Yardie Spice

"A pee wee football huddle would have a hard time squeezing between the green walls of this Jamaican/Haitian restaurant. But Yardie Spice is big when it comes to flavor and hospitality. The marriage of these two cuisines is the result of a literal marriage between a Jamaican mom and Haitian dad—making this a true mom-and-pop spot where the family will give you the full backstory behind Leon’s legumes stew (a vegan mash with cabbage, lentils, and onions served with rice that fills the air with clove and allspice) before sending you off with a slice of coconut rum cake. But you are absolutely ordering the conch fritters. They’re made with malanga batter, stuffed with scotch bonnet peppers, and stacked like a delicious little ladder." - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer

"This Homestead spot is a Jamaican/Haitian restaurant, and the marriage of these two cuisines is the result of a literal marriage between a Jamaican mom and Haitian dad. So it's a true mom-and-pop spot where the family will give you the full backstory behind Leon’s legumes stew (a vegan mash with cabbage, lentils, and onions served with rice that fills the air with clove and allspice) before sending you off with a slice of coconut rum cake. But you are absolutely ordering the conch fritters. They’re made with malanga batter, stuffed with scotch bonnet peppers, and stacked like a delicious little ladder." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino, carlos c olaechea

"A pee wee football huddle would have a hard time squeezing between the green walls of this Jamaican/Haitian restaurant. But Yardie Spice is big when it comes to flavor and hospitality. The marriage of these two cuisines is the result of a literal marriage between a Jamaican mom and Haitian dad—making this a true mom-and-pop spot where the family will give you the full backstory behind Leon’s legumes stew (a vegan mash with cabbage, lentils, and onions served with rice that fills the air with clove and allspice) before sending you off with a slice of coconut rum cake. But you are absolutely ordering the conch fritters here. They’re made with malanga batter, stuffed with scotch bonnet peppers, and stacked like a delicious little ladder." - Virginia Otazo

"Caribbean food is not unique to Miami. But finding a Haitian/Jamaican restaurant as good as this Homestead spot feels pretty special. The marriage of these two cuisines is quite literally the outcome of a real marriage between the Haitian husband and Jamaican wife who run the place. Make sure you order the conch fritters, which are huge, made with malanga batter, and stuffed with scotch bonnet peppers. This restaurant is the very definition of a local mom-and-pop shop. There are just a handful of tables and a mix of very lucky tourists who found Yardie Spice on their way to Key West, plus a couple regulars chatting it up with the owners who won’t let you leave without a slice of Maimi’s best rum cake." - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer

"This homestyle restaurant boasts not having a microwave right on its menu, but what can be found are all the classics from oxtail to jerk chicken and whole snapper. The portions are on the heartier side, so come hungry." - Amber Love Bond