All Foodies in Miami know about Miami Spice, the special prix-fixe meals that Miami restaurants offer in August and September to attract locals to eat out. For quite some time, there’s also been “Taste of the Gables“, a similar program, exclusively (isn’t everything?) in tony Coral Gables. Now, while we are down in Key Largo for the weekend, I saw a sign advertising Taste the Keys.

Taste the Keys takes place in Key Largo from October 1st to October 31st, which is typically known as a slow time for the Keys. It’s prix-fixe lunch and dinners at 18 participating restaurants. They also have a couple different extras in Taste the Keys to keep it interesting.

Restaurants are encouraged to feature a “signature dish” on their menus that will be voted on by diners online to see whose signature dish the most popular. There’s also a Trolley Tour; the trolley stops at four different restaurants where a cocktail and a dish is served. The first Trolley Tour was October 2nd, the second one is October 16th and costs $100.

That’s the good news about Taste the Keys. The bad news is there aren’t THAT many participating restaurants and some higher-end ones aren’t participating. One of the reasons I love Miami Spice is it lets diners try restaurants that are normally financially out of reach.

The other bad news is that many of the Taste the Keys menus are rather uninspired. Conch Fritters and Conch Chowder for appetizers and Key Lime Pie for dessert is not exactly ground-breaking cuisine in the Keys. Restaurants should use this opportunity to showcase what makes them unique, not rely on the tried-and-true. Also, in many cases, there are only one or two options for dessert and almost invariably it is Key Lime Pie or Bread Pudding. The more the merrier is my philosophy on these prix-fixe menus.

My husband Zeke and I tried the Conch House last night for Taste the Keys for dinner. I enjoyed a cocktail (Key Lime Mimosa), Lobster Bisque, Steak, Shrimp and Tostones and Blueberry Crunch for dessert. The interior of The Conch House looks like an old Key West house, in coral and white, with high ceilings and fans; the service is friendly and fast. Zeke got Conch Fritters, Mahi stuffed with Crab cakes and Ghirardelli Brownie with ice cream for dessert. The portions were good and I took home my leftover steak. There was a beautiful rainbow in the sky as we left, which I appreciated after having a difficult week.

So, with Taste of the Gables, Miami Spice and Taste the Keys, South Florida diners can have prix-fixe menus four months in a row! While I appreciate living in Foodie Paradise, my waistline does not, especially since I am preparing to attend two weddings in November.

Speaking of Foodie Paradise, Wallet Hub has ranked Miami as the Best Foodie City in 2025.

Our fair city earned the top spot due to: its high number of restaurants per capita, the availability of high quality and affordable dining options, restaurant diversity and its strong home cooking resources, such as gourmet stores and farmer’s markets. While this is great and I agree with a lot of the reasoning, Miami also got ranked the most expensive city in the US for dining out. A three course meal typically costs $60 (which actually doesn’t sound that bad to me). This is, of course, before cocktails, drinks or wine. Cha-ching, cha-ching!

Fall is here, although it actually doesn’t feel (weather-wise) much like it here in Miami. If you want to get into the Fall spirit, however, head to your local Trader Joe’s where Fall is omnipresent and pumpkin, maple and cinnamon brooms abound. I found some delicious Maple Brown Butter Almonds I love, gluten free Cranberry Raisin Toasts, Cinnamon Dusted Toscano Cheese, Pumpkin Bagels, Pumpkin Butter ($2.99!) and an irresistible Maple Spiced Nut Mix.

In a recent newsletter, these were some of the Trader Joe’s Hidden Gems to Try, recommended by Trader Joe’s employees.

• Fried Shallots
• Greek Chickpeas
• Dill Pickle Mustard
• Crunch Chili Onion Seasoning
• Crispy Jalapeno
• Spicy Honey Sauce
• Tres Leches Cake

In other news, some of Miami’s favorite restaurants have closed.

Deli Lane, in South Miami, Cafe Vialetto and Erba in Coral Gables are all now history. All these restaurants will be missed. I especially will miss Erba, whose inventive pastas, delicious cocktails and fun, eclectic vibe, made it the place where I enjoyed going to celebrate special occasions. Chef Niven Patel is no longer running Mamey or Orno in the Thesis Hotel, so Ghee (Dadeland) and Maya (Miami Beach) are the two remaining restaurants from this Michelin-starred chef. This is a lesson to support your favorite local restaurants if you want them to survive.

With such high prices at Publix and other grocery stores, Aldis has suddenly become popular. I’m getting more and more recommended Aldi buys in my in-box and my daughter A.J. has been shopping there because they have organic food at reasonable prices. Aldis and Trader Joes are owned by separate branches of the same German family that split their grocery business in 1960.

News on the cocktail front: fancy-shmancy, complicated cocktails are out and simple (think 3 ingredient) cocktails are in. That works fine for me as the cocktails I enjoy- French 75, a Margarita and Daiquiri– all fit this bill. And lastly, just found out tea bags contain bleach so, what seemed like a healthy hot beverage- Green, Jasmine or Herbal Tea– now can be bad for you. Loose tea, in stainless steel tea pods, are preferred, or certain brands (Pukka, Numa and Republic of Tea) have bleach-free tea bags. Goodbye Celestial Seasonings! I’ve enjoyed our relationship until I found out you were toxic.

Cocktail anyone?

Up Next: Quick and Easy Chicken Broth