Vegetarian in Miami

440 SW 8th St. Little Havana

305-854-6381

Lebanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian, Best Of

Some of the best falafels in this city are to be found, oddly enough, in Little Havana. Barbar Grill, with a façade that evokes more corner store than dining establishment, serves up Lebanese fare behind a counter that overlooks a stockpile of hookah pipes, shisa tobacco, and packaged Middle Eastern condiments. Fresh falafels ($3.99) are assembled to order - doughy, flaky homemade pita is stuffed with creamy tahini, on-the-spot-fried chickpeas, fresh tomatoes and lettuce, thinly sliced pickled turnip, and a dousing of a special spicy house sauce. The family-owned market is also known for its shawarmas ($5.99) - hot, flaky pockets of lavash bread packed with juicy marinated shaved lamb, veggies, and tahini sauce. For vegetarians, the hummus ($6) offers heavy notes of lemon and paprika and is served with homemade pita. There's also a rotating assortment of desserts behind a glass display. If you decide to stop by, take note that there's a tiny parking lot in the back - you can't see it from the street, and unaware patrons have been observed paying for metered parking spots.

2 articles

Beehive Kitchen

200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Suite 110 Fort Lauderdale

954-607-2836

Health, Vegetarian

1 article

Big Squeeze Juice Bar

18315 W. Dixie Highway, Sunny Isles Beach North Dade

305-935-9544

Breakfast/Brunch, Salads, Smoothies, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

Despite our proximity to the ocean, Miami suffers from a tragic lack of laidback shack-type spots to grab grub and an icy drink (no, Ocean Drive's overpriced sidewalk cafes don't count). Luckily, Big Squeeze Juice Bar in North Miami Beach fills in that gaping hole in our dining landscape. The bright, vibrantly painted interior counter and outdoor shaded hut, decked out with tropical plants providing additional shade and bench swings, dish out mostly vegetarian healthful salads and sandwiches (though there are a few chicken and fish dishes), and smoothies and fresh-pressed juices. The falafel sandwich --crisp, cleanly fried chickpea fritters nestled in warm pita bread and topped with a creamy, vegan tahini sauce -- is one of the best renditions in town. And it can be washed down with a low-calorie but flavorful tropical smoothie ($5) blended with coconut milk and honey instead of any animal products or sugar. Additionally, iced smoothie-coffee blends, wheatgrass shots, and lemonades and juices are served. Adding to the hippy-surfer-beach bum vibe, acoustic guitar performances are common.

2 articles

Bobby's Meals

2109 Opa-locka Blvd., Opa-locka Miami Gardens

305-685-8818

Vegetarian, Vegan, Recommended

Bobby's Meals is home to an igneous brew of vinegar and chili called escovitch that's slathered over plump, flaky fillets. Like the vegetarian Ital plates, the fish comes alongside a mound of fragrant basmati rice studded with tender red beans. There are stewed peas: kidney and black beans, along with tight, smooth pigeon peas cooked off in a slightly sweet, warming union of diced turnips, carrots, beets, and pumpkin flesh.

1 article

Cafe Bambini

3073 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach North Dade

305-944-1566

American, Cafe, Coffeehouse, Ice Cream/Gelato, Sandwiches, Smoothies, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

If you're here, it's probably because you have a bambino of your own and you're desperate to dine at an eatery that doesn't make you feel like an unwelcome guest. Café Bambini's monstrous play area full of toys, games, and costumes is a alluring part of the experience. You won't be able to drop your kid in the hands of a babysitter, but at least you and a friend can nosh while you watch your babies go wild inside the soft-gated space. (By the way, a blessedly effective sound system drowns out squeals via mellow music à la Coldplay, Dave Matthews, Counting Crows, and the like.) A compact menu includes pizzas and salads averaging about $9, sandwiches for about $8, and smoothies, plus seven kiddie offerings at only $4.95. The owners, two couples with children, also scored some really great pastries from a local Argentine bakery - try a glorious empanada ($2.50) for starters - and they serve Segafredo coffee and Dolce Vita gelato. You can investigate one of the many display cases for a selection of organic baby foods, snacks, and drinks, but we recommend bypassing the strained peas and opting for a pepperoni pizza.

