10 Best Breakfast Spots in Miami

Breakfast is the best meal of the day. Don’t fight me on this. I mean, no discrimination against lunch and dinner, but you can probably eat whatever you want for this meal and it’s acceptable. Want a pancake covered in whipped cream and chocolate chips, smothered in liquid gold AKA maple syrup?  Acceptable.

Or maybe you’re in the mood for something savory. Have you tried Eggs Benedict?? I mean, talk about something that’s as delicious as hollandaise sauce.

Or even better- if you’re like me, and you like something sweet AND savory, you can have the best of both worlds with the invention of CHICKEN AND WAFFLES!! I would like to take a moment and thank the inventor of the chicken and waffle combo. On behalf of all people touched by this glorious combination, we applaud you.*Googles the inventor of chicken and waffles* Unfortunately, the inventor of this delicious cuisine is unknown. What a shame.

Or if you’re one of those health lovers you can have an avocado toast or something, which is surprisingly good.

I mean really, the list really goes on and on. Donuts– the magical fried dough, dipped in a warm glaze creating the perfectly airy texture, soft on the inside and slightly warm… leaves your fingers slightly sticky… but, honestly, that’s never bothered me. Bagels- or should I say BAE-goals. Needs no explanation. French Toast- basically a dessert! Top that bad boy with strawberries and chocolate syrup and BAM, there you go. Bacon– BAE-con you please get me some more? Hash browns– any form of potatoes makes me happy.

I mean, I could go on and on, but then this blog post would be too long. So here are my top ten favorite breakfast spots in Miami!

1. Morgan’s in Midtown– This is a super cute spot in Wynwood, with EXCELLENT food and amazing service. This place is especially great for your aesthetic insta pics! From marble tables, to neon signs, and tropical wallpaper, it’s literally picture perfect. Plus the French press coffee is #MelApproved. (I’m quite the coffee connoisseur) Some of my favorite dishes here are the Mascarpone and raspberry stuffed French Toast, and the Eggs Benedict with house cured Salmon. Both SO YUMMY. Oh, and how can I forget the Cinnamon rolls! Just to die for.
2. Green Street– Where to even begin with this gem? Green Street Cafe is truly one of the best breakfast places hidden in coconut grove. I love everything and anything here. I mean Bacon Pancakes? What an amazing combo; almost as great as the chicken and waffles invention. Probably one of the best things about this place is the fact that they serve breakfast till 2pm!
3. Buena Vista Deli– Do you love quiche? I love quiche. I mean, these French geniuses FILL THE CRUST with cheese. It’s just so buttery and flaky and cheese filled. Truly amazing. But, if you for some reason don’t like cheesy filled quiche, (which i don’t understand…did I mention its cheese filled?? I feel like that’s a real selling point) you can have a chocolate or almond croissant. This is not a regular croissant people- it is gold. This pastry will make any day better.
4. Threefold Cafe– located in coral gables, this spot has some of the best coffee, avocado toast, and waffles in Miami.
5. Roasters ‘n Toasters– This New York style deli is fantastic! I HIGHLY recommend this spot for any Saturday morning breakfast; it almost feels like you’re in a movie filmed in the 80’s. Like think about it, every good 80’s and 90’s Rom Com had a classic diner scene.
6. The Daily Creative Food Co.- This is a NEWSPAPER THEMED eatery in Biscayne. It has comics all over the walls- it’s the coolest thing ever! Oh, and did I mention they have these loaded home fries with melted cheese, apple smoked bacon, chives, sour cream and a fried egg on top? It’s making my mouth water just talking about it!!
7. Salty Donut– Donuts, as we discussed earlier, are magical. And no one in Miami has better or more magical donuts than the Salty donut. Let me just entice you with a couple of flavors. Maple Bacon, Brown Butter + Salt (my ultimate fave) Peaches and BRIE (yes actual yummy BRIE on a donut!) White Chocolate + Tres Leches, and so so many more. If you go anywhere..go here. The donuts are worth it!
8. First Watch– First watch is the place you take your friends when you want to impress them with your sophisticated palate. Their modern breakfast dishes will make you appreciate culinary greatness. Just go peruse their menu to see what I’m talking about.
9. Jimmy’s East Side Diner- If there’s one thing I love about life, it’s that some diners serve all-day breakfast. Bless you, all-day breakfast serving Diners, you are the TRUE heroes. Located in Biscayne, you’ll find this charming & quirky diner.​​
10. Versailles– Truly the most iconic place of my childhood. How our culture considers this a balanced breakfast, I’ll never understand, and honestly I don’t mind. It’s delicious and loaded with options of different ways to consume a pastry {guava, guava & cheese, sugary cream cheese, coconut, meat, etc.} and Cuban coffee { colada, cortadito, cafe con leche}….and don’t even get me started on croquetas and empanadas. This go-to breakfast is always satisfying.

