Restaurants in Aventura

Insomniacs and early risers can take advantage of the Duck's modest morning taste menu. Salute the sunrise with a steamy hot chocolate ($2.50) and mini-croissant slathered in apple jelly ($.80) or try the fruit salad ($2.30). For lunch, the choices expand delightfully, like a magically growing animal tablet submerged in the bathtub. From fishy (Two Scoops salad with tuna salad) to fruity (Old Dixie chicken salad with orange sections), salad options run the gamut ($7.10 and up). Wraps, stuffed baguettes, sandwiches, and subs round out the menu.

The bistro brings the charming atmosphere and cuisine of the United Nations to southern Florida with the flair of a glitter-doused hot air balloon. Set in a convenient locale, Urbanite wraps patrons in an inviting cocoon of décor featuring lustrous cherry-wood furniture, earthy tones, and vibrantly colorful artwork. Assembled by chef and operator Frank Imbarlina and his palate-pleasing culinary talent, Urbanite Bistro’s menu melds international flavors with eclectic European fare. Sample smaller bites, such as the alligator egg roll with mango-roasted jalapeno creme ($9) or wild mushroom empanadas with vegan gravy and chervil ($9). Heartier dinner entrees feature plenty of game, such as the natural magret duck with cinnamon persimmons, Israeli couscous, and baby spinach with duck lardon ($21), or shoyu-glazed boar chops with a pecan crust, purple sticky rice, and grilled baby bok choy ($25). Cocktails, beer, and a varied wine list help wash tasty tidbits down like a boozy slip-n-slide.

Old Lisbon brings the cuisine of Portugal to Miami, saving diners a 3,400-plus-mile trans-Atlantic swim and complicated lessons on how Portuguese grammar uses mesoclisis. The estrela of Old Lisbon's menu is the classic Portuguese dish of bacalhau, or codfish, and the restaurant features several variations on it—including grilled bacalhau with steamed potatoes, olive oil, garlic, and onions ($19.95) and deep-fried bacalhau flanked by shrimp, mashed potatoes, and a creamy garlic sauce ($20.95). For diners who love seafood but hate fish for stealing their boyfriend, Old Lisbon offers other oceanic entrees, such as a fresh seafood and fish stew served with steamed potatoes ($22.95) and a seafood rice for two with lobster, New Zealand clams, New Zealand mussels, squid, and shrimp ($44.95). Old Lisbon draws from the lay of the land as well, with meat dishes and vegetarian dishes. The Delicia de Fatima dessert tops egg-yolk custard with cookie crumbles and cream to create a sweet treat with the untested ability to distort the space-time continuum, while Old Lisbon's extensive selection of wines offers definitive proof that, despite mounting scientific evidence to the contrary, grapes aren't inherently evil.

Recently voted Miami's best sandwich by local eaters, La Sandwicherie has earned its savory stripes through the use of natural ingredients and bread baked fresh daily in its sandwiches. South Beach sandwichionados can opt for French bread or croissant bookends for their sandwich, with the usual array of toppings available to choose from, as well as the non-traditional topping of cornichons, French pickles rumored to give the power of dance to any who eat them. This Euro-centric flavor extends to La Sandwicherie's sandwich fillers as well. Alongside traditional cold-cut sandwiches skyscrapered with roast beef ($6.50), turkey ($6.25), or ham ($6.20), La Sandwicherie gets global in its gluttony with sandwiches topped with fresh mozzarella ($6.20), camembert ($6.20), pâté ($7.50), and prosciutto ($7.50). La Sandwicherie's French vinaigrette, another option for toption, is so beloved that La Sandwicherie sells bottles of it for customers to take home and use when lining their own sandwiches or Slip 'n Slides.

University Chicken Grill's diverse staff—including a Nicaraguan cook, a Haitian grill-master, and Cuban-American owners—combines its culinary cunning to make a menu of fast food that doesn't skimp on quality. Chicken chops include the Hurricane Chop ($8.99 for full size), a marinated chicken breast topped with lettuce and tomatoes and served on a bed of yellow rice, and the Fricassee Chop ($7.99 for full size), which fricassees chicken in tomatoes and herbs, and serves it atop white rice. Diners preferring to leave their chops in the Dojo District can opt for several grilled-chicken plates, including a quarter dark-meat chicken breast ($6.69 with two sides) or a half white-meat chicken ($10.69 with two sides). University Chicken Grill also offers its marinated meats in wrap form ($8.49+ with two sides), with a savory slate of sides ($2.29 for small size) available for support, including sweet plantains and sautéed mushrooms.

At The Last Carrot, fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grain breads come together to feed the body and mind. Lean chicken, tuna, or tofu nudge up against shaved carrot slices and crunchy cucumber inside the welcoming embrace of a whole-wheat pita sandwich. Diners also dip into freshly made bean soups, or slather snacks in homemade peanut butter. The health food enclave also offers a colorful mélange of freshly squeezed juices, including acai, wheatgrass, and a frothy blend of carrot juice spiked with sweet strawberry, papaya, and mango.