Guide - 519

Bakeries & Patisseries

Guava + Cheese Donut at The Salty Donut

Website

Guava Danish

Website

Heavenly Sweet Addictions

Website

Elisabeth Pierre creates custom-made cakes and creative sweets for special occasions.

Tags: Black-owned business

Mama’s Guava Bars

Website

Farm Markets & Stands

Guava Pie

Website

Heritage Market

Website

OPEN: Year-round
U-PICK: Strawberries, herbs, wildflowers
THE STORY: David and Nicole Torcise launched the U-Pick on the former site of Curbside Market, along with a full-size market supporting the Redland agricultural community. There's a covered space with picnic tables for families to hang out and a calendar of family-friendly events year-round. 

Tags: u-pick

Knaus Berry Farm

Website

OPEN: Late Oct.–April, closed Sundays
U-PICK: Strawberries and tomatoes
THE STORY: Owned and operated by the Knaus family since 1956, this berry farm is beloved for their cinnamon rolls. Fans don't mind waiting for hours to buy a dozen (cash only!). Behind their farmstand are strawberry fields ready for picking, starting in December-January (always call first to check availability). So coveted are their sweet red berries, chefs reserve them and home cooks use them for jellies and preserves. Knaus uses local produce in guava pie, key lime pie and guava jelly, among other bakery items. They also sell Bald Bakers blend coffee, cheesecakes, and yeast breads and rolls. Spot cinnamon rolls in local collaborations – ice cream and donuts, to name a few. Pro tip: If you don't want cinnamon buns, there are rarely lines for their produce, all grown at Knaus, except for sweet corn. Lines are long at the beginning of their season, but taper off. Weekdays are a good time to visit.

Tags: u-pick

Mango

Mango (Mangifera indica) is tropical fruit royalty in South Florida, where hundreds of varieties of mangos grow – backyard favorites like Kent, Haden and Glenn, and beloved mangos from India (Alphonse, Mallika), Southeast Asia (Nam Doc Mai), the Caribbean (Julie, Graham), Mexico (Ataulfo) and Central America (Fairchild). Mangos can be ripe when green, yellow, orange or red; as small as pears or as large as footballs; sweet, tart and juicy; and taste of pineapple, coconut, lemon or peach. The best have buttery smooth flesh free of stringy fibers. To store, peel and cut into chunks or slices, and freeze in zip-top bags. Dehydrated mangos are a delicious snack.

Find mangos: In season from late April through September, mangos are the stars of summer farmers markets, fruit stands and backyard gardens. The Fruit & Spice Park is home to the Redland Summer Fruit Festival in June, followed a week later by Mango Mania, a total immersion mango event. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden hosts the International Mango and Tropical Fruit Festival every July. From May through August (or until supplies run out), Mango Men Homestead sell rare varieties from their mango orchard. In Miami Beach, the South Beach Mango Festival debuted Aug. 5 at Lummus Park.

Tags: tropical fruit, mango

Maria Corona Produce

Website

OPEN: Year-round 8am-7pm. They also sell their produce at the Redland Market Village and Yellow Green Farmers Market.
THE STORY: Find fresh produce – strawberries in season, vegetables, tropical fruits, cut flowers, plants, coco frio. Not everything is local.

Farms, Orchards & Mills

Guavonia Guava Grove

Website

Guavonia Grove at a Glance

Farmer: Jorge Zaldivar
Where they’re located: Redland
Website: Facebook PGTropicals  Instagram @PastelGuayaba 
What they grow: Guava
Where they sell: Wholesale–local restaurants: Madruga Bakery, Mamey Miami, Azucar Ice Cream Co., Exquisito Chocolates, La Fresa Francesa, Ariete, Chug's Diner, Pastelito Papi, PIKADIYO
CSA: No


A tropical fruit farmer of guava (Psidium guajava) and tropical fruits in Homestead's Redland, Zaldivar digs deep into Miami's history while keeping his Cuban culture and roots in sight to make connections between fruits, history, recipes and stories. Currently serves as a Director with the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX), Slow Food's Ark of Taste Regional Committee Member, and Director of the South Florida Palm Society (SFPS), he is drafting the manuscripts of two cookbooks and the biography of South Florida Cookery pioneer and botanist Alex D. Hawkes from Coconut Grove.

ABOUT HIS FARM:  PG Tropicals partners with Guavonia Guava Grove in the Redland and cultivates various heirloom guava cultivars. "Since guava has been such a rich avenue into Miami's history for me, Guavonia Guava Grove’s foundation is a strong understanding of the Miami pioneers who lived and farmed here. By preserving guava fruits, we preserve Miami's history through seeds and our tropical fruit products. Redland terroir is years of tradition that brings Miami together every time we enjoy mamey, guava, mango, avocado, papaya and sapodilla. There are so many more reasons to love the agricultural areas south of Miami. The United States depends on Florida for a variety of crops grown during the winter season. Many tropical fruits are sourced from Redland and Homestead. There is only one Redland, and we are lucky to have it."

WHY HE'S SUCH AN ADVOCATE FOR LOCAL GUAVA: Pastelitos and guava creations in Miami are now made with imported guava products from the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Jamaica or Colombia. "It was once a leading Florida fruit, evidenced by pioneer pantries lined with jars of guava jelly and marmalade – there wasn’t a house in Hialeah or Shenandoah that didn’t have a jar of Miami’s world-renowned guava jelly. It's easy to lose track of what locally grown fruits and vegetables are easily available for us to enjoy here in Miami. It may seem like a chore to know what is in season and where to source it, but the more you participate in this model, the more you notice that flavor is hardly ever compromised, nor your budget."

