It’s lunchtime. Your stomach is yelling “FEED ME!” You want something delicious, but you don’t want to blow your weekly lunch budget. Fret no more! Below are a few suggestions that will satisfy your hunger without blowing your budget.
Cuban
Conventional knowledge in Miami will tell you that if you are hungry in Miami, you cannot go wrong with a Cuban dish. Personally, I have not had a dish that I dislike. You have your choice of chicken, fish, or beef served in various forms. Those well seasoned foods can be paired with sides like the classic rice and black beans, garden salad, or yuca (also known as “cassava,” depending on your ethnicity). A few places that I like to visit in Miami are Versailles in Little Havana, Atlantis Cafe in Downtown Miami, and Puerto Sagua in South Beach. Large portions and prices below $10, #winning!
Wraps, Salads, Bowls, Smoothies
What if you’re trying to eat healthy? Cutting back on fried food? Or just in the mood for a salad, bowl, wrap or smoothie? When I’m in the mood for any of these foods for lunch, I like to visit Giardino Gourmet Salads and Smoothie Spot Downtown, both located in Downtown Miami. At both locations, there are standard menu options that you can watch them make and swap out one item for another typically at no additional cost.
At Giardino, I like ordering salads. The atmosphere is clean and gives off the “we do everything fresh” vibe. The portion size is large enough for me to have two meals. Eventually, I’ll try their wraps and bowls. Smoothie Spot’s wraps are buildable, packed and very tasty. Again, I am able to have two meals from the wraps that I order from Smoothie Spot for under $10! I have also ordered smoothies as a meal from Smoothie Spot. The protein powder makes them filling and they last me beyond lunchtime. The variety includes different types of green, fruit, and classic–vanilla and chocolate–smoothies to satisfy everyone’s palate.
Burgers
Anyone can go to a chain restaurant for a cheap burger, but where’s the fun in that all of the time? Instead, try one of my favorite burger places, BurBowl in Downtown Miami. At BurBowl, you can build your burger (are you noticing a pattern?). Do you want your burger on a bun, “lettuce bun,” salad, fries, rice, or quinoa? Chicken, beef, pulled pork, veggie patty? Cheese? Multiple toppings and sauces to finish off your perfect burger concoction. Depending on what burger you order, you may be able to include fries in your order without going over your $10 budget! BurBowl can make your mouth happy without making your wallet cry.
The Lunch Wrap-Up
Finding an affordable and tasty lunch in Miami is not impossible. You have to know where to look. I hope this list gives you a good start. Comment below if you have suggestions of your own. I’d love to try it and maybe I’ll run into you there.
