"We're not here to convert anyone," says Gelhard. "But if someone walks away from Flora feeling full, satisfied, and surprised they didn’t miss the meat—that’s a win."
Flora, which opened in late 2023, is built around a deceptively simple vegetarian-friendly idea: If everyone ate just one vegetarian meal a week, the environmental payoff could be huge. Gelhard and her team are betting that good design, warm service, and wildly delicious food are the best way to make that shift to feel easy, even enjoyable.
From Global Travels to Morningside Patio
The concept was born in 2019 while Gelhard and her husband, David, were traveling through Mexico and Colombia, dreaming up restaurant ideas over dinner."We'd sit at restaurants and critique everything—from the plating to the energy of the space," she says. "Eventually, we realized, okay, we have to build our own." Back in Miami during the pandemic, the couple found a hidden gem space in Morningside.
Gelhard, a graphic designer by training, sketched the logo by hand, designed the furniture with Balinese artisans, and managed the branding and social media herself—all while pregnant. "I wanted the space to feel like a tranquil oasis—somewhere you could show up in leggings after a workout or bring your dog and kids, and just relax," she says.
The result is a breezy, plant-filled restaurant where diners lounge on custom wood chairs designed to "hug" the body and tuck into dishes like mushroom rice bowls grilled over charcoal with chimichurri, or a tartare that mimics the texture of chicharrón using yucca and mushrooms.
Where Mushrooms Taste Like Steak
Flora's menu, developed by 26-year-old Cuban chef Fabio Delgado, blends French technique with Cuban and Colombian flavors—and plenty of surprise. One standout is a smoky rice bowl layered with mushrooms marinated in mushroom broth, grilled over charcoal, and topped with house-made chimichurri."We've served that to Argentinians and they're shocked by how satisfying it is," Gelhard says. Another favorite: the veggie tartare, a clever nod to the classic steak version.
Here, the "chicharrón" crunch comes from fried yucca and mushrooms, with a yuzu hollandaise standing in for the egg yolk. There’s also a dressed-up version of elotes—Mexican street corn—with guava aioli and breadcrumbs, designed to be eaten messily off the cob. The dinner menu, added last year, ups the ante with tableside touches like fresh truffle shavings or sauces poured by the chef. The ceramics used at dinner—handmade in Colombia—are so beautiful that guests often flip them over to see who made them.
One Vegetarian Meal at a Time
"Vegetarian food has this reputation of being boring or restrictive," Gelhard says. "We're just saying: try it once a week. See how it feels." It helps that Flora's commitment to sustainability runs deep. All to-go packaging is compostable, sauces and condiments are made in-house, and they steer clear of seed oils.With packed tables for weekend brunch and dinner service expanding, Gelhard is already eyeing a second, more intimate location with grab-and-go offerings, plus a line of Flora-branded products like granola and salsas. But the core idea won't change.
As Gelhard puts it: "You don’t need to change your whole life—just your lunch."
Flora Plant Kitchen. 5580 NE Fourth Ct., Ste. 4B, Miami; 305-456-5018; floraplantkitchen.com.
