Now for the fun and yummy part of our trip!
We had a variety of food during our time in South Beach. There is no shortage of excellent cuisine (although you may find yourself in a cash shortage quickly!). I am going to highlight some of the favorites we had.
Jerry and I arrived much earlier than our friends did so we ventured out to Burgermeister, (https://burgermeistermia.com) for lunch. Both of us love burgers so we figured that was a good place to start!
As you can see from this photo, his burger was shockingly enormous! Both of our burgers were great and the truffle fries were especially delicious.
Everything about eating in Miami is typically about the atmosphere (sitting along the sidewalk), people watching (People definitely want to be noticed in South Beach) as well as lingering as long as possible at the restaurant. There is never a push to usher you out and turn the table over quickly. In fact, you are usually searching for your server in order to receive your check. We think it is both a “casual/no hurry vibe” but also, the restaurants love the appearance of looking full/busy.
Once Keo and Melinda made it from Minnesota late in the day, they were starving so we walked to Ocean’s 10 (http://oceanstensobe.com) for dinner.
Jerry and I were still full from Burgermeister but we split a small meal and sampled some of our friends’ food and noted how incredibly good it was. He and I went back there for lunch on our last day and the meal did not disappoint.
I had the cobb salad (I never order salads but Melinda did the night we were there and it looked so fresh and amazing so I ordered it for lunch). Jerry had a burger (He began the trip with one and ended the trip with one!). We both had a frozen drink (which were huge!). It was one of my favorite meals of the trip.
Again, we had the outdoor dining (lots of fans and shade to keep us cool). That said, the meal came to $120 (Yep, salad, burger, fries and 2 drinks)! There are loads of extra fees at restaurants which seemingly double your bill everywhere you go. As long as you know this ahead of time, it is not a big deal but when you are not expecting it, it is hard to wrap your head around. (That is part of what I am not thrilled about when going to South Beach – the soaring high prices).
We had a delicious breakfast at Cafe Americano, (https://www.cafeamericano.com) one morning.
We were both pleasantly surprised with how good our food was as well as how generous the portions were for breakfast. It has an inviting ambiance and even the plates made me smile.
Another gem that we went to was Casa Latina (https://casalatinasouthbeach.com) a Columbian restaurant. Jerry’s daughter and her friend joined us that night and all 6 of us were big fans of our food. It made me wish we had a Columbian restaurant home back in Louisville (At the very least, I need to research if we have something comparable to it). I had the Ropa Vieja which equaled Latin comfort food to me. I am already craving and missing it!
There were 2 places we went for food and activities/the experience. Our friends suggested seeing Key Biscayne Beach which is part of the National Park Service in Florida. (https://www.nps.gov/bisc). This was a lovely change of pace and contrast to the South Beach experience. It even had the biggest food surprise of the day.
Dining choices in a national park are slim and not typically known for excellent food. However, the Lighthouse Cafe on Key Biscayne Beach, was terrific! (https://lighthouserestaurants.com). It only has an outdoor dining option on the covered deck. Extremely casual ambiance and understated appeal yet the food (and the prices) were fabulous – all of us were very happy to have discovered this little place.
Key Biscayne Beach
Lastly, there is a famous club and restaurant named, Mangos, (https://mangos.com/mangos-miami-beach) where Jerry’s daughter works. It is a destination visit unto itself. Known for colorful shows, great drinks and food, and lots of dancing until 5:00 a.m.! If you want to have a fun time and step out of your comfort zone, you need to check out the salsa and mojito party (https://www.salsamia.com).
Here you will take salsa lessons (You will also learn the bachata dance and eat yummy appetizers like empanadas) and drink their signature mojitos. The instructors, staff, and ambiance were all high energy, entertaining, and truly a delight. We had a blast (and a workout!).
Our class was enormous because a company thought it would be a good idea for its employees to corporate bond over Latin dancing…..They cut out after the bachata before the salsa lessons realizing this is really awkward to do with co-workers!
Food and entertainment are plentiful in South Beach. It is not possible to be hungry or bored no matter what time of day it is!
See you soon for the final installment in this series all about our day on Royal Caribbean’s private island, Coco Cay, as well as the cruise itself.
when in Rome (or South Beach)….
Thoughtful Travels 