1 article

Dirt

900 S. Miami Ave. Brickell

786-235-8033

American, Vegetarian, Smoothies, Fast Casual

1 article

Dirt

1834 Bay Rd., Miami Beach South Beach

786-453-2488

American, Vegetarian, Fast Casual, Smoothies, Recommended, Best Of

Dirt is all about inclusivity. Yes, the eatery offers açaí bowls and cold-pressed juices, but as cofounder and general manager Jeff Latulippe puts it: "This is a place where our dads can go." And it’s true — at this fast-casual South Beach spot, you can order a steak-and-cheese sandwich; the difference here is the steak is grass-fed, the tomatoes are locally grown, and the nutritional information is visible for all to see. Indeed, Dirt has four menus: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and Paleo. That said, the restaurant's mission to serve clean, affordable food doesn’t stand in the way of flavor. For instance, the seasonal plate — containing a root vegetable mash, spicy grilled kale, shaved carrots, pomegranate, and, on a recent day, orange basil chicken — is bright, light, and surprisingly hearty. If you didn't just go up to the counter and order it, you'd think you were eating at a fine-dining establishment.

16 articles

Garden of Eatin

136 NW 62nd St. Downtown/Overtown

305-754-8050

Caribbean, Health, Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

Most people's understanding of Rastafarianism is centered around Bob Marley and weed-smoking. But the series of daily practices of consciousness that comprise this syncretic religion are far more complex. Take Ital, the vegetarian diet to promote life energy. You can check it out at Garden of Eatin', a tiny restaurant that will make you feel like you're eating in the living room of a Rasta friend's home. Haitian-American chef Imanuel Tafari owns this bright yellow house filled with tables covered by red plastic tablecloths, a whirring fan, posters of King Haile Selassie, and a beautiful mecca of cafeteria-style offerings - some of the tastiest Caribbean vegan cuisine in all of Miami. The menu changes daily, and you can sample all of the day's soups, salads, main courses, and desserts for $6 to $12, depending on the size of the plate. Dishes are usually heavy on the faux-meat protein, mainly tofu and seitan; Tafari is famous for his ackee "fish" entrée, various curries, and ginger "chicken" legs that use a bamboo stick in place of bone. The refreshing limeade and gingerade ($2) are homemade, and drink flavors can be mixed to create your own concoction. There is a community feel to this tiny, one-room operation, with a diverse crowd of Rastas, artists, local office drones, and political activists grubbing away while reggae music plays in the background.

1 article

Go-Go Fresh Food Cafe

926 Alton Rd., Miami Beach South Beach

305-673-3137

American, Health, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

Go-Go Fresh Food Cafe stands out in South Beach as a healthful and affordable option. Go-Go has a pretty simple menu: mini salads, big salads, homemade soups that change daily, and the famous Go-Go Pies ($2.50). The stuffing of these pies, also known as empanadas, is vast with options ranging from classic Argentine to Philly cheesesteak to Thai peanut chicken to eggplant parmigiana. Each pie has perfectly flaky crust and is stuffed to the brim with flavor. The so-called mini salad aren't that mini, the mini shrimp salad ($6.70) has steamed shrimp, fresh green peas and hearts of palm over mixed greens with a cilantro lime dressing to zest it up. You can also build your very own salad with more than 60 ingredients to choose from, that they will toss for you on the spot. In this fast casual restaurant you can be in and out quickly with delicious healthy and fresh choices that won't harm your South Beach bod or break the bank.

8 articles

Gourmet Carrot

959 W. Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-534-4211

Health, Kosher, Vegetarian, Recommended

From the exterior, this kosher natural food restaurant/juice bar doesn't look like any other average smoothie store, and cartoonish posters of buck-tooth bunnies lining the walls make the interior look like a kid's soda fountain. But the smoothies here could be considered nectar for the casual gourmet: rich and unusual combinations like the "Chilled Lych" (litchi juice, banana, and housemade ginger-pear and litchi sorbets). Gourmet Carrot's solid food -- ranging from sandwiches, to salads, to complete entrées such as tamarind-glazed local mahi-mahi with two vegetable side dishes -- is tasty enough to make one forgive and forget that it's good for you. The menu does not feature red meat, shellfish, or dairy, but there are plenty of poultry, fish, and vegetarian (including vegan) items.