 

And there you have it! These top ten breakfast spots are sure to satisfy you and your friends. I hope you have fun trying out all the delicious meals that the wonderful concept of “breakfast” has to offer. Until next time!

-Mel

legit the best cookies e v e r

Okay I know everyone says their Mom makes the best cookies..but these are better.

Actually, scratch that. I don't *actually know* your mom- she's probably amazing. So forgive me, mothers of the world…I'm sure you all make super good cookies.

Okay- but in all seriousness, I make pretty great cookies. All my friends & family a l w a y s ask me to make them (and quite frankly, I think it's one of the reasons why they stay friends with me…*stares off into space*…okay MAYBE I'm exaggerating, but then again, maybe not.).

But really, everyone always comes to me and asks me, "Melissa, how do you make your cookies sooooOoOoOooooo thick, soft, and chewy? What's your secret???"

Well for starters, I  a l w a y s  use semi-sweet Nestle Toll-House chocolate chips. They are the bomb-dot-com (<–don't follow that link, I'm just trying to be cool using the lingo "dot-com" )

I also love using the chocolate CHUNKS; there is just something so amazing about how large the chunks are that just make the cookies *extra* special.

 

 

But the most important thing is: cold butter. I know recipes always say "softened" and yeah *technically* the butter has to be soft so that you can be able to whip the butter and the sugar together. However, I cut the cold butter into cubes and it works 100% better for me than waiting for the butter to be room temperature or, even worse, microwaving it.

 

Here are the ingredients you'll be needing:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) of Semi- Sweet Nestle toll-house chocolate CHUNKS (trust)
• 1 cup (optional) Toffee bits, nuts or any other desired topping, I LOVE adding a 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips!

 

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 375° F.

STEP 2: Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

STEP 3: Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in semi sweet chocolate chunks (and extra toppings) .

*optional step* Cover the bowl with a lid or saran wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes. This isn't necessary, but if you live in a humid state (florida -_- ), or if your batter came out too soft and melty, your cookies are probably going to get flat when you bake them. So, chilling the dough for a little while helps it firm insuring that your cookies come out puffy, chewy and soft. just a little FYI: really cold batter makes for the fluffiest cookies! Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

STEP 4: Using two spoons, one to scoop dough and one to push off cookie dough, drop cookie batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

STEP 5: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

STEP 6: Eat one, then two, then ten cookies as you ponder why you have no self-control…then plan out your meal preps and work-out routines for the week since you just ate 2 million calories worth of cookies in one sitting.

so im sorry and ur welcome.

 

 

 

Welcome to Clooney Pastel

Hey guys!
I’m starting a ~~~bLoG!~~~ (<– what am I, in middle school?)  I think I’m a couple decades late to the party, but I finally mustered up enough time and effort to start my own blog!

Clooney Pastel is actually the name of one of my favorite varieties of ranunculus! (If you don’t know what kind of flower that is, first of all, shame on you… I’ll forgive you this one time. I’m just going to have to provide you with a picture below to #educateyou. You’re lucky that I love showcasing the gorgeous pictures I take at my job (FAKE job, I literally cannot believe I get to play with flowers all day! Well… my job’s not actually fake… it’s legit… refer to my taxes).

When I started working in the flower business I instantly fell in love with all the special names they give different varieties of flowers. Rather than just calling it, “red rose” its called “Wanted” or  “Walk of Fame” or some rando name like “Tess”.

There are specific names given to each and every flower! How freaking cool is that? K… maybe it’s not that cool and I’m just a weirdo fascinated by simple things…..*ponders life*….. anyway…. here are some of the other cute names that may or may not interest you: Pink Mayuki, Kiera, Constance, Romantic Antike… the list goes on and on! But Clooney Pastel just always stuck with me. It’s so unique and random! (Like me!.. jk jk jk I’m not going to be THAT corny…. Plz erase that comment from your memory and forgive me.)

So, here is some backstory about me in case you’re wondering:

My name is Melissa. I am a floral designer in Miami, Florida. I work for an uh-mazing company called Ever After Floral Design. We provide flowers for weddings and events from West Palm Beach all the way to Key West. *checks google maps to make sure my geography is correct*.

I was home schooled for most of my life, (shocking right?) I studied at Miami-Dade College and got my Bachelors in Supervision and Management. My love of flowers began in High School while I briefly worked with a florist to gain experience. I didn’t do much “designing”, but I learned enough to fall in love with flowers. And thus my love story with flowers began.

You can expect to see pictures of my work and much more if you decide to follow my blog. Hope you enjoy!

Sincerely, Mel<3