Restaurants Under $10 from Daily Candy

August 14, 2007

The Ten Spot


No good cheap eats in Miami? Shut your mouth. No, wait, open it. Here are ten restos where you can feast for under ten bucks.

1. O Noodle Shop: Freshly prepared pad Thai and soba noodles fits the budget, and the people watching from the front window seats is unbeatable (330 Lincoln Road; 305-531-2052).

2. Picnics: It’s a ’50s flashback, from the food (meatloaf, shakes, burgers, chili) to the kitschy decor and prices (6500 Southwest 40th Street; 305-665-6964).

3. Tap Tap: Fun, flavorful Haitian ambience and cuisine, like tender goat dishes and addictive fried plantains (819 5th Street; 305-672-2898).

4. Bagel Emporium: The popular brunch spot’s been around forever; portions (Reubens, deli salads, and, of course, bagels) — not prices — are generous (1238 South Dixie Highway; 305-666-9519).

5. Yummy Chinese & Sushi Bar: Steps away from the overpriced sushi restos on Lincoln Road. House Special rolls, Chow Fun noodles, and Ika Sansai salads make good lunches (1671 Alton Road; 305-531-1880).

6. S&S Diner: Eggs with everything from French toast to crab cakes. For lunch, shrimp Creole on rice or blackened chicken and salad with the restaurant’s famous vinaigrette dressing (1757 Northeast 2nd Avenue; 305-373-4291).

7. Little Saigon: Family-run Vietnamese restaurant boasts “over 170 items and a lot of specials, too,” from basic pho to elaborate fish and beef plates (16752 North Miami Avenue; 305-653-3377).

8. Chef Creole Seafood Takeout: Show up early or during nonpeak hours to beat the lines at this Haitian hole-in-the-wall. Conch fritters and watermelon soda make a good snack; fish is mostly grilled or fried al fresco (200 Northwest 54th Street; 305-754-2223).

9. Daily Bread Marketplace: A bag of fresh pita bread for $1, plus Miami’s best olives, fabulous kibbe and falafel platters, and mouth-watering spanikopitas (12131 South Dixie Highway; 305-253-6115).

10. Enriqueta’s Sandwich Shop: Best bets are the Cuban sandwiches with melted cheese and the cafecitos, but the moros (rice and beans) will break any Atkins dieter (186 Northeast 29th Street; 305-573-4681).