2 articles

Gourmet Station

646 NE 79th St. Miami Shores/Biscayne Park

305-762-7229

American, Health, International, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

If you're health-conscious, like home-cooked meals, and pick up Whole Foods-prepared meals almost every day, Gourmet Station has you covered. Among the offerings are turkey meatloaf (served with homemade barbecue sauce) and seasoned tofu. Ask about the daily specials; they range from grilled herb salmon to a deliciously tender chicken breast smothered in mushrooms and white wine sauce and accompanied by choice of two sides (sweet potatoes, rice and beans, or veggie of the day). Read our full review.

2 articles

Govinda's Garden

100 S. Miami Ave. Little Havana

305-562-6371

Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

Tucked away behind downtown's flagship Macy's sits a hidden herbivorous outpost known as Govinda's. This vegetarian/vegan heaven serves up fresh, healthy fare to the hoards of cube-dwellers in downtown. From their brightly colored quinoa salad ($9.50) and mozzarella-topped portobello burger ($8.25) to their Caribbean soy chicken panini ($9.25) and avocado hummus wrap ($8.50) -- here, you won't miss the meat. We promise.

1 article

Granny Feelgood's Natural Food

25 W. Flagler St. Downtown/Overtown

305-377-9600

Health, Vegetarian, Recommended, Menu

If compared with a real health-conscious eatery like, say, one that doesn't sell Chupa Chups across from the vitamin counter, Feelgood's would not fare so well. Yet while Granny doesn't delve deeply into Moosewood territory, it does offer up a wide variety of fresh, tasty lunches. Sandwiches are especially rewarding, and there are plenty to pick from -- wraps; paninis on grilled ciabatta bread; chargrilled tofu, chicken, or fish; and a dozen more typical types like tuna melt, sliced turkey, BLT with "low- sodium bacon" (gee, that must be healthy), and chunky chicken salad robustly flavored with "no cholesterol" herbal mayonnaise, raisins, apple bits, and a hint of cinnamon. Salad standards such as Greek and caesar are satisfying too, and bountiful enough for two to share. With the dog days of summer upon us, consider Granny's for a quick smoothie-stopover -- there are a couple of pages' worth listed in the spiral-notebook menu. Also freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices. This may not be whole food heaven, but you'll leave Feelgood's feeling pretty good.Read our full review.

3 articles

Honey Tree

5138 Biscayne Blvd. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-759-1696

Health, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of

Each weekday this market and deli offers several freshly made dishes for lunch that you can eat in or take out. Mouthwatering and healthy vegan and vegetarian specialties can include penne pasta tossed with tomato sauce and soy sausage, sauteed spinach with mushrooms, and kale and potato patties topped by chunky tomato salsa. A hearty soup of the day, fruity smoothies, and delicious desserts such as nondairy chocolate mousse pie and carob- and walnut-studded banana bread are also available. Sold by the pound, the eats are often gone by late afternoon. So if all else fails, you can choose some organic produce from a small fridge and settle down for a healthful meal from one of the freezers.

4 articles

Jucy Lu

2621 NW Second Ave. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

786-536-2575

Vegan, Vegetarian

Enter Jucy Lu, a charming spot in the back of Wynwood Block whose colorful edibles are the ideal accompaniment to your carefully curated social media feed. Sip a rosy-hued passion punch made with orange, strawberry, mango, pineapple, lime, passionfruit, cucumber and apple. Color-coordinate it with the fresh and green forbidden rice salad, complete with cucumber, cilantro, mint, radishes, kale, coconut, pistachio, cashews, and vinaigrette. Or try the 2not sandwich with chickpeas, carrots, capers, and tahini paste. How about the mango passion coconut pudding with hibiscus and chia seeds? Pick your fave and indulge accordingly. This is vibrant, aesthetically appealing food that’ll maintain your killer bod — and your IG image.

3 articles

Juice & Java

20335 Biscayne Blvd., #L-26 Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-466-2233

Health, Vegetarian, Best Of

If you wanna stay tanned, toned and beach ready a full 365, you can't be making meals out of Burger King all too often. And this is food to feed a South Florida bod. Juice & Java doles out fresh juices, salads, pastas and lots of health-conscious options for beachgoing vegetarians and vegans. Fresh fruit smoothies with everything from papaya to carrot run $4.50 to $5.50, and wraps like the eggplant tofu or mozzarella caprese run $7.50 to $10.50 - so healthy eating here won't break the bank. Be good to your meat suit by spending more of your food budget here and a little less on bar food.

