Joe
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I'm not a big restaurant kind of guy. I always recommend Flanigan's to everybody. Up north there's a place called Izziban that's good for Korean barbecue.
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.
Lorin
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Food related - We don't go as often as we wish, but we love Le Bouchon in the Grove. And, A Pizza Brooklyn, the original location, not the one on Bird. And, we go to the farmer's market on Saturdays in Coral Reef park. Non food related: We like Casa Viera which is a small business owned by a husband and wife and they create one of a kind pieces out of wood.
Joel
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I can speak about breweries. When I first moved to Miami, Lincoln's Beard had this thing called recess, which was meant for parents of young children to come and hang out and have beers. It's a super good vibe, really mellow place. After that, Unseen Creatures, which is in the same area. They're focused on almost terroir level yeasts and other things to produce their beers. It's just spectacular and I totally love their stuff. The other one would be Tripping Animals. It's a little further afield. I will take a pilgrimage, at least once a week to one of these, to buy our stock of beer.
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.
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.
Daniel
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I am a big fan of vegetarian and vegan cuisines. There's Vegan Cuban bakery in Kendall. It sounds like an oxymoron, but their vegan croquetas are a magical thing. I love Indian food. They probably get plenty of publicity already, but Bombay Darbar in Coconut Grove. There's a really great Thai spot off eighth street in Little Havana, called Lung Yai. It's a tiny little spot, it's always packed, and they have quality food.
Pete
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We are still not venturing out too much. We've been ordering Peruvian food. Aromas del Peru Roma is great. Sometimes we order from Pummarola in the Falls. One of our favorites that we used to go to, but can still get delivery is Shaddai the Lebanese family restaurant. They are really great people.
John
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We are going out to restaurants typically in the Gables area that are open air. Bachour was a recent opening and we typically do a breakfast there either Saturday or Sunday. We do quite a bit on Giralda. We very much like Miss Saigon, Coyo Taco, and the Peruvian restaurant that's there as well.
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.