Miami is known for its beaches, body-con locals, and bedazzled tourists. But in recent years, it’s the vegan scene that’s getting all the buzz. There are award-winning, fully loaded burgers and heavenly-and-healthful bowls to dive into, sure. But with Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad, Haiti, Cancún, the Bahamas, Central and South America, and the Dominican Republic all nearby, a spicy mix in the city’s community and cuisine awaits. Come taste all the delicious diversity that Miami has to offer—and don’t forget the sunscreen!
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1L’Artisane Bakery
The croissants at this plant-based pâtisserie are mile-high, flaky, unbelievably buttery … and vegan. Though its menu wows with savory options like Just Egg quiche and creamy kale and mushroom empanadas, it’s the array of sweet treats customers crave. Chef-owner Carolina Molea delivers jewel-like pastries, OMG-worthy macarons, and her signature croissants in a dozen flavors like apple pie, vegan Nutella, and guava and cream cheese. If you can score a seat at this little Coral Gables charmer, linger over confections and a cappuccino.
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Succulent Street Food
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Succulent Street Food
The rest of the country may be shivering, but now is Miami’s peak growing season. So check out the fresh finds at Urban Oasis Project’s four city farmers’ markets, where vegan pop-up Succulent Street Food is committed to sustainable, farm-to-table fare. Go for the crispy fried oyster mushroom po’ boy—piled high with heirloom tomato confit and pickled pepper remoulade—or the aptly-named Market Monstrosity: locally made tempeh, a vegan egg, hash browns, pimiento cheese, and pepper jelly, all somehow stuffed into a vegan croissant.
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Minty Z
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Minty Z
At Minty Z, dim sum dinners are breathtaking in both quantity and quality. The lunch crowd loves the bánh mì and the vegetable-loaded fried rice studded with homemade cauliflower kimchi, while crispy faves include Cuban corn wontons and avocado spring rolls. Can’t decide between the funky fermented black beans and broccoli or salty-sweet miso kabocha? Go for the dim sum feast or, at dinner, the seven-course omakase tasting menu of Minty Z’s best. Wine, beer, sangria, sake, and kombucha make it even better.
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Love Life Cafe
4 Love Life Cafe
Miami vegan mainstay Love Life Cafe makes an award-winning burger, but authentic Latinx favorites gone plant-based is where this casual eatery shines. Chlorophyll, spinach, and chia infuse the outrageous gooey, cheesy arepas. The choripan, vegan chorizo in a fresh baguette, is layered with chimichurri, mustard aioli, pickled vegetables, and avocado. Japanese more your jam? Do yourself a favor and make a second trip for the crunchy, slurpy, umami mushroom tonkatsu ramen at Love Life’s pop-up, Shīdo.
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Plant Theory
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Plant Theory Creative Cuisine
When dining at this trendy Miami Beach restaurant, go for its playful signature items, including spice-rubbed Southern Baked Artichik’n Club, sweet and spicy Guava Mariahhhh BBQ Burger, and creamy cashew Rawsome Cheezecake. They taste like pure fun, but founder and longtime Miami vegan Mahala Nirvano packs solid nutrition into these delights, too. Tucked inside South Beach’s Lincoln Eatery food hall, Plant Theory makes everything in-house using organic produce, and its no-faux-anything approach will leave you with a holistic wellness glow.
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Planta
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Planta – South Beach
A cool space, splashy cocktails, over-the-top burgers, pizzas, and nachos. What’s South Beach Planta got that the original Toronto location doesn’t? If you like Planta’s cauliflower tots—and everyone does—you’ll love the croquetas: little fried puffs stuffed with mushroom bacon and cashew mozzarella. Both the tots and croquetas are technically group appetizers, but you’ll have an easier time sharing the mammoth pizzas with thin, crispy crusts tessellated with toppings. A sky-high swirl of the kitchen’s soft serve makes for a sweet finish.
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Planta Queen
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Planta Queen
And at Planta Queen—Planta’s sister restaurant in Coconut Grove—everything is sleek, chic, and uniquely Asian. Macrobiotic and austere it is not, with truffles enriching melt-in-your-mouth dumplings and jewel-like vegan sushi. Thai creamed spinach, rich with coconut milk and subtly spiced with curry, comes topped with domino-sized cubes of fried tofu. The beloved Bang Bang Broccoli features crispy fried broccoli napped in a sweet heat chili sauce and a blizzard of crushed peanuts. At Planta Queen, you live—or at least eat—like royalty.
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8The Plantisserie
A classic deli but vegan and organic? It’s not fantasy, it’s The Plantisserie. Dine-in or take-away foods including a dozen different empanadas, daily specials like umami miso-glazed eggplant and basmati rice, plus a solid lineup of comfort classics like shepherd’s pie, vegan tuna salad, and Cuban ropa vieja, with jackfruit replacing flank steak. Find more locally made artisan eats in the market area and deli case, like Catalyst Creamery hemp cheese, plus ooh-là-là tarts, truffles, and treats from Miami’s top vegan pastry chefs.
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For more vegan city guides, read:
Ellen Kanner (soulfulvegan.com), author of the award-winning book Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner.
