Miami Comfort Food Guide

When the mercury dips below 70, Miamians pair our favorite footwear (flip-flops) with down jackets to brave the frigid temperatures.

It's also the time we trade in our smoothies and salads for comfort food. When it's cold out, it takes a hot pizza or a gooey grilled cheese to warm our tummies and provide the culinary hug we crave. Here are the best comfort foods to savor on a chilly Miami night.
Melinda's at the Electric Pickle Offers Nachos and Mezcal. If you're jonesing for nachos, seek out the friendly mermaid waving to you at Melinda's, located on the bottom floor of the Electric Pickle. A partnership between chef Matt McKean and Pickle owner Will Renuart, the brasserie opened in December and specializes in artisanal mezcals and nachos.
Genuine Pizza Opens at Aventura Mall. Michael Schwartz's Genuine Pizza is now open at Aventura Mall. The debut officially marks Schwartz's rebranding of Harry’s Pizzeria, which is expected to expand with 18 new locations, from the Design District and Miami Beach to Atlanta and Cleveland, in the next three years under its new name, Genuine Pizza.
Miami's Five Best Cheesy Dishes. January 20 is National Cheese Lover's Day, a time to unite and pay homage to fromage. Like any holiday, it should be spent in a gluttonous tizzy, noshing away on mountains of cheese. Miami restaurants have embraced our love of cheese by using it in everything from classic warm sandwiches to ice cream. Here are the five cheesiest dishes in the Magic City.
Hank & Harry's Returns a Proper Pastrami on Rye to Miami Beach. Years ago, Miami Beach reigned as South Florida's deli capital. Places such as Wolfie Cohen's, Pumperniks, and Junior's served traditional deli-style meals like corned beef on rye bread and bowls of warm matzoh ball soup to thousands of customers. But as Miami's Jewish population moved north, most establishments shuttered. The recent opening and speedy popularity of Hank & Harry's (1691 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach; 305-763-8107), a modern New York-style deli, marks somewhat of a resurgence in Miami's long deli history (along with proof of hunger for a quality pastrami sandwich). Created by Miami-based restaurant group Sliderz MG, Hank & Harry's whips up breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a 1,200-square-foot space on Lincoln Road.
The Ten Best Burgers in Miami. You love burgers. You love burgers so much you salivate when simply reading about them. Every few years, New Times publishes a list of the best ones, the most outrageous ones, and the restaurants that serve them. This year's lineup includes some of the city's mainstays plus some newer spots that impress.
Federal Donuts Serves Fresh Doughnuts and Warm Hospitality in Wynwood. It's been a week since Federal Donuts opened in Wynwood, and the fast-casual eatery has created quite a buzz. On a recent visit in the early evening, makeshift signs noted the shop had run out of wings and fancy doughnuts, although the twice-fried Korean chicken and regular doughnuts were available in abundance. Across the street at Concrete Beach Brewery, dozens of happy guests chowed down on chicken sandwiches and crisp thighs.