Ilene
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
In Pinecrest: Daily Bread, Cheese Course, Joanna’s. Brickell: River Oyster Bar, the new Fleming's and for French food, Le Petite Mason. We love Crust on Miami River. It is an Italian restaurant with great food. I get their angel hair pasta with olive oil and garlic, and an arugula salad. The portions are huge – so you have to share everything.
Ben
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
Every Sunday or Monday evening, like clockwork, I get take out from Tropical Chinese. Also, Madruga Bakery. My wife is French and her parents are French and make baguette requests when I go to see them in Clearwater, FL.
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.
Daniella
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
In South Miami – No Name Chinese has fantastic tastes. My Ceviche – it’s part of a chain but really good and fast. Old Lisbon for Portuguese food. And, Marhaba for Arabic food. For special occasions: In my district, we go to a wonderful Italian place called Alaine’s Osterilla on 168th and Old Cutler.
Pedro
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We travel up and down Krome Avenue a lot. So, we like to frequent the nurseries and the natural fruit stands around that area. I like the Last Carrot in Coconut Grove. I've been going there since I was a teenager. It's funny that question brought me to realize how long I've been here at home and not going anywhere.
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.
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.
Alex
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I don't really go to too many restaurants. I like simple spots and farmer's markets.
Bekki
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
We love Cafe Portofino. It's in the Marshals shopping center on 136th street. It's a nice Italian place and their food is always delicious and their service is great. I always get the Capellini Castegliano which is pasta with pink sauce and shrimp - and they know that. We also like to go to Sage by Chef's Kitchen, which is a great hole in the wall. The food is always delicious and Hector is great. Now, you can actually sit down and order. Maddie and I like to go there a lot. We also like A-Pizza Brooklyn. My son's favorite restaurant in the world is Five Guys, because he likes the burgers. We also like to stay home and cook. We like the new place, Fiola, in South Miami. It really pretty, quiet, and the food is really, really good. Their short rib ravioli is delicious.
Ethan
What local restaurants or businesses do you recommend?
I keep a list of restaurants on my phone that I try to constantly update - so when we've got a free night and ask where we want to go - we can take it out. The Downtown Dadeland area has been really impressive lately. Our favorite restaurant in Miami is probably Whisk - their spicy seared beef with coconut rice and spinach blends together in this perfect balance. Second place is called The Fish House. It's on Miller road, way out west. It's like a hole in the wall kind of place. They have a grilled octopus dish that is far better than any grilled octopus I've ever had at the fanciest restaurants around.