Guavonia Guava Grove, Redland

Website

FRUITS ONLY
Guava farmer Jorge Zaldivar makes marmalade from his Redland-raised guavas and sells small quantities of fruits.
WHAT THEY CARRY: Guava and Redland guava marmalade
WHERE TO BUY: Check website or email him
SHIPPING: Not yet
MORE INFO: Follow his Instagram account here.

Tags: tropical fruit

Hammock Greens

Website

Hammock Greens at a Glance

Farmers: Aaron Dreilinger, Jill and Thomas Smitherman
Where they’re located: Container farms throughout South Florida
Website: Hammock Greens
What they grow: Lettuces, herbs, microgreens, Asian greens
Where they sell: Restaurants in South Florida
CSA: No


Set aside your vision of rows of seedlings under the subtropical sun. Hammock Greens is one of a new crop of container farms in South Florida, made up of converted shipping containers where the environment is controlled. They efficiently use little water and no pesticides to grow organic greens hydroponically all year long. Container farms can be placed in any setting and moved as needed. 

How they got into it: Smitherman and Dreilinger, both chefs and friends, were both intrigued by the idea of hyperlocal farms in recycled containers in South Florida. Container farming is an idea in the works elsewhere across the US, including Brooklyn (Square Roots) and LA (Local Roots Farms). Two years ago, Smitherman experimented with the containers at his home in Davie. Now there are six.

How it works: LED technology has really advanced, allowing operators to control the climate within the container from their phones, says Dreilinger. One day these containers may be powered by solar energy, but now they are on the grid, using about the same amount of electricity as a small house to control temperature and lighting. Ten gallons of water are used per week. Seedlings are started, then transplanted into hanging vertical strips until they’re ready for harvest. Each container farm can produce as much as one-third acre of land annually. Containers can be delivered anywhere there’s access to electricity. Hammock Greens grows produce for specific restaurants. “We ask chefs, ‘What do you want on the menu in three months?’” Dreilinger says. Delivery costs are less than produce from farms in South Miami-Dade, especially if the farm is in the back of a restaurant or hotel. If they want, host properties have access to produce and can use the farm for tours, photos and events.

 

Harpke Family Farm

Website

Harpke Family Farm at a Glance

Farmers: Tamer Harpke and Claire Hutin
Where they’re located: Dania Beach
Website: Harpke Family Farm @harpkefamilyfarm
What they grow: Specialty produce, including live microgreens, edible flowers, gem lettuces
Where they sell: Wholesale–Sunshine Provisions, The Garden Network, Food Direct, yacht chefs, local restaurants, and online via orders
CSA: Yes

Health and Happiness Farm

Website

In addition to pea shoots, sunflower shoots and wheatgrass, they grow subtropical fruits including atemoya, avocado, banana, black sapote, caimito, canistel, coconut, guanabana, jackfruit, longan, lychee, mamey sapote, mango, passionfruit, Persian lime, pineapple, pummelo, rollinia, sapodilla and sugar apple.

Hidden Acres Mango Farm

Website

 

 

Imagine Farms

Website

Imagine Farms At a Glance

Founders: Lisa Merkle and Cheryl Arnold
Where They’re Located: Little Haiti
Website: Imagine Farms
What they grow: Formerly known as Box Greens, they sell hydroponic farm fresh salad and microgreens using sustainable and environmentally friendly tech farming practices to provide pesticide- and herbicide-free, non-GMO greens.
Where they sell: Zak the Baker, Boia De, Motek and Madruga Bakery
CSA: Lettuce Lovers share. More info here.

Jackfruit

Find jackfruit: Their season runs from May through October. Look for cut fruit at farmers markets, including the Southwest Community Farmers Market at Tropical Park on Saturday, the Pinecrest Gardens market on Sunday and the Redland Community Farm and Market all week.

Tags: jackfruit, jakfruit, tropical fruit

Lara Farms

Website

When it comes to the beloved mamey sapote, Lara Farms is the go-to grower. They’re also well known for a wide variety of tropical fruit trees. Brand ambassador Jorge Zaldivar talked with Julian Lara, second generation family farmer.

How they started: My parents, Pablo and Ceres, started Lara Farms back in 1980. It wasn’t always the beautiful nursery that we know today. It was a piece of land in the middle of nowhere in a place called Redland. My dad was ambitious and wanted to provide grafted mamey (Pouteria sapota) trees to a market eager to have their favorite fruit from back home. The main varieties known back then, and still today, are ‘Magaña’ and ‘Pantin’ aka ‘Key West’. He was able to hybridize two varieties of ‘Magaña’ and ‘Tazumal’ and make his own variety, the ‘Pace’– Pa (Pablo) + ce (Ceres). It’s known today as one of the finest tasting mamey varieties. Dad was able to buy what the nursery is today by going to people’s houses and grafting mamey and mango trees in people’s backyards. Eventually, he got big grafting jobs and saved his coins by doing this after his regular job during the day at Tropical Research & Education Center (TREC) in Homestead. We are always grateful to Dr. Carl Campbell for giving my dad a job at TREC.

