From Miami-Dade to Palm Beach County, here’s a guide to the best non-vegan delicacies in South Florida. Check out the international imports from the swanky Bon Fromage in Brickell or the locally made cheese at the more casual Gardner’s Market. Whatever your discerning palette fancies, this guide will lead you to it.
7. Norman Bros Produce
Locally owned and operated for 40 years, Norman Brothers Produce in Kendall has been a Miami institution for locals and tourists. If you find yourself over the bridge and cruising around the suburbs, stop in Norman’s for fresh, local produce, gourmet cheeses, and Cuban and Southern comfort food. It’s the one stop shop for local delights like artisanal cheese, their famous duck dumplings, plus seafood and a bottle of wine for a home cooked meal. Unlike the more upscale cheese shops, this down-to-earth, charming little spot draws loyal customers year after year.
6. The Cheese Course
At the Midtown shops, people are buzzing around on shopping errands during the day and then in the evening, it’s all about the new, trendy dining hotspots. After dinner or shopping, check out The Cheese Course, Miami’s favorite cheese shop. If you’re hungry, they’ve got fresh made gourmet sandwiches. For a light snack, pick out one of their exotic cheeses from Europe and pair it with your favorite beverage and finger foods. Even better, make it an event at one of their famed cheese tastings. Whether you like your cheese stinky, mild, or creamy, the well-informed staff will lead you to a cheese you never thought possible.
5. Bon Fromage
Among the flashy postmodern skyscrapers of downtown and Brickell, Bon Fromage is a favorite spot for hard-working business sharks on their lunch hour. Stop in for a fresh European style sandwich or gourmet cheese course with your favorite non-vegan delicacy plus fruit and nuts. If you want to beat the feeding time rush, opt for delivery and have your pepper Jack chicken sandwich or cranberry walnut salad delivered to your door. Bon appetit.
4. Epicure
This upscale local market on Alton Road is the best place on the beach for an award-winning cheese selection. Get out of the sweltering heat and dip into Epicure to peruse their chocolate truffles, house made deli delights, and finally their gourmet cheeses imported from around the world. Try the Italian umbriacos, or for the serious cheese monger, the French raglette camembert. And there’s no reason to rush back out into the heat. Grab a coffee and a snack, and then sit back at one of the tables in their seating area next to the coffee stand. For the local Miami uppercrust, Epicure is a weekly ritual.
3. Joseph’s Classic Market
For more traditional Italian style meats and cheese, head north to Boca Raton, an upscale South Florida neighborhood known for its large and wealthy population of retirees from New York. You might have to fight the ladies of leisure in their Jaguars for your prosciutto and ham sandwich, but the selection of treats like cannoli, fresh baked goods, and chocolate-covered strawberries makes swimming upstream with the hungry lunch crowd worthwhile. Located in Town Center Circle, a bustling shopping center, the deli boasts the best lasagna in town as well as 60 dishes prepared by professionally trained chefs with a passion for Italian comfort food. Owner Joseph Acierno, a Brooklyn native, wanted to bring the flavors of his hometown to South Florida. Now at the end of the day, all you have to do is “heat and eat.” Buon appetito.
2. Cheese Culture
For artisan delicacies from the US and Europe, head to Cheese Culture on Las Olas Boulevard, the lively strip of upscale dining and shopping in Fort Lauderdale. Cool off with their charcuterie selection of pate, cured cuts and sausages, then wash it back with a fine red wine or craft beer. The many cheese varieties can be overwhelming but the knowledgeable staff is happy to give you a quick tour and a few free samples for inspiration. For the more serious foodies, stop by for one of their evening wine tastings and cheese-inspired food gatherings.
1. Marky’s Gourmet
Since the 80s, Marky’s has been the top purveyor of fine foods including caviar, truffles, and gourmet cheese plates. The loyal clientele of this downtown cheese shop loves the fresh summer truffles and the most extensive variety of imported caviar in Miami. For exotic cheeses from all over Europe, zip over the 70th causeway to Biscayne and NE 79th St for a slew of gastronomic delights.