3 articles

Juice & Java

1346 Washington Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-531-6675

Health, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Though "local" is all the rage now, there's still something to be said for food un-injected with high-fructose corn syrup, AKA "having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives," AKA, "natural." There's also a lot to be said for any natural-foods restaurant that features meat in addition to requisite hippie staples such as quinoa and tofu, and even more to be said if that place is also fast, clean, and well-located in both Aventura and Miami Beach. Juice & Java's menu rivals that of The Cheesecake Factory for the number of options, including breakfast wraps made with organic eggs, lattes made from Lavazza beans, and open-face melts with Monterey jack or soy cheese on white or whole-wheat pitas. It's one of the few places in Miami-Dade County where you can get a healthful and good-tasting meal fast.

4 articles

Konata's Restaurant

13343 NW Seventh Ave. North Miami

305-688-7400

Caribbean, Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Critics' Pick, Best Of

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. It's based on a diet called Ital (rhymes with "vital"), which evolved from Hindu vegetarian traditions delivered to Jamaica by indentured Indian servants who arrived with the British. The rules are simple, Konata explains: "Nothing that eat, walk, swim, or crawl." Read our full review of Konata's.

3 articles

The Last Carrot

3133 Grand Ave. Coconut Grove

305-445-0805

Health, Vegetarian, Sandwiches, Best Of, Menu

It ain't easy being green. Just ask Kermit. But for vegetarians, vegans and the occasional meatless Monday enthusiast, the Last Carrot makes healthy eating a whole lot easier. Those looking for a light, bloat-free lunch option sneak into this little spot, smack in the middle of a Coconut Grove strip mall. All sandwiches come on a whole wheat pita complete with lettuce, tomato, carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts and house dressing, with filling options like hummus, avocado salad, veggie burger and even chicken salad - for the occasional carnivore. Sammies run $7.75, and they also offer salads, spinach pies, homemade soups, fruit smoothies, fresh juices and cashew almond and oatmeal raisin cookies. You'll walk away feeling light, airy and morally superior to your co-workers who chose the Cheesecake Factory.

3 articles

Luna Star Cafe

775 NE 125th St. North Miami

305-799-7123

American, Cafe, Coffeehouse, Vegetarian, Music Venues, Best Of

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.

26 articles

Maoz Vegetarian

1657 Washington Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-534-6269

Middle Eastern, Vegetarian

This Lincoln Road adjacent falafel spot is part of a larger set -- a chain of international franchieses that specalize in vegetarian and vegan eats. At Maoz Vegetarian, you can score a falafel sandwich for a mere $5.95 or a salad for $7.95. Plus, they've got vegan soups, juices, and salad bar toppings for your sammy or salad free of charge, everything from sliced red cabbage and tabouli to roasted cauliflower and broccoli. It's cheap, it's healthy and it's about time it made its way to Miami Beach.

7 articles

Mi Vida Cafe

7244 Biscayne Blvd. Miami Shores/Biscayne Park

305-759-6020

Smoothies, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of

There's a reason you expect more from Miami's vegan spots these days, and it's because of places like the MiMo District's Mi Vida Cafe. There's a sloppy joe, but forget the beef. The dish features portobello mushroom, peppers, onions, braised seitan, spinach, and almond romesco served on homemade bread. You won’t even miss the meat. The place welcomes you with a quaint courtyard leading to an inviting and colorful interior. Signs recommend the obvious but often-ignored option of positive vibrations over cell-phone vibrations. It's an ideal spot to sit, relax, and delve into the extensive, healthful menu.Read our full review.

4 articles

Miami Juice

18660 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-945-0444

Health, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of

The fruit juices are fine at this juice bar/eatery, which has been an oasis of cool in a rather unhip neighborhood since 1992. The small selection of organic produce, vitamin supplements, and other healthful groceries is also of reliably high quality. What distinguishes this place from the average smoothie shop, though, are its strongly Middle Eastern-influenced health-food meals: grilled chicken (plain, rosemary-marinated, or barbecue style); fresh fish with a variety of sin-free sauces; rice and/or bean-based vegetarian entrees; plus plenty of substantial sandwiches, salads, and soups. Nearly three dozen mix-and-match sides make the low fat fare customizable enough to beat the blahs.