Their philosophy: Be prepared for the worst. It’s a crazy business. You can be wiped out by a cold snap, frost or a hurricane. But at the same time, it could be very lucrative. Have fair prices and give the customer the best experience possible. And make sure they go home with the best advice.

What they sell: The list of plants is fluid but always expect us to have a great selection of rare and exotic tropical fruit trees for the South Florida climate: mamey, mango, guanabana, custard apple, sugar apple, atemoya, guava, caimito, jakfruit, sapodilla, carambola, tamarind, Spanish lime, lychee, longan, pomegranate, green sapote, avocado, black sapote, white sapote.

 

Little River Cooperative

Website

Little River Cooperative at a Glance

Farmers: TIffany Noe & Muriel Olivares
Where they’re located: Miami
Website: Little River Cooperative Instagram: @littlerivercooperative 
What they grow: Culinary herbs, medicinals, specialty greens, edible flowers, spices, edible plants
Where they sell: Directly to restaurants, Legion Park farmers market in season, retail hours at their nursery
CSA: Check online

LNB Groves

Website

LNB Groves at a Glance

Farmers: Adena Ellenby and Walt Chefitz, Marc Ellenby
Where they’re located:  Redland
Website: www.lnbgrovestand.com @lnbgroves 
What they grow: Tropical fruit and turmeric
Where they sell: Wholesale distributors, their kitchen
CSA: No

LNB Groves, Kendall

Website

FRUITS ONLY
Second-generation family farmers Adena Ellenby and Walt Chefitz make all kinds of delicious foods from their tropical fruit farm and sell seasonal produce, too.
FRUITS: Lychee, jackfruit, avocado, longans, mamey sapote, turmeric, bananas, dragon fruit, starfruit, plus products made from their fruits: rainbow smoothies, guacamole, turmeric tonic, turmeric bagels and cookies. Counter Culture kombucha and Frice Cream made from their fruits.
WHERE TO BUY: At their drive-through market (13591 SW 135 Ave.) every weekend.
SHIPPING? Visit their website for details. Sign up for their newsletter for regular updates.
MORE INFO: Follow their Instagram here.

Tags: tropical fruit

Longan

Find longan: Find at farmers markets and fruit stands in the Redland and Homestead starting in July.

Tags: longan, tropical fruit

Lychee

Find lychee: Look in farmers markets, fruit stands and along the roads in the Redland and Homestead starting in May.

Tags: litchee, lychee

Mamey sapote

Find mamey sapote: Depending on the variety – Pantin and Magana are widely grown – you can find ripe mamey sapote year-round in South Florida. Look for fruits in Hispanic grocery stores and fruit stands, like Robert Is Here.

Tags: mamey sapote, mamey, batido

Mango Men Homestead

Website

FRUITS ONLY
Every mango season, Richard Campbell and his family sell prize cultivars from their Redland mango orchard.
WHAT THEY CARRY: Wide variety of special mango cultivars, dehydrated mango, local honey, eggs and other backyard fruits.
WHERE TO BUY: At their house during mango season, generally May through early July
SHIPPING/DELIVERY: Limited shipping available.
MORE INFO: Check their Facebook page.

Tags: tropical fruit

Mango Men Homestead

Website

Mango Men Homestead at a Glance

Farmers: Daniel, Ian, Thiago, Richard and Cecilia Campbell
Where they’re located: Homestead
Website:  Facebook: MangoMenHomestead
What they grow: Fresh mangos and products; honey; passionfruit; chicken eggs
Where they sell: On the farm, mail
CSA: No

Cafes & Bistros

Guayaba y Chocolate

Website

Heaven Mykonos

Website

Founded by Dieuveny “DJ” Jean Louis and David Garretson of UMG Hospitality Group, this Mediterranean-themed, contemporary restaurant focuses on tapas and wine, then evolves into a sexy lounge atmosphere. The restaurant features Mediterranean fare, seafood dishes, flatbreads made in a brick oven, signature dishes and an impressive drink menu, plus musical performances, special celebrity DJ appearances (both in person and virtually with robots), video walls, and hookah.

 

Tags: Black-owned business

Key Pantry: Eat.Drink.Shop.

Website

Café, Marketplace • $$ • 305.365.4500

Tags: cafe, Marketplace, Key Biscayne

Madruga Bakery Egg Sandwich

Website

For nearly three years, Naomi Harris has been baking craft breads and pastries at her bakery and cafe. Since then, she’s built a strong community following and appreciation for her rustic loaves using heirloom wheat milled on site, and use of seasonal produce like mangos from her family’s groves.

When there’s good bread, odds are the sandwiches are good too, and the lineup at Madruga is solid. The star is their egg sandwich, on the breakfast menu (but served until 3pm). Their onion poppy roll is the vehicle for thick-sliced Niman Ranch bacon, earthy sautéed greens, sweet Coastal Cheddar, fresh herb aioli and a perfect runny organic egg. The result is a pleasantly gooey, rich breakfast-in-a-bun that’ll keep you going all day. 

