Local Favorite Minty Z Among Wave of Miami Vegan Restaurant Closures

Just when New Times reported that health-conscious café Pura Vida would open in Coconut Grove this December, one of Miami's most popular vegan restaurants has announced it will close this week.

Minty Z, a beloved vegan spot in Coconut Grove offering fully plant-based and vegan Asian-fusion plates with a specialty in dim sum, will close on Sunday, September 1, after nearly four years in business.

Once named the Best Restaurant in Coconut Grove by New Times in 2021, the vegan Asian-fusion restaurant took to its Instagram account on Monday, August 26, to share the heartbreaking news with its longtime customers.

The joint statement, written by Minty Z's team and owner Alex Falco, reads in part, "It's with a heavy heart that we make this announcement. As of Sunday, September 1, Minty Z in Coconut Grove will be closing its doors permanently. The restaurant will be under new ownership after September."
Falco and his team made the decision together, even though it was incredibly difficult.

The plant-based community they had formed was strong and devoted, but it is generally missing in Miami, as the city does not have a strong vegan restaurant scene.

The caption continued, "When we opened back in 2020, we never could have anticipated what Minty Z would become. Bringing joy to our community through food and friendship was always our intention, but we have been overwhelmed by the gratitude and goodwill bestowed upon us by our guests and our team, and we hope we have managed to reciprocate that same gratitude as much as possible. To feel as though we're depriving our fans and our community of something they've come to cherish is indeed painful. Please know that this decision has not been made lightly and comes from the most personal of reasons."
Minty Z was founded in December 2020 by New York expatriates Alex Falco, the chef and creator behind the delicious vegan dishes, and his wife, Minty Zhu, the restaurant's namesake. The couple first introduced their vegan dishes at the Coconut Grove Farmers Market, where they connected with locals and tested the waters. When the restaurant opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, it gave the 305 a much-needed solution to its lack of vegan dim sum options. "Asian food has a lot of varieties, and we had this passion to create something new," shared Zhu at the time. "As you know, Asian food is mostly based on meat."

It should go without saying (though too often it doesn't): Vegans and non-vegans alike absolutely loved their dishes.

The restaurant encourages all of its longtime customers to join them one last time for a vegan feast on Sunday, September 1. Minty Z is located at 3206 Grand Ave., and reservations can be made via exploretock.com.
Unfortunately, Minty Z isn't the only vegan and plant-based spot to close its doors.

Exactly one week after Minty Z will close, Aguacate Sanctuary of Love, a beloved vegan juice bar, animal sanctuary, and recreational activity spot that serves delicious vegan food, will also close its doors.

After five years in business, Aguacate Sanctuary of Love will close on Sunday, September 8.

Located in Kendall near University Park, the juice bar and sanctuary space shared the bittersweet news on Instagram. "With immense gratitude and heavy hearts, we announce the closing of Aguacate Sanctuary of Love. Our last day of operation is Sunday, September 8. We are eternally grateful to our incredible team, whose love and creativity brought every inch of our yard, farm, and animal rescue to life. Together, we provided a magical experience for our community through service, wellness classes, and workshops. Over the past five years, we tirelessly championed sustainable living, animal rights, and health, overcoming countless challenges along the way. Thank you for choosing us as Miami’s top Vegan Brunch, Best Juice Bar, and one of Yelp’s Top 100 in Florida. Your support means the world."

For those concerned about the animals on the property, the nonprofit animal sanctuary and rescue will relocate to a farm in Miami-Dade County. The sanctuary is seeking donations to move the animals.

Aguacate hopes to relocate in the near future. If it does, New Times will be the first to report the news.