Lyssa Goldberg

May 2019: Miami, like much of the rest of the planet, has yet to get over its love affair with juices. As the trend has matured, though, so have our standards. Today’s juices must be organic, they must be cold-pressed and crucially, they must be delicious. While we’re still mourning the loss of Jugofresh, Miami’s pioneering juice bar chain that made it all the way into Whole Foods stores before abruptly closing all locations in 2018, new options have swooped in across the city to fill the void. The vegan geniuses at Love Life Cafe are slinging killer juices and smoothies at Time Out Market in South Beach, while GreenG Juice Bar in Edgewater offers an array of live shots, juices, nut milks and to-go meals. An old staple we’d be remiss to leave off, Athens Juice Bar in North Miami Beach has been a locals institution since 1942, long before we started tossing things like chlorophyll and probiotics into our beverages. Juice bars come in handy after too many late nights binging on wings, truffle fries and Miami’s best drunk food. Luckily, you’ll find no shortage of juice bars in Miami. It’s just one of the latest health trends to find its footing in the 305. Maybe you recognize its cousin, the acai bowl, from one of your trips to find the best acai bowls in Miami. Or maybe the best desserts in Miami is more your speed. Either way, we could all use a nice fresh juice every occasionally, and here’s where you can find the tastiest and freshest in the city.

Great fried chicken needs to tick off a few boxes: crispy, juicy and not too greasy, plus a bonus point if it’s coated in something flavorful or spicy. There are so many variations on the dish out there and, lucky for us, we’ve got most of them right in our own backyard. Options for the best fried chicken in Miami run the gamut, from Miami’s best cheap eats to fine-dining situations at the city’s top restaurants. You can even drill down by cuisine (pollo frito at a Cuban restaurant is pretty spectacular) and the time of day: brunch in Miami isn’t complete without a chicken-and-waffle dish. Am I right? For more ways to satisfy your craving for fried chicken, check out our picks below.

Whether you’re an empty nester, a childless millennial or a parent who wants a breather, sometimes you need an adults-only escape. That’s where Virgin Voyages comes in. The cruise line set out to flip traditional cruising on its head—starting with its 18-and-over age requirement—and what they’ve accomplished is a perfect paradox: a superyacht-designed, adults-only cruise that appeals to a range of grown-ups, welcomes solo travelers as much as huge group celebrations, and encourages foodies and fitness lovers to thrive side by side. I’ve sailed on a number of cruise lines over the years but only recently did I get to experience an adults-only ship, cruising through the Caribbean on Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady. It was an eye-opening experience as far as cruises go—adults-only sailings are way different. Some of what I learned: If you’re considering booking a Virgin Voyages cruise, you should definitely expect more R-rated activities, like risqué shows and drag performances, and plenty of sexy innuendoes—their scoop shop is called Lick Me Till Ice Cream. You can also look forward to perks like on-demand Champagne delivery. For more about the new and very different world of adults-only cruising, here’s what surprised me the most about my experience. 1. Cruise food can be just as good and varied as what you find on land. Every Virgin cruise includes dining at all 20-plus of their eateries, free Wi-Fi, gratuities, essential drinks (AKA non-alcoholic) and unlimited group fitness cl

Dreamer Miami has quickly taken over Instagram feeds everywhere, with its pink flamingo-patterned wallpaper and tropical palm leaf decor. And while it does make for the perfect backdrop to your morning latte Snap or acai bowl Insta, it also offers a surprisingly extensive list of drink options for beverage lovers of all kind. In addition to fresh-squeezed and cold-pressed juices, Dreamer’s menu features classic smoothies, milkshakes, fruity lemonades, coffee, tea, chai lattes, wellness shots and even five types of matcha drinks. Good luck choosing a filter. 

Didn't expect to find a trendy juice shop in West Kendall? You're not alone but—believe it or not—Roots Juicebar is one of Miami’s best. Beloved for its Dragon Bowl (dragon fruit, pineapple, mango, banana and almond milk for $9.50) and smashed avo toast ($5.50), the organic restaurant also serves cold-pressed juices, superfood smoothies and plant-based bites. Try drinks like the Love Potion #9 juice (pear, pineapple, beet, chia and ginger), the Cash Mylk blend (cashew, chia, date, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and Himalayan pink salt) or the Bloody Berry smoothie (raspberry, beet, banana, maca and almond milk). And if you're feeling a tad extra, give your smoothie a boost with any of the Roots superfood add-ons: hemp seeds, goji berries, bee pollen or cacao nibs.

Dr. Smood proudly prescribes cold-pressed juices—which they call “Smoodys”— health shakes, non-dairy milks and various healthy bites. The menu is color-coded according to health benefit. Whether you opt for a freshly blended live juice, cold-pressed detox juice or Yemenite Hawaj white coffee, you can rest assured that everything is organic, dairy-free and anti-inflammatory. In fact, they’ve even created their own four-ingredient performance bread for sandwiches that aren’t heavy on the nap-inducing carbs.

With more than three dozen all-natural smoothie varieties and nearly as many specialty juices to choose from (many of which start at just $5) Juice & Java has easily one of the most accessible juice selections in town. J&J boasts an equally hefty food menu, which customers can enjoy while dining either inside the cozy, warm restaurant or at a few sidewalk tables outside. Among the options are crepes, breakfast bowls, baked quesadillas, pita melts and more. Popular favorites include the Billy Wrap with brown rice, wild snapper, feta, avocado, spinach and sprouts, and the Mish Mash brown rice bowl topped with a turkey burger, grilled eggplant and tomatoes. But when it comes to fresh-squeezed juices, consider the H-Bomb (lemon, lime, spinach, celery, carrot, apple, cucumber) or, for the slightly more adventurous, the Cure (carrot, celery, beet, cucumber, spinach, garlic, ginger, apple, lemon and lime).

Beehive Juice Bar is actually a small counter in the back of a South Miami health food store, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in character. Owner Carlos Schichi and his tasty vegan eats have amassed a devoted following over the years (enough to follow him to a new storefront on SW 65th Avenue and Bird Road after a CVS bought out the entire strip where it was originally located). All of Beehive’s fresh juices and smoothies are unbelievably affordable ($5 or less) and include options like mojito juice (mint, lime, beet, ginger, pineapple and cucumber) and the Kitchen Sink smoothie (banana, beet, pineapple, kale, carrot, dragon fruit and vegetable protein water). Other menu highlights include salads and sandwiches on sprouted Ezekiel bread, vegan empanadas, frozen banana custards and non-dairy baked desserts.

Three cousins who all practice the raw food lifestyle came together to create this raw/vegan concept in their own backyard of Aventura. Raw Republic serves cold-pressed juices, shots, smoothies, acai and pitaya bowls, cleanse kits, grab-and-go bites and even raw vegan sweets. Among the latter are its specialty, raw cinnamon rolls with a sweet date spread (those babies go fast). The microjuicery also serves some of the most unique wellness shots in town seen. The Activate Me holds the bizarre trio of lemon, maple syrup and activated charcoal. The raw vegan eats are pretty distinctive as well—as evidenced by the curry quinoa sushi rolls.