The first thing that pops into your head when you think about Miami depends on who you are. A couple of generations ago, that first thought might have been of a Florida orange or a pink, plastic flamingo. Today, it could be anything from high fashion mega events to mofongo. Miami, Florida is a cultural powerhouse. Its power at least partially derived from its vivacious and varied food traditions. Let’s look at local grub: good food in Miami, Florida.
As Miami’s cultural tides shift, so does the food Miami is known for. Plus what might be most requested by visitors and local foodies alike. Miami’s long-standing Cuban presence is a point of pride, with the famed Cubano (Cuban sandwich) a beloved favorite. But Miami’s changing demographics demand a contemporary look at the Magic City’s local grub through a new lens. Let’s find out who’s cooking good food nowadays in Miami, Florida, adding to its culinary allure.
Mofongo – Boricua Magic City Sabor
The Puerto Rican influence in Miami, starting with a wave of arrivals between 1957 – 1960, has brought with it a prominent Boricua presence and the local embrace of what is arguably the national food of Puerto Rico – mofongo. Mofongo has been established as one of Miami’s favorite foods, although it’s often eclipsed by the city’s better-known Cuban sandwich.
With its origins in West Africa, those who create mofongo for the public’s pleasure in Miami, Florida make amazingly good versions that are unique. Because this food is as influenced by the New World as any other. Influences on the mofongo you’ll (hopefully) eat in Miami include Caribbean, local immigrant, and indigenous.
Basic mofongo is a delight of green, pickled plantains, boiled or fried. Then its mashed with a mortar and pestle together with garlic, olive oil, seafood, vegetables, and meat. This results in an orb of mind-blowing flavor. Mofongo is a food Miami should be much better known for as it is part of what makes the city so vital and culturally rich – the Boricua presence.
Haitian Griot With Pikliz – From Little Haiti With Love
Miami’s Little Haiti is the most prominent Haitian community in the USA. With its Caribbean Market dressed in traditional Haitian colors and architecture, the importance of this Miami community can’t be understated.
Haitians first came to Miami in the mid-to-late 1970s to escape the barbarism of the Baby Doc Duvalier regime. As their presence became better known, the Haitian kitchen infused Miami with its flavors in the form of what’s now one of the foods Miami is best known for. That is Haitian Griot with Pikliz. When in Miami, Florida, and on the prowl for the uber-good, memorable food, the best visits are made of, this is a “must eat”.
Succulent chunks of pork shoulder are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Because the pork is marinated in citrus overnight in the fridge. But only after it’s been simmered with garlic, shallots, scallions, and scotch bonnet peppers, and an array of other delicious ingredients. This is a time-intensive endeavor. That flavorful pork will be fried crispy and served with pikliz. The pikliz is a tangy-sweet, delicious Haitian coleslaw. It takes 12 hours in the fridge to spring to delicious life. This dish alone is so good, you may find that your grand tour in Florida’s food superstar of Miami demands an extension!
Arepas
Arepas are being embraced all over the United States, but some more traditional recipes can be found right in Miami. The arepa is a savory or sweet corn pancake. It is filled with a variety of ingredients to become the treat US foodies are avidly seeking out.
Rapidly becoming a signature food that Miami is well known for, these delectable little corn pancakes are soft and fluffy inside, crispy outside. It is eaten predominantly in Venezuela and Colombia. The pancake is pre-Columbian and is also popular in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Central America.
Stuffed with cheese, meat, plantains, and other inspiring ingredients, the Venezuelan arepa is often filled with reina pepiada (chicken and avocado salad). Rock up to an areperia and experience a new star in the constellation. For good food in Miami, there is delicious simplicity of arepas.
Good Food In Miami, Florida with Food Fire + Knives
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