Tags: sandwiches

Mary’s Coin Laundry

Food Distributors

Happy Dog Bakery Hemp Drops for Dogs

Website

Established in 2008, Jerry Kugel’s Happy Dog Bakery recently added anxiety-reducing hemp drops for dogs to its inventory of healthy pet treats. Find Happy Dog Bakery products at farmers markets in Plantation (Saturday); Tamarac (Sunday) and Lauderdale By-the-Sea (Sundays in season); and Broward Health Imperial Point (Thursday).

 

Tags: CBD, hemp oil

CSAs & Farm Boxes, Farms, Orchards & Mills

Harpke Family Farm

Website

CSA Info

Farm location: Dania Beach
Dropoff points: Retail orders on hold for the summer
SNAP/EBT: No
CSA season: Check in the fall
When to sign up: Any time
More info: Harpke Family Farms
Contact information: harpkefamilyfarm@gmail.com

Little River CSA

Website

CSA Info

Neighborhood/County/City: Little River
Region for dropoff/pickup: Saturdays at Upper East Side Farmers Marke at Legion Park, Biscayne Blvd. and 66th St. and  across the street from the Coconut Grove Metrorail station
Location of farm: North Miami, Little River
Contact information: mail (AT) littlerivercooperative (DOT) com
Open season/months: Opens in November and runs through April
Open hours: Market hours Saturdays 10am-2pm

Cafes & Bistros, Restaurants

Harry's Pizzeria

Website

Farmers Markets

HAULOVER BEACH: Haulover Farmers Market

Website

Date and time: Fridays 3-8

HOLLYWOOD: Yellow Green Farmers Market

Website

Hours and season: Year-round Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm.
Parking: Three different parking areas: North Lot: 1st hour is free. After the first free hour of parking, a flat all-day rate of $10 will apply thereafter. South Lot: 1st hour is free. After the first free hour, additional parking time is charged $10 for every 3-hour time block thereafter. At the beginning of each 3-hour block, a new $10 charge shall apply. VIP Lot: All-day flat fee parking rate of $30.

HOLLYWOOD: Yellow Green Farmers Market

Website

Dates and time: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm
Parking: Three different parking areas: North Lot: 1st hour is free. After the first free hour of parking, a flat all-day rate of $10 will apply thereafter. South Lot: 1st hour is free. After the first free hour, additional parking time is charged $10 for every 3-hour time block thereafter. At the beginning of each 3-hour block, a new $10 charge shall apply. VIP Lot: All-day flat fee parking rate of $30.

HOLLYWOOD: Yellow Green Farmers Market

Website

At a glance: Under one outdoor roof, this market is open weekends with more than 600 vendors selling produce, cheese, artisan breads, ethnic cuisine, vegan and vegetarian fare, pasta, crackers, olives and olive oils, jams, jellies, soaps, candles and crafts, plants and pet foods, plus other items.

 

Hours and season: Saturdays and Sundays 10am-7pm, year-round
Parking: Main access to two expansive lots is off Sheridan Street. All-day parking in the satellite lot is $10 with the first 30 minutes free; $10 for three hours with the first 30 minutes free in the lot adjacent to the market.

HOMESTEAD/REDLAND: Redland Market Village

Website

Hours and dates: Market open Thurs.-Fri. 11am-6pm and Sat.-Sun 7am-6pm year-round. On weekends, the flea market is open here, too. Lots of free parking.

HOMESTEAD: City Hall Plaza Market

Website

Date and time: The second Wednesday of every month, Oct.-April, from 3-6pm

HOMESTEAD: Redland Community Farm and Market

Website

Hours and season: Seven days, 9-5, year-round.
Website to order: Your Farmers

 

HOMESTEAD: Redland Market Village

Website

Hours and season: Thur-Fri 11-6, Sat-Sun 7am-6pm, year-round

ISLAMORADA: Florida Keys Farmers Market

Website

Hours and season: Sundays 10am-3pm, year-round

ISLAMORADA: Florida Marketplace at MM88

Website

Hours and season: Opens Oct. 22 Fridays and Saturdays 10am-3pm

KENDALL: Kendall Farmers Market

Website

Sundays 9-2. 

KENDALL: Sunshine Market Co.

Website

Date and time: Sundays 11-4

KEY BISCAYNE: Key Biscayne Farmers Market

Website

Date and time: Saturdays 9am-2pm

KEY WEST: Artisan Market on Higgs Beach

Website

Hours and dates: 10am til 2pm Oct. 24; Nov. 7 and 21; Dec. 5, 19, 26; Jan. 9, 23, 30; Feb. 13, 27; Mar. 13, 27; April 10, 24

Oct 24: Welcome to the Party Edition featuring Little Pink Houses of Hope
Nov 7: Trop Rock Edition
Nov 21: Fill the Pantry Edition featuring SOS Foundation
Dec 5: For the Birds Edition featuring Key West Wildlife Center
Dec 19: Holiday/Shop Local Edition
Dec 26: Present Yourself Edition (bonus market)
Jan 9: Preserve Island Life Edition featuring City of Key West
Jan 23: Gone to the Dogs Edition featuring FL Keys SPCA
Jan 30: Food and Wine Festival Edition (bonus market)
Feb 13: Love is in the Air Edition
Feb 27: ReMARCable Edition featuring MARC House
Mar 13: One Human Family Edition featuring West Business Guild
Mar 27: Key West Bicentennial Edition
Apr 10: Ocean Awareness Edition featuring Mote Marine
Apr 24: Conch Republic Days Edition

 

KEY WEST: Truman Waterfront Farmers Market

Website

Hours and season: Thursdays 2pm-7pm, year-round

MIAMI BEACH: 41st Street Marketplace

Website

AT A GLANCE: New from The Market Company, you'll find fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, artisan fare, cheeses, plants and hand-crafted goods.

