Restaurants in University Park

Italian dinner hosts never allow their guests to leave the table until buttons are bursting and plates are spinning precariously on rods. This intense passion for food paired with a welcome-to-the-family attitude generates the perfect semolina storm from which today's deal was spun. For $15, you get $35 worth of Italian cuisine and drinks at Kaliapy's in Pinecrest. As casual as it is fine, the family-operated establishment has been inviting hungry guests to dine in a capacious yet cozy setting since 2006. Bring your whole entourage and reap the benefits of combined powers—parties of four or more can use two Groupons.

Some time after Natural Chicken Grill cofounder Cesar sold off a number of his own grilled-chicken restaurants, he discovered a reignited passion for chicken while hashing out new, exciting recipes with friend and fellow grill founder, Said. Having grown up along the shores of the Mediterranean and Caribbean, the duo combined the culinary styles of their homelands and developed a medley of ingredients that would become Natural Chicken Grill’s signature flavor. With a background in architecture and city planning, Said used his natural gift for creating and organizing to propel the business’s success, and Cesar’s restaurateur background helped open the doors to their first chicken-centric eatery in the early 1990s. From those early ambitions for a chicken eatery focused on fresh, healthier eats, the team still serves poultry that is never frozen and is always marinated onsite before it hits the sizzle of the grill. Behind the scenes, restaurant chefs whip up a new batch of the duo’s signature sauces hourly, and everything from the menu is prepared fresh without the use of microwaves or Easy-Bake ovens.

Morgan's menu starts the day off with light breakfasts of brioche french toast ($6.50) and Parisian plates of buttery croissants and fresh fruit ($6), then throws in even more international flourishes. Try the hummus plate ($9), eggs benedict with king crab tail ($14), or panko-crusted coconut essence dipped in tofu-ginger-shoyu sauce ($6). By lunch, the board of fare has shifted to more substantial plates such as charbroiled skirt steak ($15), hog snapper butterflied with oreganato ($16), and Morgan's succulent beef burger ($12). The restaurant staff dares you to ask them why they call it the voluptuous grilled cheese ($9) and suspiciously denies that Christina Hendricks is hidden somewhere within it.

There are two approaches to ordering at miniBAR. You could poll your tablemates for a consensus on passable edibles, allowing everyone to try a bit everything, or just order one of everything, allowing everyone to truly try everything. The menu consists of small servings of sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, salads, sweets, and more. There are mini sandwiches, such as the roasted tomato, olive spread, feta, and spinach ($4), and sliders such as the beef, bleu cheese, and arugula ($5). Choose from a variety of inherently sharable pizzas such as the hummus, kalamata olive, and red onion ($6), or snack on bite-sized tortellini bites ($4), papas rellenas ($5), or truffle fries with parmesan ($5). Accompany your lightly filling meal with a few stimulating beverages from the bar. Sip on red and white wine by the glass ($6–$8), local and micro-brews by the pint ($5–$12), and sake by the bottle ($36), as well as a variety of other beverages, both alcoholic and non.

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.