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The Best Food To Bring On A Boat (If You’re Lucky Enough To Have Found A Boat)
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
Chartering a boat for a day has become a Miami tourist tradition, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the city, while also feeling like you’re in a DJ Khaled music video. You might even see him zoom by on his jet ski (seriously). If you’re lucky enough to have secured a boat, the only way to make that even better is to come prepared with the perfect boat food. This guide has some excellent takeout options, all close to the various marinas and docks you might be embarking from.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Merritt Smail
Eleventh Street makes one of the best pies in Miami, whether consumed on the water or dry land. The slice shop is in Downtown, which is close to some major boat-launching points, but they also deliver. This could come in handy if you (hypothetically) left the cooler of beer in your hotel room and (hypothetically) have run out of time to pick up more supplies before your voyage. Order a couple of pepperoni and hot honey pies straight to the marina and (hypothetically) all will be forgiven. Don’t forget to share with your captain, too.
photo credit: Tasty Planet
Bagels, in our opinion, are a perfect boat food—and not just due to their resemblance to life preservers. If your charter is happening in the morning, place an online order at El Bagel early (like 8am, they often sell out) and be rewarded with puffy, delicious bagels. Order them loose ort as bagel sandwiches, like the King Guava, a salty/savory blend of guava jam, crispy potato sticks, and a fried egg, or the EB Original with scallion, bacon, and a roasted jalapeno that gives off the perfect amount of heat.
photo credit: Tasty Planet
Not only does La Sandwicherie make the kind of massive sandwiches that are just perfect for tearing into on the bow of a yacht, but they’re scattered around Miami—in South Beach, Wynwood, Brickell, North Beach, and Coral Gables. So you’re probably closer to one than you realize. You can get them on a big baguette or croissant, and they come generously stuffed. But it’s their house vinaigrette that really makes this such a beloved Miami sandwich. So pay for extra, or buy a bottle to-go to share with your boat friends.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
Boat tacos. Fun to say, isn’t it? If you’re near Downtown, it can also be your reality, thanks to Tacos El Porky, a small taqueria making tasty al pastor tacos. Those are good, but our favorite here is the cochi taco, with chunks of chicharrones, pickled onions, and a green chili sauce. Also, they have a few tortas to the menu, so you can leave with boat tacos and boat sandwiches—a Mount Rushmore of boat foods.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
This MiMo Bakery is pretty close to 79th Street, if you happen to be embarking nearby. And the menu is full of bready dishes that’ll be so satisfying to tear into after a few hours of sailing around Biscayne Bay. They make our favorite jambon beurre in town, which you can let the sun slowly warm up until lunch. Or just stuff a tote bag full of cachitos and call it a day. But do try to get a variety of things at this Venezuelan bakery, because it’s all delicious.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
La Tiendita II is a tiny Peruvian market in South Beach with a small but mighty selection of sandwiches. The chicken comes with shredded chicken, tomato, lettuce, a creamy sauce, and we’re pretty sure we saw potato chips in there too. The pork—their version of a Peruvian butifarra—uses a thick slab of tender pork, which contrasts nicely with crispy potato sticks and more of that creamy sauce. Since this is a market too, you can leave with other snacks for the day like chips and (if you have a cooler) grab a suspiro in the fridge for dessert.
photo credit: Emily Schindler
Lots of boats come and go from Sunset Harbour. But very few, if any, are departing with a couple warm boxes of Lucali onboard. Make sure you’re one of the smart boats. Just don’t make this a last-minute thing—Lucali does accept takeout orders online, but they also do get quite busy, so give them plenty of time to make your pizza. It’s probably a good idea to order around noon, when they open, if your maritime schedule allows.
photo credit: Rami Sabban
Let’s say, for some reason, Lucali doesn’t work out. Or maybe your boat is leaving too early for pizza. Then just walk next door to True Loaf, one of Miami’s best bakeries. They do sandwiches, but also have an excellent selection of sweet pastries that include a huge almond croissant and probably at least one thing stuffed generously with dulce de leche. This is pretty much only a takeout operation, and the earlier you get here, the better. They will sell out of things by the afternoon.
