Jefe’s Soul Shack

Jefe’s Original Fish Taco & Burgers is nothing new to Miami. The yellow-and-orange surfer-themed truck that features “vatos making tacos” has been on the scene since 2010. The truck is still rolling, but it now has a brick-and-mortar eatery in North Miami. Owner Jack Garabedian has expanded on his food truck’s offerings with grilled sandwiches […]

Jerusalem Market & Deli

Six tables with four seats around each form the “deli” part of Jerusalem, along with a counter behind which the Middle Eastern specialties get prepared. The d

Konata’s Restaurant

It’s been decades since Sam Konata dished out his first vegetarian meal. These days at his small place, he serves as many fist bumps as he does sweet, sticky slices of vegan banana bread. His menu, like several others in the area, is rooted in the Rastafari religion that blossomed in Jamaica in the 1930s. […]

La Paloma

With an eerie ambiance of dark yellow lights and red carpet, La Paloma reminds me of that bar in The Shining, where the bartender is actually a ghost. Try the White Russian.

Little Havana Restaurant

North Miami might not be where most people look for Cuban fare, but that’s where you’ll find the family-owned Little Havana Restaurant. Despite the somewhat boring decor reminiscent of a banquet hall, this casual eatery is lively and bustling with activity during peak hours at lunch and dinner. The large menu offers reasonably priced Cuban […]

Lost City Brewing Company

Lost City Brewing, which opened in the summer of 2020 amid the pandemic, feels like a rare find amid Miami’s burgeoning beer landscape. The taproom is located in a warehouse complex, which suits its industrial setting. Inside, you’ll find a small bar and a comfortable lounge with leather sofas. The beers are straightforward and well-crafted […]

Luna Star Cafe

An oasis along the commercial strip in North Miami, this funky acoustic music stronghold has a relaxed community vibe, where customers do indeed know each other. It’s cozy, with a smattering of tables, a bar, and a stage that supports live music and readings. The friendly, casual service, then, fits right in.

Mario the Baker

This is a classic New York-style pizza joint. There’s no decor aside from the requisite cheese and pepperoni art prints and a flashing neon “open” sign. Hurried servers juggle multiple slices as busy downtown workers expend their half-hour lunch breaks on cheap grub. The first Mario’s opened in 1969, and many branches have followed, with […]

Mimmo’s Mozzarella Italian Market

Since 2008, Bruno Ponce has been quietly making fresh mozzarella out of a nondescript North Miami building mostly filled with walk-in refrigerators and stainless-steel work tables. The milk comes from Wisconsin cows and is processed into curd in New Jersey before it’s sent south. Ponce is an Argentine whose grandfather emigrated from Bari, on Italy’s […]