Hours and season: Sundays, 9am to 2pm year-round.

MIAMI BEACH: Lincoln Road Green Market

Website

Hours and season: Sundays 9am-6:30pm, year-round

Art & Entertainment

Hialeah Series

Website

Tea Purveyors

High 7 Teas

Website

At the helm of this family business is Natacha Armbrister, creating blends like chai spice, ginger spice and hibiscus and selling them from their booth at Pinecrest Gardens Farmers Market and Yellow Green Farmers Market in Hollywood, currently closed because of COVID-19.

Tags: Black-owned business

Restaurants

Hillstone's French Dip Au Jus

Website

Some still call this “Houston’s” even though they changed the name a few years ago, but it’s all part of the same corporate family. Whichever location you choose, you’ll find the old-school French Dip Au Jus on the menu. Food lore says this crusty/juicy/meaty sandwich got its start a century ago in Los Angeles, when a restaurateur dropped a roll into a pan filled with meat juices and turned it into a menu item. Today, French Dip seems a slightly elegant if messy throwback, requiring the diner to work just a little for comfort-food pleasure.  

At Hillstone, the experience is a bit upscale, with attentive service and a dress code – no flip-flops or tank tops, please – and their French Dip will set you back around $22, so why not dress up? The crusty, toasted bread, made in-house, is neither too hard to sink your teeth into, nor so soft as to disintegrate when dipped into the flavorful and not-too-salty jus. Inside, thinnish slices of medium-rare roasted prime rib are stacked atop a creamy smear of mayo. You’ll want to order the fresh horseradish sauce for a welcome jolt of pungency. Their sandwich is served with a mound of shoestring potato fries or coleslaw, making this a satisfying splurge for lunch or dinner.

Hillstone is located in Coral Gables and Bal Harbour.

Tags: sandwiches

Jackson Soul Food

Website

Since 1946, Jackson Soul Food has been serving classics to everyone from Nat King Cole to Lebron James. Founded by Jessie and Demas Jackson (originally as Mama’s Café), this family-friendly eatery is under the helm of Shirlene Jackson Ingraham, one of the Jacksons’ 12 children, where it continues to abide by the owners’ original ethos of hospitality and authentic Southern cooking. Entrees include fried catfish, smothered livers, and oxtail stew and come with a choice of three sides with warm corn muffins. There’s an equally expansive breakfast menu that includes boiled fish and grits (weekends only), red velvet pancakes and homemade biscuits, eggs and sausage.

Tags: Black-owned business

Julia and Henry's

Website

The food: Definitely a cut above, and a fun assortment to boot: Achar Indian street food, Baklava Bakery, Battubelin pizza and pasta, Cicchetti Venetian tapas, Crumb bakery, Fookem’s Fabulous grab-and-go key lime pie (it’s a cute vending machine), Hitchihaika gyoza, J Wong cevicheria, June burgers, L’Artisane vegan bakery, La Latina arepas, La Petite Cuisine crepes, Mensch Mediterranean food, Michy’s Chicken Shack, OMG Brigadeiros, Osso butcher shop, Palmar street food, Papa fries, Rozu poke, Sankuay chifa, Shimuja ramen, Tacotomia Mexican food, Yabai hand rolls. Yann Couvreur Patisserie. Bars include Boxelder craft beer bar, La Epoca wine bar, The Lasseter craft cocktails.
The scene: Downtown lunch crowd by day, and eclectic by night.
What else: If you work downtown, this is easily accessible via the Metromover or foot (the ongoing construction on Flagler is moving westward). Otherwise, take the Metrorail to Government Center and walk a few blocks. Don't bother driving – parking is hard to find and expensive. This is your opportunity to use our mass transit!

Tags: food hall

Kazumi

Website

Japanese, Fusion • $$$ • 305.361.2675

Tags: Japanese, Fusion, Key Biscayne

Komodo

Don't miss: Foodgōd Baked Alaska Surprise, made with cake batter, strawberry ice cream, funfetti cake, cotton candy, white chocolate Rice Krispies and Fruity Pebbles.

 

Kuba Cabana

Website

Founded by UMG Hospitality Group in 2020, Kuba Kabana in CityPlace Doral serves a Latin-inspired, modern Miami menu, featuring Latin music, cuisine and culture.

La Boulangerie Boul'Mich

Website

Deli-Bakery, Café, French, Vegetarian Friendly * $$ • 305.365.5260

Tags: Deli-Bakery, cafe, French, Vegetarian Friendly, Key Biscayne

La Scala

Website

Italian Cuisine • $$ • 786.773.3633

Tags: Italian cuisine, Key Biscayne

Lighthouse Café

Website

Café, American, Seafood • $$ • 305.361.8487

Tags: cafe, American, seafood, Key Biscayne

Lightkeepers

Website

Coastal Cuisine, Hand-Crafted Cocktails, Vegetarian Friendly • $$$ • 305.365.4500

Tags: Coastal Cuisine, Hand-Crafted Cocktails, Vegetarian Friendly, Key Biscayne

Lil Greenhouse Grill

Website

Karim Bryant and Nicole Gates began with a food truck in 2013, and opened the brick and mortar in 2017, offering a “healthier alternative to soul food.” Bryant, who began his culinary career at Fuddruckers and worked his way up to more upscale restaurants, features southern dishes with his own creative flair. Favorites include the smoked bbq ribs, dream fire shrimp, chicken and waffles, and seafood cake burger – and live entertainment, too.

