By Ima Foudé

Granny Feelgoods offers a wide selection of goodies for lunch in downtown Miami

Moving from Washington, D.C., I was used to a somewhat lively downtown, even if it was rather underground in the ’80s. I’m a downtown kind of girl, and have loved downtown Miami in all its permutations. I never understood what happened, or why it fell out of favor.

Yes, people can move to the 'burbs, but people still work downtown, and there is nothing more fun than to wander the streets during lunch hour to window shop, to attend to your medical needs by going to the doctors, to make a quick run to the sundry store for tissues, all of which can be done by walking the streets.

To me, there is an inherent energy to downtown—all kinds of people coming and going, speaking a variety of languages, all ages, with and without money— doing their business. They’re from here and there, Kendall to Argentina, Brazil to Biscayne Park—downtown is an experience one can only have living in a city.

I’ll never give up on downtown. And I believe I’m not alone, despite elected officials, city government and redevelopment agencies taking advantage of its riches without replenishing. Looking beyond the discount stores selling electronics and perfume and empty apartment buildings, there is a future for downtown Miami.

By being part of it now, you can participate in its evolution, and in just a while, you can say, “I was there when...” and “I remember when...”

Make downtown your next destination—the shopping can’t be beat, especially if you’re looking for bargains. Shop owners and sales personnel are literally at their open doors enticing you with reasons as to why you should stop in your tracks...

As it is now, downtown Miami is a very lively place, just waiting for people to take notice. Enjoy downtown—and that means supporting the independently-owned stores and restaurants, and for right now, just during the week.

Let me share some of my favorite downtown eating haunts with you. And if you find yourself passing by a no-name counter selling empanadas, pastelitos, a media noche, a cup of coffee or a slice of pizza, stop and enjoy. You can’t miss, because nothing can replace downtown.

Soyo y Pomodoro

Soya y Pomodoro
120 NE 1 Street, Miami, 305-381-9511. Inexpensive.
A place with its own character. Two storefronts, this open space has wrought-iron grates, tall wooden doors, terrazzo floors and a very large book shelf running across the back, shielding storage. Soya y Pomodoro is a great place for sandwiches (eggplant parm., delicious), fresh gnocchi and delicately spiked sauces dressing the pasta, accompanied by a fresh green salad and fresh baked bread. Portions are generous, and the cafe con leche, delicioso.

Granny Feelgoods
25 W. Flagler St., Miami, 305-377-9600. Inexpensive.
Granny’s is a good reason to cross the street, and it’s open til 4 p.m. weekdays. There aren’t that many veggie-loving places in Miami, and the menu is so diverse that you won’t miss the meat. A good reason to stop in is to clean out your system—tofu stir-fry, veggie burgers that don't taste and look like sawdust, fresh tuna and white-meat chicken salad sandwiches, and dairy-free, fat-free soups. There are also specials of the day, usually fish, homemade sugar-free desserts, plus a variety of juice and smoothies .

La Loggia Ristorante

La Loggia Ristorante
68 W. Flagler St., Miami, 305-373-4800. Moderate
La Loggia is Zagat rated; people like you and me love it because of its gentle handling of ingredients. The far and wide, yet basic, Italian menu has dishes that are tasty and generous, while remaining affordable. La Loggia is a place where you’ll find lawyers and their ilk, business people, government employees, shoppers and regular folk looking for creative salads, fresh pasta and sauces, delicately fried and grease-free calamari, tasty fish and delectable meat in a well-lit open space designed around tile floors, a staircase with a wrought iron balustrade, which takes you to the second floor to sit under its high, soaring ceiling. La Loggia is one of the few places in downtown Miami open after 5 p.m., with a happy hour to chill out on the street, or inside at the bar.

Bali Café

Bali Café
109 NE 2 Ave, Miami. Moderate.
You’ve got to be organized to go to the Bali Café—cash only. With money in hand there is a choice between Japanese dishes, including a sushi bar manned by professionals, or Indonesian cuisine. The food is fresh: the vegetables are green—they are not over-cooked—the rice flaky, the fish cooked and served before it is cooked to death, the meat so succulent that it falls from the bone, and the sauces rich, redolent of coconut milk. If you can’t make up your mind for just one dish, order the combo plate, which is overflowing with meat, fried rice, steamed-to-a-crunch broccoli, crispy bean sprouts, rice chips, and a pickled salad of jullienned carrot and cucumber to cleanse the palate and balance the richness of the meat.

The Royal Palm Restaurant at Macy’s

Macy's
22 E. Flagler St., Miami. Inexpensive to moderate.
Growing up, going shopping downtown was a huge deal. I can still remember Grandma taking my sister and I shopping for school at Burdines, with a respite for a big-girls lunch at the restaurant on the third floor of Burdines. Oh-so-elegant for grammar school girls, we were treated with linen tablecloths and napkins, trained waiters, glasses of water with lemon, and cheese toast. Elegant downtown dining at Burdines is just a memory, but Macy’s now offers two dining options. For sit-down service there is the restaurant with table service and a complete menu of salads, sandwiches, full entrees and fresh soup. For a quick pick-me-up, grab a real Italian gelato, a coffee, a cupcake or a cookie, a sandwich or a homemade emapanada, a fresh croissant, coffee, tea, or juice. There is dolce vita.

Taste of Bombay

Taste of Bombay
111 NE 3rd Ave., Inexpensive to Moderate, buffet lunch Wednesday through Monday 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dining out for lunch has become a luxe item these days, but there is nothing better than taking a break in the middle of day for a walk, to catch up with a friend, try a new restaurant, and explore those taste buds that have been dulled by burgers, salads and turkey sandwiches. The Taste of Bombay is one of those restaurants that when you first see it, you will ask yourself if it’s going to be any good. Well, I’m here to tell you, take the plunge. It’s more fun than you think, especially with the lunch buffet, served until mid-afternoon daily except Tuesdays, when the restaurant is closed. Priced the same as a single vegetarian entrée, the all-you-can-eat spread includes six main dishes (which change daily, but there’s always a mix of vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish) plus vegetable pakoras, salad (iceberg and tomatoes), cardomon/clove spiced rice, two chutneys (hot mint and sweet/sour tamarind), dessert, and—the one item not on a steam table—is the freshly baked nan bread, served to you table-side.

The real way to experience downtown is to do it. There are cafes, cafeterias, counters, and tablecloth restaurants at all price levels, and are just waiting for you.

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