Whether it's a lunchbox to-go meal from Le Zoo, a face-first dive into a spicy chicken rice bowl from 2 Korean Girls, or a prix-fixe global smorgasbord at Blue Matisse, there’s no better time than now to refuel and recharge with these five Miami lunches.
2 Korean Girls
2801a Florida Ave., Coconut Grove305-204-2372
2koreangirls.com
Since December 2020, 2 Korean Girls has earned a reputation for its fast and easy bibimbap-inspired bowls and classic Korean dishes. The fun-loving concept, founded by sisters Jennifer and Michele Kaminski in collaboration with their mother Chom "Sunny" Kaminski and James Beard Award-winning chef Allen Susser, now offers even more to love. The team recently expanded its hours of operation to include delivery or takeout during lunch, available Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Diners can order Korean specialties inspired by family recipes plus a variety of snacks and banchan served in the brand's iconic to-go boxes. Menu items include Kimchi fried rice, tteokbokki (pan-seared rice cakes), "Impos-Seoul-ible Meatballs," Napa cabbage kimchi, spicy crab mandu, Korean melon salad, cucumber kimchi, and the "KFR Royale" – Korean fried rice topped with a heart-shaped fried egg and American salmon roe caviar. The finishing touch: specialty desserts include apple hotteok (Korean style pancakes stuffed with a cinnamon-apple filling and topped with caramel drizzle) and gochugaru & red bean brownie bites (chocolate brownies with red bean paste swirl and a hint of gochugaru).
Blue Matisse in Doral recently reopened with an "On the Fly" executive lunch menu that features a different cuisine each day.
Photo courtesy of Blue Matisse
Blue Matisse
2505 NW 87th Ave., Doral305-468-1392
bluematissedoral.com
The InterContinental at Doral recently reopened its restaurant, Blue Matisse, relaunching with new executive chef Bryan Hill. That's especially good news for the area's lunch crowd, who can once again indulge in the restaurant's buffet-style lunch, which offers everything from ceviche to salads to live-action cooking and carving stations. As an alternative to the menu's à la carte options, a prix-fixe lunch is also available for $22 per person. The best part: No two days are the same, thanks to new menu selections covering everything from salads and hot and cold tapas to bite-size desserts — all served in accordance with CDC guidelines. The buffet is available weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with themed menus that let guests tour a new region of the globe each day. All that's left to do is decide if you'll visit for Latin American Monday, European-themed Tuesday, Asian-inspired Wednesday, American-themed Thursday, or Peruvian Friday.
LPM Restaurant & Bar offers a business lunch that includes dishes like this veal ragù pappardelle.
Photo courtesy of LPM Restaurant & Bar
LPM Restaurant & Bar
1300 Brickell Bay Dr., Miami305-403-9133
lpmrestaurants.com
Miami's Brickell business district is home to plenty of lunch spots, but none quite compares to the Magic City outpost of La Petite Maison. With locations in London, Dubai, and Hong Kong, the concept is best known for its upscale French dining. For Miami's jet-set crowd and business-minded lunchers, the restaurant's covered outdoor terrace or cozy entry bar offers the ideal location to broker a deal while enjoying a meal. LPM's déjeuner d’affaires is a three-course, prix-fixe business lunch, available Tuesday through Friday from noon to 2:30 p.m. For $29 per person, diners can begin their meal with an appetizer-size salad or salted Chilean sea bass croquettes before moving on to entrées like duck a l’orange or homemade pappardelle in a rich veal ragù.
Le Zoo is now offering a $20 "lunch box" that packages a complete meal in an easy, to-go format.
Photo courtesy of Le Zoo
Le Zoo
9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour (in Bal Harbour Shops)305-602-9663
lezoo.com
If you don't want to dine at home or at the restaurant, you can have lunch anywhere in Miami thanks to Stephen Starr's French brasserie, Le Zoo. The Bal Harbour restaurant recently launched a $20 lunch box for takeout. It's available seven days a week, with the featured lunch item changing daily, transporting guests from the streets of Paris to the shores of St. Tropez. Meals are boxed and bagged, making them ideal to enjoy anywhere on the go, packaged with your choice of nonalcoholic beverage. Themed lunches include a ham and Brie baguette (Monday), roasted turkey BLT (Tuesday), and smoked salmon bagel (Saturday). For those looking to dine in, the Miami Spice three-course prix-fixe lunch menu for $25 per person is available through September 30, 2021.
Mamey recently launched its Hurry' Cane express lunch menu, available at a discounted rate to University of Miami students and faculty.
Photo courtesy of Mamey
Mamey
1350 S. Dixie Hwy., Coral Gables (in the Thesis Hotel)305-266-2639
mameymiami.com
As cliché as it might sound, the new "Hurry' Canes" express lunch menu at Mamey is a touchdown. For $25, diners can get a two-course lunch from executive chef Niven Patel, whose popular island-inspired restaurant is offering the prix-fixe special daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to all University of Miami students and faculty. The meal begins with your choice of a white truffle and Brie grilled cheese sandwich; a watermelon salad with goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and cucumber; or ghee-roasted plantains, served with tamarind yogurt. Next comes a choice between three Mamey classics: a Vietnamese chicken caesar; a burger topped with aged cheddar and served with spiced fries; or heirloom cauliflower roti, with chickpeas, farm greens, pickled onions, and a side salad. Each meal is paired with a house-made passionfruit iced tea. To take advantage of the discount, diners must show their UM ID (it's $30 without an ID) — and they can also avail themselves of complimentary self-parking.
