MIAGuide
Where To Eat Near Hard Rock Stadium
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
If Miami had a Colosseum, the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens would be it. It’s home to the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Open, Formula 1 races, and even Beyoncé concerts. But whereas the Romans had their “bread and circuses,” the area around the stadium has a lot more to offer, including Miami’s only Ethiopian restaurant, Jamaican bakeries, and Trick Daddy’s take on soul food. These are our favorite places to eat near the Hard Rock Stadium.
THE SPOTS
Awash isn’t just Miami’s only Ethiopian restaurant—it’s one of Miami's best restaurants. And it happens to be five minutes from Hard Rock Stadium. The food here is incredible. Chicken, beef, fish, and vegetables are beautifully spiced and stewed until peak tenderness has been reached. The best way to experience it all is via the taste of Awash platter: small portions of nine entrees along with rolls of tangy injera—the spongy flatbread you use to scoop up the stews and tender vegetables. Come here with friends and enjoy dangerously drinkable Ethiopian honey wine after the race or game.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
Stadium Diner gets its name due to its proximity to Hard Rock Stadium. But it’s also one of the best diners in Miami, and does all the things we expect a diner to do. Service is quick, the menu will take you 90 minutes to read, and the interior is pure nostalgia, with walls covered in old-school Miami sports memorabilia. There’s counter seating for solo diners and bouncy booths for bigger groups. We like the lunch items a bit more than the breakfast dishes—particularly the patty melt—although they do make the best diner pancakes we’ve had in Miami. Just know that they’re not open for dinner.
photo credit: Tasty Planet
LC’s is a cash-only restaurant in Miami Gardens serving excellent Trinidadian-style roti. If you like variety when it comes to fillings, this is the place to go. They have conch, shrimp, duck, goat, beef, chicken, veggie, and potato rotis. It also works great for takeout in case you’ve had enough of being around people after spending the afternoon in a stadium full of thousands of them. If you’re feeling lucky, you might be able to sneak in a few stuffed rotis into the Hard Rock Stadium (or bribe a security guard with one).
If you like a big, super flaky Jamaican patty, this is the place to go. Taste Rite Bakery in Miami Gardens has nine options to choose from, including a lobster and shrimp. They also have coco bread and potato pudding. It’s a small spot that’s more of a takeout operation, so stop by if you’re cool with eating in your car. These patties would also make a great stadium traffic snack as you’re heading into the game.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
Lorna’s is in a shopping plaza a couple blocks from Hard Rock Stadium. It has a large dining room with high ceilings that are highlighted by neon purple lights, blue velvet chairs, high tops, and two large booths by the window. It’s perfect for large parties, and food portions are big—but can take some time (so this place is better for after the game). We like the Bahamian conch salad. It’s big with chunks of conch, tomato, onions, cucumbers, and fresh orange juice that really brightens it up. They have a great jerk chicken too. And there are plenty of TVs in case you left too early and the Dolphins actually managed to come back in the fourth quarter.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
Trick Daddy is a man of many talents. He’s a rapper, producer, actor, and (who would have thought) a cook. Sunday’s Eatery is probably as close as you’ll get to having dinner with him, since Trick owns this place. It’s not Miami’s best soul food, but they have crunchy fried ribs, thick string beans, and a mac and cheese that’s crispy on the outside and creamy inside. There are a few tables with peacock blue chairs surrounded by big TVs where you can watch Mr. Daddy deep fry a cornish hen on his very own cooking show while you sip blue lemonade. It’s also five minutes from Hard Rock Stadium, so it can get busy before an event. But they take orders while you’re in line, or you can order online for takeout to skip the wait and (cue the trumpets) “take it to da house.”
Tony's Pizza has been slinging some of Miami Gardens’ best pizzas since 1988. This family-owned pizzeria serves New York-style pies with so many toppings you’ll need two hands to transport a slice to your mouth. We like the New York special with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and black olives that sit on a crust that crunches when you fold it in half. It’s not a huge place, but they have some counter seating, a long banquet, and a few booths along the windows. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a pizza with friends before heading to the stadium—your tastebuds and stomach will thank you for sparing them from concession food.