Tags: Black-owned business

Lolo's Surf Cantina

Website

Don't miss: Pastel de Elote with Créme Fraiche is a dish of warm sweet corn cakes topped with ice cream.

Los Fuegos

Website

Macchialina, South Beach

Website

Open since 2012, this rustic neighborhood spot consistently turns out authentic pasta made in house, like beet mezzaluna and cavatelli and regional touches like gnocco fritto, puffy dough from Emilia-Romagna, served for the salumi and cheese board. Executive chef Mike Pirolo was born in Queens but raised in Avellino in Campania; his chef de cuisine, Ruggero Vittorini, was born in Rome. Look for a second location to come at Alhambra Towers in Coral Gables.

Retail - Food

Il Paesano Italian Gourmet Food & Wine, Oakland Park

Website

In this tiny cafe and market you can find everything from arborio rice to Italian lemon-flavored sodium bicarb and olive oil sold by the liter, and you can dine here. The husband-and-wife owners, longing for authentic Italian products and a good home-cooked meal, decided to create their own business. Diners get a personalized experience – no menu, just daily specials – and warm hospitality.

Tags: italian

La Centrale, Brickell City Centre

Website

Three floors of food, wine, cafes, bars and restaurants. Specialty foods and market items are on counters in between the prepared food stops, so wander around to discover everything, including hard-to-find regional specialties. The Mercato on the first floor includes a counter for salumi and cheeses and a bread station. On the second floor, there are three restaurants, Carne, Pesce and Stagionale, plus an Aperitivo and Cocktail Bar. The third floor houses the Enoteca Wine Bar and cooking school. You can eat a meal at La Centrale, then buy the same ingredients and make it at home, too. Need more help? They also offer a variety of cooking classes.

Tags: italian

Luna Park

Website

The food: In addition to pizza, pasta, salads and a cafe, they carry regional Italian foods that can be hard to find in South Florida. Restaurants – Pesce, Carne, Stagionale – offer more conventional dining experiences, while the first-floor Mercato is an open floor plan. You can easily buy items (like pasta) that you've tried, prepared, in the food hall. Download their app and you can order bites online.
The scene: The space is big – 40,000 square feet – and serves as an anchor in the sleek new complex. You can dine alfresco although ongoing construction in the neighborhood makes this less-than-idyllic at the moment.
What else? Open from 730am–11pm Sun-Thur and until 12am Fri-Sat, but individual hours may vary. Park in the adjoining Brickell City Centre garage. The free Metromover stops at Brickell City Centre.

Men P’aw Hot Sauces

Website

The offerings: Six sauces – Umami, Spicy Mustard, Hot Red Sauce, Hot Green Sauce, La Bomba and Hot Ketchup. The most popular is the reserve special and green pepper madness ($8.99 per bottle and also sold in several set sizes).
The story: In 2009, Carline Phanor started making hot sauces at home from peppers she grew in her backyard. “My friends loved them so much when they came for dinner and encouraged me to sell it,” she says. Phanor, who lived in New York and Haiti before moving to Miami in 1991, uses habanero, scotch bonnets and fatalii peppers plus apple cider vinegar and spices in her recipes. “The combo of peppers is extremely flavorful,” she says.
How to use: The green pepper is good on sandwiches and wraps and in soups, and the red one is great for marinating meat and fish.
Where to buy: At Bravo and Presidente grocery stores, Broward Meat and Fish, Food Fair, Food Town, Norman Brothers and Joanna’s Marketplace and others.

 

MIA Market

Website

The food: Well-chosen offerings include Ruby Dee’s, seasonal and vegetable-focused plates from chef Daniel Roy; Foirette, rotisserie foods; Osom Bites, sweet and savory crepes; Jaffa’s classic Israeli dishes; Da Plin Italian dishes; Coop, with chicken dishes; Hot Lime's taco and ceviche dishes; Tran An Vietnamese food; Sabal Coffee and The Bar at Mia Market. Itamae, featuring the Peruvian-Japanese Chang family's Nikkei cuisine, has moved downstairs in the Palm Court with a full-fledged restaurant.

The scene: Laid-back and welcoming vibe in a second-floor space with lots of natural light and a central cocktail bar, plus an outdoor patio with swings.  

What else? Parking is easy, on the street, or in the nearby Palm Court garage. Open Sun-Thur noon-8pm, Fri-Sat noon-11pm

 

CSAs & Farm Boxes

Imagine Farms

Website

What do you grow and specialize in? Leafy greens: salad greens, butterhead lettuce, watercress, baby brassicas, herbs and microgreens
Farm locations: Little Haiti, Miami
Dropoff points, delivery details: We deliver from Hollywood to Cutler Bay or you can pick up at the farm in Little Haiti
SNAP/EBT? At their booth at the Legion Park Farmers Market every Saturday
CSA season dates: Year-round
When to sign up: Anytime
Where to sign up: Imagine Farms or call 844-204-0002

 

Fish Markets, Fisheries & CSFs

Indian River Oyster Company

Website

Since 2017, IROC – Indian River Oyster Company – in New Smyrna Beach has been growing oysters in the Indian River Lagoon, just south of Ponce Inlet. “We just produced our sixth crop,” says Dennis David, who works with his wife Ilonka, their daughter Jessica and her husband, Ryan Norris.

