These Miami Items Are the Next Best Thing to Going There

It’s not the beach and nightlife the city’s known for, but at least the tastes of the city can be shipped to your doorstep

Laine Doss
Heated
Published in
8 min readDec 22, 2020

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A plate of stone crab claws and two lemon wedges on a plate on a restaurant table.
Photo: Scott Suchman for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Wintertime usually means hordes of tourists flock to warmer climes for a beach vacation, with Miami and Miami Beach high on the list. Though the city is known for its tan-all-day and party-by-night vibes, its vibrant culinary scene is on the rise. While most would-be travelers will forego their holiday vacations this year, they can bring Miami home with items from these local purveyors, who are shipping everything from stone crabs fresh off the boat to body scrubs made with local fruit.

Sara Liss, the author of the book, Miami Cooks, which features recipes from dozens of Miami’s top chefs, says that supporting Miami shop owners is a key way to ensure these establishments are still there when it is safe to travel again. “When we shop local we embrace what makes our community unique and we send a message to future entrepreneurs that our community is here to support and appreciate local business. In the food world that means better, more community-oriented business thriving.”

Janine Booth, founder of the Sunny Side Up Lifestyle line of Miami-made skincare products, agrees. “While convenience may lead people to shop all in one place or order online at the bigger stores, it is so important to support your local businesses,” she says. “When you shop small you are not funding the rich: You are enabling small business owners to support their families.”

Read on for treats from Miami now and through the upcoming winter.

E11EVEN Vodka

Eleven vodka poolside.
Photo courtesy of E11EVEN vodka

Rivaled only by Las Vegas, before COVID, it was pretty common to see clubgoers strolling South Beach and Downtown Miami at noon on a Sunday.

Of course, the streets are quieter, but you can still get tanked at home with E11EVEN Vodka, named after the 24/7 megaclub that’s a bit like a racy Cirque du Soleil with trendy DJs setting the scene. Distilled in copper six times, the vodka is…

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Laine Doss
Heated
Writer for

Laine is the food and drink editor for Miami New Times and has contributed to many other publications including Vice, Thrillist, Fodors, and more.