6 articles

Pane & Vino

1450 Washington Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-535-9027

Italian, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow

The brawny pastaiolo's presence in the window display of Pane & Vino serves two purposes: to draw in mesmerized passersby and to assure customers that the South Beach restaurant isn't kidding about pastas being homemade. Although several tables are set up outside, it's best to avoid the uncomfortable chairs and noise of Washington Avenue and book a seat inside. The menu concentrates on starters and the restaurant's specialty — pastas. Salmon, rib eye, tuna, and chicken are the only secondi options, and hardly anyone orders them. Patrons are more interested in the spaghetti alla ruota, and rightfully so. The pasta arrives on a trolley next to a giant wheel of hollowed-out Parmigiano-Reggiano imported from Italy. The sauce is so velvety and rich it's easy to think heavy cream is involved — but the only dairy product in the recipe is Parmigiano. An Italian restaurant cannot reach greatness without having the basics perfected, and Pane & Vino's spaghetti al pomodoro is arguably the best in town.

7 articles

Pasha's

19501 Biscayne Blvd., #1433 Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-917-4007

Greek, Health, Mediterranean, Vegetarian

In the mid-90s, while studying at Harvard Business School, Pasha's CEO Antonio Ellek came up with the concept of a healthful Mediterranean fast-food restaurant. And in 2003, with the help of classmate Nicolas Cortes, the first location for this homegrown chain sprouted on Lincoln Road. Since then, seven other Pash's have blossomed and flourished throughout South Florida. Each offers customers inexpensive, fresh, daily-prepared meals free of preservatives, additives, trans fats, and MSG. The menu offers a wide array of street foods from the Levant, or the eastern Mediterranean countries of Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Egypt. Try the gyros, both chicken and the more traditional beef ($6.95), or the vegetarian favorite, falafel ($3.95). The best items here are the pides ($6.95 to $9.95): soft, thin-crusted, individual-size pizzas baked to order and topped with ingredients varying from grilled mushrooms to chicken. It's difficult to find a cheaper, more healthful meal option anywhere else in town.

1 article

Pasha's

1414 Brickell Ave. Downtown/Overtown

305-416-5116

Greek, Health, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Best Of

In the mid-90s, while studying at Harvard Business School, Pasha's CEO Antonio Ellek came up with the concept of a healthful Mediterranean fast-food restaurant. And in 2003, with the help of classmate Nicolas Cortes, the first location for this homegrown chain sprouted on Lincoln Road. Since then, seven other Pash's have blossomed and flourished throughout South Florida. Each offers customers inexpensive, fresh, daily-prepared meals free of preservatives, additives, trans fats, and MSG. The menu offers a wide array of street foods from the Levant, or the eastern Mediterranean countries of Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Egypt. Try the gyros, both chicken and the more traditional beef ($6.95), or the vegetarian favorite, falafel ($3.95). The best items here are the pides ($6.95 to $9.95): soft, thin-crusted, individual-size pizzas baked to order and topped with ingredients varying from grilled mushrooms to chicken. It's difficult to find a cheaper, more healthful meal option anywhere else in town.

4 articles

Pasha's

3801 Biscayne Blvd. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-573-0201

Greek, Health, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Menu

In the mid-90s, while studying at Harvard Business School, Pasha's CEO Antonio Ellek came up with the concept of a healthful Mediterranean fast-food restaurant. And in 2003, with the help of classmate Nicolas Cortes, the first location for this homegrown chain sprouted on Lincoln Road. Since then, seven other Pash's have blossomed and flourished throughout South Florida. Each offers customers inexpensive, fresh, daily-prepared meals free of preservatives, additives, trans fats, and MSG. The menu offers a wide array of street foods from the Levant, or the eastern Mediterranean countries of Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Egypt. Try the gyros, both chicken and the more traditional beef ($6.95), or the vegetarian favorite, falafel ($3.95). The best items here are the pides ($6.95 to $9.95): soft, thin-crusted, individual-size pizzas baked to order and topped with ingredients varying from grilled mushrooms to chicken. It's difficult to find a cheaper, more healthful meal option anywhere else in town.