They start with oyster “seeds” that are in a larval stage for 21 days before settling on calcium carbonate. “They don’t move,” says David. The oysters grow in floating bags, feeding on plankton and algae, unfortunately in abundant supply and hampering the growth of seagrass. But oysters take in algae and can filter up to 50 gallons of water in a day – and they are thriving. “They grow quickly here, ready for harvest in 10-12 months, mostly for the oyster bar market,” he says.

IROC also participates in the oyster recycling program through the Marine Discovery Center, which has recycled hundreds of thousands of pounds of oyster shells to create oyster beds and mats for the Indian River Lagoon estuary. This helps create new oyster reefs to restore populations that have been declining because of over-harvesting, rising sea levels and careless boaters.

IROC sells oysters retail and wholesale, supplies local restaurants, and shucks them for special events. They also offer three-mile paddle tours of the lagoon with oyster tastings.

Tags: aquaculture

Keys Fisheries

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La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market

Mahi-mahi

Also known as dorado, mahi-mahi is a gorgeous fish with an iridescent blue-green and gold body and a golden tail. Found in waters around the world, they are harvested in Monroe County and are available year-round, peaking in the summer months. The flesh is lean, firm, light and moist.

Tags: Florida seafood

Hotels, Inns & B&Bs, Restaurants

Italian Luxury: Mr. C Coconut Grove

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What does Italian luxury look like in the eyes of Ignazio and Maggio Cipriani, fourth-generation brothers of the famed Cipriani hospitality family? The brand-new Mr. C Coconut Grove, their sleek property perched dramatically on  sculptural stilts. “For Mr. C Coconut Grove, the aesthetic is a modern version of old-world simplicity blended with a bit of European glamour and design elements inspired by a sleek Italian yacht,” says Ignazio. Italian details are everywhere – linens and bedding by Casa Rovea, coffee machine by Lavazza, La Bottega bathroom amenities – and Bellini Restaurant and Bar goes well beyond its namesake white-peach and Prosecco cocktail created by Giuseppe Cipriani for Harry’s Bar in Venice in 1948. “It is a combination of recipes from different regions and many of personal favorites,” says Ignazio. Menu items include baked polenta with stracchino cheese and crispy mushrooms and fritto misto, along with lots of fresh seafood.

Tags: italian

Cooking Classes, Programs & Schools

Italy America Chamber of Commerce

Website

Celebrating authentic Italian food is part of the Chamber's mission, and they host special events for the public and media. On the schedule for 2019:
The Extraordinary Italian Taste Pastry and Ice Cream Master Class – Nov. 6
Authentic Italian Table – Food Festival – Nov. 6

Tags: italian

Learn to Make Pizza at Mister O1

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By the time he was 11 chef Renato Viola was apprenticing with a prominent Naples pizza chef. A native of Agropoli in Campania, Viola continued his studies throughout Italy and joined the award-winning Italian Pizza Acrobatics team. He landed in Miami Beach under an O-1 Visa category, reserved for those with “extraordinary artistic ability,” and opened his first location on Miami Beach, followed by other locations at Brickell, Wynwood and Naples, Florida.

Viola, who says he’s an expert on all styles of pizza, serves a thin-crust version at his restaurants. “Our dough rests for at least 96 hours,” he says. “We import a lot of product directly from Italy like our Mister O1 flour, the sauce, the Italian cold cuts and many others.” When his wife told him he needed a hobby, he decided to open a pizza school for home cooks. The entertaining, hands-on classes last about three hours and teach participants everything from making and shaping the dough to adding toppings, and soak up some of Viola’s enthusiasm: “The good thing is that I really love what I do. I am a true pizza lover.”

Tags: italian

Ranches & Livestock

Jackman Cane and Cattle Company

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Breakfast & Bruncheries

Jalisco Bowl at Dirt

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Services - Food

Jammy Yummy

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Jammy Yummy   
These savory jams include Jalapeño Jam, made with two peppers, hot jalapeños and mild green bell peppers. “Green bell peppers are prematurely harvested, so, they have a slightly bitter flavor,” says founder Agnés Meléndez. Red Pepper Jam, made from Florida peppers when possible, is sweet and acidic. Both work with cheese platters, meat or fish dishes and burgers. Find them at Milam’s Markets, Lucky’s Market, the Golden Hog Market and Whole Foods Markets.

Lickie Stickie BBQ

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BBQ chicken, jerk pork and ribs hot off the grill at Broward farmers markets. Find chef Juliette at the farmers markets at Broward Health Imperial Point (Thursdays) and Tamarac Veterans Park (Sundays) plus other locations. Check first to see if markets have reopened.

Tags: Black-owned business

Ice Cream Shops

Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant

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La Michoacana Paletera y Neveria

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Lulu's Nitrogen Ice Cream

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Mad Lab Creamery

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Delicatessen

Josh's Deli Jewban

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Chef/owner Josh Marcus is fiercely proud of his small #fakedeli in the beachy town of Surfside, where his is not one of the many Kosher restaurants catering to the large Orthodox Jewish community. Here, he plays around with mash-ups like Krunchy Spicy Tuna Latkes or Soft Shell Crab Breakfast Croissants as well as more traditional deli sandwiches.

