Great Lunches for Under $20
For this excursion into great lunches in the Gables for under $20, we specifically avoided sandwiches, pizza and burgers. Nothing wrong with them, but we’re talking about a proper, sit-down meal with things like vegetables and complex carbohydrates. Here are some top choices.
Su-shin Izakaya
When it comes to authentic Japanese food, nobody beats Su-shin Izakaya. Yes, there are sushi places all over town, but Izakaya goes deep into the Japanese playbook, with daily fish, pork and vegetable specials written on chalkboards across one wall of the restaurant. This variety is manifest in their bento box lunch specials. For $16 you get shrimp/vegetable tempura, California rolls, salad with ginger dressing, and your choice of Sushi or teriyaki, plus a bowl of miso soup. Amazingly good.
159 Aragon Ave.
305.445.2584
izakayarestaurant.com
La Taberna Giralda
Most folks go to La Taberna Giralda for their tapas, which tilt toward northern Spain, or for their weekend flamenco shows. But this charming restaurant also serves an amazing two course lunch for just $17, with different options every day – and two choices for each course. And these are no slackers – marinated fish, Spanish soups, pork chops, bleu cheese croquettes, etc. We recently went on a Friday for their hearty Galician soup followed by a butterflied grilled fish with scallop cut potatoes. Yum.
254 Giralda Ave.
786.362.5677
giralda254.com
Altagracia
Hailing from Argentina, where they have a special appreciation for Italian food, Altagracia serves up masterful and creative ravioli and risotto dishes. It’s a little off the beaten path, but a pleasant space with a wonderfully high ceiling. Their daily lunch special comes in at $15, for chicken Milanese or gnocchi (which we loved); throw in soup or salad at $3, and you still come under the magic $20 bar. (Then come back for the $37 chocolate & coffee picanha for dinner!)
276 Alhambra Circle
786.862.1636
Altagraciarestaurant.com
Khaosan Road
Formerly Bangkok, Bangkok, Khoasan Road reinvented itself a few years back to offer a less cliched selection of Thai food — what they call Thai Street Food, as in what’s served on Bangkok’s famous Khoasan Road. They also managed to keep their prices in check, with many dishes for under $20. We recently went and sampled one of their panang curry dishes (all curries are $17, except beef $19 and duck $25) and a chicken, cashew nut, rice dish with broccoli called Earth, Wind and Fire, also $17. Satisfying, and as spicy as you like!
157 Giralda Plaza
305.444.2397
khaosan-road.com
Fogo de Chão
How ironic that this house of meat also presents one of the more spectacular vegetarian spreads in the city – their self-serve, all-you-can eat marketplace buffet. Yes, it does also offer smoked salmon, Brazilian pork and black bean stew, a variety of cheeses and some wickedly good bacon with brown sugar and cayenne pepper. But the salads and roast veggies – from zucchini and eggplant to artichokes and yellow peppers, etc. is simply a feast. How they can do this for $18 remains a mystery, but one you don’t care if they solve.
2801 Ponce de Leon
786.297.8788
Fogodechao.com
La Casita
This is Cuban comfort food at its best, all the dishes you’ve come to love at amazingly reasonable prices – and in a setting that is as nostalgic as the prices. Booths along each wall, fast service, great café con leche – there is little to want at this family run place on the northern end of the Gables. Their fried pork chunks (masas de cerdo fritas) with moros and yucca is still just $13.95, as is their roast pork. Or splurge for the bistec de lomo at $15.95. You can still add in a coffee or flan and stay under $20.
3805 SW 8th Street
305.448.8224
Lacasitacubancuisine.com
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