you don't end up going back. But I feel great after I eat at La Natural. There's another little place that I really love that my husband has been going to since he was a teenager, called Tarragon Middle East Market. It's owned by two Lebanese brothers who are twins and they're just so kind and so nice. The dates they sell are like no other date I have ever tasted in my life. They just melt in your mouth. All their food is really good.
Barbara & Steven
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Michael Schwartz is our most serious chef. We like what Michael does because he is really committed to local ingredients – and for me especially, he is really committed to live fire. All his restaurants have wood burning grills, and I think he has been very successful in delivering wood grilled flavor in his food. When you eat his food you really know that someone was burning logs in a grill. We like Fi'lia his new Amara. We also like, The Petit Mason – Barbara especially likes it because it is so ‘adult’ and has white tablecloths. And, there are no television sets in the dining room – which is hard to find in Miami. They serve a baby chicken marinated in preserved lemons and garlic and grilled over a charcoal burning grill that’s fantastic. You’ll also find us at Stubborn Seed, Plant + Food, and Kyu in Wynwood.
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.
Wally
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
There’s no local outlet for bands to play down south. Right now, you have to go north to Wynwood or downtown. There’s a place called Las Rosas. It’s good for bands as it’s easy to load in and out and the sound is great. Also, Churchill's – which is a British pub in North East. They have good punk shows.