Edible Guide to Homestead & the Redland

Rob's Redland Riot Road Rallye

Every third Saturday in January, Robert Burr hosts this fun adventure through rural south Miami-Dade. Starting from Cauley Square, participants get a map of the route, plus cryptic instructions and questions to answer based on stops along the way. All gather at Schnebly Redland’s Winery, where the winning team is announced. Everyone’s a winner — participants get an up-close look at many of the best farm and food experiences in the Redland. Grab a bunch of friends and visiting snowbirds for an unforgettable time. Register at Cauley Square between 10 and 11am ($10 per car team). redlandriot.com

INSIDER TIP: If you can’t make the January event, just visit redlandriot.com for a route map and enjoy the tour on your own time.

Visitors Information HQ

Tourists and locals alike can find something new to explore at the Tropical Everglades Visitor Center on US 1 just south of SW 344 St. (the turnoff for Robert Is Here and Everglades National Park). For 27+ years, this center has been delivering useful advice for exploring South Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys.

INSIDER TIP: Look for touches of local history here – vintage displays of old tourism material, the Hurricane Andrew-battered flag, and an early Schnebly Winery display.

Tour the Farm

If your most recent farm experience involved cows and corn up north, you may be surprised at South Florida farms. Instead of tall silos and red barns, you may see avocado trees, greenhouses with trays of microgreens and heirloom tomatoes climbing vertical supports, and bananas and papayas. Farm days and open houses let you sample and buy what they grow, and are popular with grownups and kids, too.

INSIDER TIP: Plan on doing your produce shopping on site after the tour is over.

BEE HEAVEN FARM
beeheavenfarm.com

You’ll find Bee Heaven’s organic produce at Pinecrest Gardens and in their CSA program. Every December they host an annual Farm Day with food, hayrides, live music and yoga. Check the website for events; also look for farm news on Marian Wertalka’s excellent blog, RedlandRambles.com.

TEENA'S PRIDE
teenaspridecsa.com

Teena Borek’s tomatoes and produce show up in CSAs and farmers markets tables. At her monthly seasonal free open houses, you can tour the farm, try and buy fresh produce and taste dishes made by chefs. 

PARADISE FARMS
Paradise Farms

Pick It Yourself

On a gorgeous winter day, picking and eating warm-from-the-sun sweet strawberries and tomatoes is truly one of South Florida’s pleasures. U-pick prices run about $3 a pound; they’re around $3.50 already picked. Nowadays, it’s safe for kids to pick, too. Strawberry season runs Dec. through April.

INSIDER TIP: Look for berries that are completely red, not white or pink —they don’t ripen after picking. Just give the berry a twist to break it off the stem; don’t pull the plant out of the ground.

BURR'S BERRY FARM
burrsberryfarm.com

Run by members of the farming pioneer Burr family, this popular U-pick has been operating since 1965. For those who have a hard time kneeling or bending, or use a wheelchair, Burr’s Berry Farm (burrsberryfarm.com) includes a hydroponic vertical growing system in addition to plants in the ground. Open Dec.-early May.

KNAUS BERRY FARM
knausberryfarm.com

People line up for their sticky buns (see Get a Shake and More), but there are also U-pick fields in back when strawberries ripen, from Jan. through April. Closed on Sundays.

INSIDER TIP:

Head to Homestead for good Mexican food at places like:

• Rosita’s
• La Quebradita Taqueria
• El Santo Coyote
• Taqueria Morelia

Local Flavors: Places to Eat

Homestead and The Redland are home to diverse attractions — Everglades National Park, Fruit and Spice Park, historic downtown Homestead, Historic Cauley Square, Everglades Alligator Farm, Monkey jungle and Coral Castle. In addition to chain hotels, there’s the charming Everglades International Hostel — worth a visit to check out the waterfall and treehouse out back. You’ll find good food (and reasonable prices) throughout this part of South Florida, including savory pupusas, fresh Mexican fare and meals made with produce harvested from the fields.

CHEFS ON THE RUN
Chefsontherunhomestead.com

You’ll find everything from Puerto Rican specialties, healthy foods, Asian dishes and local seafood on chef jodrick Ujaque’s eclectic menu. This Homestead restaurant will be at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival’s Grand Tasting Village again this year. BYOB. Closed Sun. and Mon.

MANGO CAFÉ
fruitandspicepark.org

This is where locals lunch, and why not? The menu includes smoothies, shakes and desserts using fresh fruits from the park, plus dishes like Florida lobster roll and craft beers at excellent prices, too. The gift shop stocks Gaby’s tropical fruit ice cream, unusual fruit drinks and other treats made from exotic fruits. Open daily 11am-4pm.

REDLAND MARKET VILLAGE
redlandmarketvillage.com

Part farmers market, flea market, tire shop and pet shop, this complex off U.S. 1 is a always a fun destination on weekends, when many of the local Hispanic communities turn out to shop. Under the diffused light, the sacks of dried beans, cups of colorful cut fruits and stacked produce look like still lifes. While not all the produce is local, it’s fresh and the prices are good. The Salvadoran restaurant in the front serves tasty pupusas, while the stands in the back serve tacos, fruit cups and authentic Mexican fare. There’s beer, too. Farmers market open Thurs.-Sun.

SCHNEBLY REDLAND'S WINERY
schneblywinery.com

This oasis of tropical landscaping and waterfalls cascading down coral rocks is unique in many respects. You can tour the facility, where they make wines from local tropical fruits — mango, lychee, guava, carambola, passionfruit and avocado — and craft brews that include Big Rod Coconut Ale and Shark Bait, with mango. The lush setting is a popular event venue and lively gathering spot on weekends, and the brewery is also the scene for Om Brew Yoga sessions. And soon they’ll feature food from noted Miami chef Dewey LoSasso, a longtime friend of founder Peter Schnebly. “We’ve been threatening to work together for a while,” says LoSasso, who is planning locally driven menus that will include soups, crudos and ceviches and grassfed beef. Food service, via a food truck, will begin on Fridays and Saturdays and expand gradually, he says,  making use of the abundant produce in the area.

SHIVER'S BBQ
shiversbbq.com

Get a smoky taste of Homestead’s country roots at this family-owned restaurant that’s been serving slow-smoked baby back ribs, pork and beef ribs, chicken and brisket for more than 50 years. Open daily.