5 articles

Pasha's

900 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach South Beach

305-673-3919

Greek, Health, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Recommended

In the mid-90s, while studying at Harvard Business School, Pasha's CEO Antonio Ellek came up with the concept of a healthful Mediterranean fast-food restaurant. And in 2003, with the help of classmate Nicolas Cortes, the first location for this homegrown chain sprouted on Lincoln Road. Since then, seven other Pash's have blossomed and flourished throughout South Florida. Each offers customers inexpensive, fresh, daily-prepared meals free of preservatives, additives, trans fats, and MSG. The menu offers a wide array of street foods from the Levant, or the eastern Mediterranean countries of Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Egypt. Try the gyros, both chicken and the more traditional beef ($6.95), or the vegetarian favorite, falafel ($3.95). The best items here are the pides ($6.95 to $9.95): soft, thin-crusted, individual-size pizzas baked to order and topped with ingredients varying from grilled mushrooms to chicken. It's difficult to find a cheaper, more healthful meal option anywhere else in town.

5 articles

Planta South Beach

850 Commerce St., Miami Beach South Beach

305-397-8513

Vegan, Vegetarian, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

Miami isn't known as a paradise for vegans, but Planta — a plant-based establishment with a fine-dining ambiance and bespoke cocktail program to match — is the proverbial exception that proves the rule. Better still, it's sure to please vegans and omnivores alike. Begin with ahi watermelon nigiri, a presentation that will lure the most avid raw fish lover with slivers of bright pink melon marinating on a blend of soy sauce and seasonings that mimics raw tuna in a magical way. Or the ceviche, with its fever dream of flavors at once tart, sweet, and tangy so that the only thing you're missing is the actual seafood, resplendently replaced by shaved hearts of palm. Or the bao bun, an oyster mushroom fried to a crisp finish while remaining meaty inside, nearly indistinguishable from the fried chicken it's meant to imitate. Craving heartier fare? Pizza and pasta are easy, well-executed staples that everyone will appreciate.

34 articles

Plnthouse

2341 Collins Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-604-1000

Vegan, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Try finding a better lunchtime view than the brilliant blues you'll see from the patio at Plnthouse, chef Matthew Kenney's indoor/outdoor snack spot in 1 Hotel South Beach. Once you're done gawking at the gorgeous surroundings, turn your attention to the menu. Highlights include an iconic avocado toast with shaved veggies and chili oil; a rich French lentil pâté with cashew-dill sour cream and rice crisps; a crisp zucchini noodle bowl with pistachio pesto, cashew ricotta, and slow-roasted tomato; and flavorful Thai paper wraps with red pepper, mango, red cabbage, chili almond butter, carrots, herbs, and tamarind dipping sauce.

4 articles

Pura Vida

110 Washington Ave., #2, Miami Beach South Beach

305-535-4142

Health, Sandwiches, Smoothies, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

Let's say, for hypothetical purposes, you're on a date with Madonna. She's great at the whole first kiss thing, but the Material Girl is way too picky about her dinner. She won't eat food that's been processed or genetically modified. And don't even think about ordering something that once lived inside a factory farm. So where do you take her? Fortunately, there's a laid-back — and shockingly unpretentious — natural food restaurant on Washington Avenue. Pura Vida has the vibe of a Costa Rican surf shop (you can even rent a surfboard after your meal). The bright and colorful joint has a selection of specialty smoothies and fresh-squeezed drinks that make Jamba Juice feel more impersonal than a trip to the DMV. Enjoy brown rice and chicken with lentil soup and salad for $9.95. Or try an açaí berry bowl made with a purée of frozen berries, bananas, and apple juice topped with granola for $7.95. The place is also great for take-out, which allows more time for important stuff like, oh, say, kissing.

10 articles

Sara's Kosher Restaurant

3944 N. 46th Ave. Hollywood

954-986-1770

Kosher, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

1 article

Screaming Carrots

826 Hallandale Beach Blvd. Hallandale Beach

754-400-9614

Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

If you're skeptical of this place because of its name, don't be. The food is so tastefully composed it won't matter if you're vegan, meat-eater, or pescatarian. It's all thanks to chef-owner Guy Braverman, just your average Joe who began living a 100 percent plant-based lifestyle three years ago to boost his health. After plenty of trial and error, Screaming Carrots restaurant now offers customers many of his favorite organic, whole-food, plant-based recipes.

1 article

Vegetarian in Miami

Newsletter Sign Up

Enter your name, zip code, and email