Miami Spice is a great opportunity to try all the amazing restaurants that South Florida has to offer at reasonable costs – for both lunch and dinner. It lasts through September 30, which means you can easily hit-up more than one of these dining hot spots and savor a variety of cuisines. But, Miami Spice is not always clean-eating or diet-conscious friendly.We’ve filtered through the Miami Spice restaurant list and found some healthier menu options for dining out. Of course, you can always have your Miami Spice dinner as your cheat meal, but in case you want to stay on track, here are some healthy finds. Check out the full list of participating restaurants, menus and days the spice menus are offered.Bakehouse Brasserie has a few lunch and brunch items on the healthier side for Miami Spice. Choose from a variety of menu items, including a kale and roasted beet salad, a mixed berry parfait and a chicken paillard salad. If lunch isn't enough, healthy items can also be found on their Spice brunch menu including a smoked salmon toast and the popular roasted beet hummus tartine.
*Read: The 10 Healthiest Places to Brunch in Miami*
Probably one of the best deals of all Miami Spice is Bazaar Mar at the new SLS Hotel in Brickell. Prices are steep on the non-Spice menu, so this is where you get the most bang for your buck, while also staying relatively healthy. Try the oyster ceviche; gambas al ajillo (sautéed shrimp, garlic, olive oil, spicy tomato sauce, parsley); grilled branzino topped with almond escordalia, mojo verde; espinacas a la catalana and wakame (spinach, wakame, pine nuts, raisins, apples, and nori paste); or the jidori chicken roasted with coffee rub, blackberry catsup.Wynwood’s Beaker & Gray has some lighter fare that won’t sit too heavy. For an appetizer, check out the roasted roots with tzatziki, Myer lemon and marcona almond and for an entrée, the paiche (which is Peruvian fish) with wild mushroom, tomato water and pearl onion. For dessert, there is a key lime panna cotta – might not be super healthy, but sounds lite and delicious.Byblos, one of Miami Beach’s hotspots has a variety of light, fresh dishes that are not heavy in calories. Healthy dish highlights include shakshuka which is spicy tomato, toum (garlic) topped with a crisp egg; roasted red beets topped with pistachio, caraway, labneh and barbari bread; local snapper topped with chraime sauce and Persian lime; or chargrilled flank steak made with Turkish coffee rub, pomegranate and jus.[caption id="attachment_2442" align="alignnone" width="1905"]
Lolo's Surf Cantina[/caption]Lolo's Surf Cantina, Miami’s newest Baja-inspired eatery, features authentic Mexican cuisine within the casual and inviting space. For lighter, healthier options during spice, try out the vegan ceviche and the grains and greens salad.Pisco y Nazca is offering fresh, Peruvian fare with a healthy selection of ceviche’s to choose from on this year’s Miami Spice menus. Opt for the ceviche cremoso, made with fish, shrimp, creamy leche de tigre, celery, habanero and camote.Plant Food & Wine, located next to The Sacred Space (which we love!), features cutting-edge, plant-based dishes inspired by South Florida. The restaurant blends culinary art and nutrition in an atmosphere that is as fresh as the food. Definitely a great option if dining out with vegetarians, but so good meat-lovers won’t know the difference.
*Read: 6 Healthy Miami Food Trucks You Need to Try This Summer*
plnthouse at the 1 Hotel South Beach is catering to those that like to eat clean already, so their menu for Miami Spice is no different! Matthew Kenney is known for his delectable plant-based food with some of the main dishes include zucchini noodles served with pistachio pesto, the famous 1 Bowl served with brown rice, sprouted lentils, roasted broccoli and kale, and the Bahn mi wrap served with ginger roasted eggplant.A vegetarian gastropub, Soul Tavern’s menu appeals to both the health conscious and the self-proclaimed “foodie” offering a little something for everyone during Miami Spice. The menu is centered around the five Chinese elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The restaurant’s play on these elements is brought to their dishes to help balance the body, mind and soul. Dishes include mango avocado tartar, hemp crusted edamame cakes, vegetarian Ramen, and seed and nut panna cotta.Head to Brickell City Centre to Tacology for some Mexican fare. Appetizers include octopus ceviche or heirloom tomato, farro and shrimp with yuzu, avocado, roasted hazelnuts and cilantro. Entrees may be a bit on the heavier side, but try the taco pastor, the roasted pork tacos.We love Upland for their locally sourced ingredients and it is very much shown in some of their Miami Spice options. Try their coal roasted Scottish salmon featuring farro salad, pickled beets and fresh Florida grapefruit for a healthier alternative.