Before he opened his deli, Marcus worked at restaurants like China Grill and Timo – and La Sandwicherie, whose original South Beach location has been selling baguettes and croissant sandwiches for more than 30 years. So when he created his Jewban sandwich, he came at it with experience as well as a playful sense of humor. Instead of the typical Cuban sandwich – roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles on buttered, pressed long Cuban bread – the Jewban looks like a massive triple-decker club sandwich. He makes the bread, stuffs it with his own cured pastrami, adds thin slices of roast pork, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickle strips, and piles it on the griddle. His huge sandwich has found fans in South Florida and well beyond, thanks to national TV exposure. Just more #fakedeliproblems.

Tags: sandwiches

Farm Markets & Stands, Farms, Orchards & Mills

Knaus Berry Farm

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Knaus Berry Farm at a Glance

Farmers: Thomas & Susan Blocher / Herb & Rachel Grafe
Where they’re located: Redland
Website: Knaus Berry Farm Facebook: Knaus-Berry-Farm Instagram: knausberryfarm
What they grow: Strawberries, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, arugula, herbs, squash, cucumbers, spinach, red beets, radishes
Where they sell: At their farmstand and local restaurants from Oct.-April

Gardens & Nurseries

Lara Farms, Redland

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TREES ONLY
Located in the heart of Miami-Dade County's ag district, Lara Farms specializes in grafted tropical fruit trees.
WHAT THEY CARRY: Guanabana, white sapote, jackfruit, canistel, sapodilla, annona reticulata, caimito, jujube, red akee, avocado, passion fruit, carambola, black sapote, mango are some of the varieties they stock.
WHERE TO BUY: Online or on their farm.
SHIPPING/DELIVERY: Yes
MORE INFO: Follow on Instagram here
 

 

Tags: tropical fruit

Little River Cooperative, Redland

Website

TREES ONLY
Local farmers specialize in fast-growing fruit trees that bear fruit in their first year.
WHAT THEY CARRY: Mulberry, Red Lady papaya, passionfruit, moringa, barbados cherry, bananas and plantains, pineapples and guavas. They also sell tropical climate perennial herbs, spices, greens and vegetables.
WHERE TO BUY: Customers can order fruit trees and plants online for pickup at the Legion Park farmers market on Saturdays. Nursery open to the public Saturdays 10-5pm
SHIPPING/DELIVERY? Yes, $15 fee with minimum of $50.
MORE INFO: Follow their Instagram feed.

Tags: tropical fruit

Specialty & Artisanal Shops

Laurenzo’s Italian Market, North Miami Beach

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Update: Laurenzo's announced they will be closing their market July 31 (the farmers market across the street will stay open).

For nearly 70 years – an eternity in South Florida’s young history – Laurenzo’s has been the headquarters for everything Italian and then some. Between their farmers market, a separate building dedicated to produce, and the main building, you can find it all: pasta, made in-house and boxed; breads and pastries, including Sullivan Street Bakery bread; cases of frozen foods like wedding soup and pizza crusts; salami and cheeses, fresh meat and seafood; rows of cans of tomatoes; a shelf of different-origin Nutellas; olives oils and vinegars; wines and sweets. It’s all wrapped around a cafe in the middle, where you can get specials, a glass of wine on the marble bar while Dean Martin croons in the background.

This is a family business through and through. Ben Laurenzo, who died last year at 89, founded the supermarket in 1951, creating a place that brought together South Florida’s melting pot culture. “We’ve always had products for everyone: Spanish, Middle Eastern, Mexican,” says son David. “What’s amazing is what’s in here – you don’t find it anywhere else.” They order seasonal specialties, like chestnuts, Italian prune plums, even muscadine grapes for those few who still make their own wine.

David is especially proud of their seafood. “It may be the best in the U.S.,” he says. “My brother is a fisherman. He buys locally and picks out the best wild-caught local seafood.” Today, his niece, Diana Tarquinio, runs the produce market, marking the third generation in the business, sourcing from various vendors, including Homestead farms in season and organic produce, she says. “People are more focused on organic these days.”

Tags: italian

Martha of Miami

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Meet n’ Cheese at the Citadel

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In this corner of the new Citadel food hall, it’s grab-and-go, Italian-style: handy cones heaped with wedges of pink mortadella and salame, rustic breadsticks, a couple of chunks of Parmigiano and an olive or two. Or pick up panini, a salad with fresh mozzarella, a San Pellegrino aranciata. The prices are fair – panini start at $4.50 – and the products are as Italian as the Vespa Mauro Bortignon drives around town. Originally from Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto, Bortignon has assembled an easy menu with options like a charcuterie board, perfect for a group of friends hanging out at this Little River hotspot.

Tags: italian

Bookstores & Gift Shops

Lidia's Celebrate Like an Italian

Lidia's Celebrate Like An Italian – 220 Foolproof Recipes That Make Every Meal a Party

 

Bars, Pubs & Wine Bars

LoKal

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Lost Boy & Co., downtown Miami

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Commercial Kitchens & Kitchen Incubators

LP Kitchen

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