Miami's Ten Best Gourmet Markets

Markets in Miami range from the super to the specialty to the silly. You are able to not just cross off items on your grocery list, but get that little something extra that you didn't even know that you needed.

Walk through the double doors and push your cart through the aisles of possibilities. Caviar, roasted pig, fresh sushi, imported cheeses, and delectable desserts will all await you when you explore our list of the ten best markets in Miami. 
10. Flavorish Market
A little over a year ago, the MiMo district got a whole lot more food-centric. And just in the nick of time a gourmet food market called Flavorish moved into the neighborhood. Walk into this store and foodie mecca and you will see a gourmet to-go section, a collection of cookbooks, housewares, food gifts, wine and cheese with a designated expert. There are also specially curated groceries from local and international purveyors. This place is the best for packing a gourmet picnic, picking up something special for a dinner party, or finding a gift for your foodie friend. If you want to get social at the store, it has weekly wine-tasting events.
9. Laurenzo's Italian Market
New places like Made in Italy may be popping up in Midtown, but Laurenzo's is Miami's real amore and has been for decades.There are fancier markets with a bit more ambiance, but Laurenzo's has its own special charm. There's the cafeteria in the center with meatballs and pizza, that wine selection that you'd never see anywhere else, stone crab chowder that's been featured on TV, and those sprinkle cookies, cannolis, and tarts. 
8. Publix Sabor
Shopping at Publix may not always be a pleasure, but Publix Sabor tells a different story. Most supermarkets only dedicate one small section or side of an aisle to a Hispanic section, but at Publix Sabor, it is all integrated. The bilingual staff and larger offering of Caribbean, and Central and South American products gives that special flair. Publix only has eight of these stores with seven in Miami, pero like four are in Hialeah — and you will be happy to know that they do carry roasted pig.
7. Epicure Gourmet Market & Cafe
Just last year, Epicure on Miami Beach celebrated its 70th birthday, and there are now three locations of this beloved store. It is really the prepared food section that we have come to love with the rotisserie chicken that beats out Costco, the fine slices of lasagna and kugel, and that bread pudding. Chef Danny Serfer swears by the egg salad and tuna salad at the Sunny Isles location, and we have put them to the test, together on a bagel. We ended up in taste-bud heaven.
6. Japanese Market
It is almost by default that you have come to love Japanese Market. Likely it is because you have wandered the aisles while waiting for one of the few coveted seats in Sushi Deli, the restaurant inside the market. While you had omakase and ceviche roll dreams, you found all kinds of cool goodies you didn't know you wanted. First, they have all kinds of Japanese sweets and snacks: lychee gummy candies, green tea Pocky sticks, rice paper candy and dried seaweed snacks. Then you realized you can buy rice, ramen, tea, chopsticks, and bags of dried mushrooms. Before you eat, make your drink selection, which will get a big "Paid" sticker on it . And hey,  your groceries will wait for you at the front of the store while you enjoy one of the greatest sushi experiences ever in the deli.
5. Whole Foods Downtown Miami
The lease may have been signed in 2003, but Whole Foods just opened the doors a few months ago. It was worth the wait. The grocery store took its time to get to know Miami with flan from Versailles, bread from Zak the Baker, and a whole JugoFresh juice bar inside the store. If you thought all Whole Foods experiences were created equal, they are not, this one is tailor-made for Miami palates.
4. Joanna's Marketplace
If you care more about the prepared food in a grocery store than the raw ingredients, then Joanna's is your place. The gourmet to-go section is top notch. Start with a curry chicken sandwich on a croissant and leave with a chocolate chip cookie. This is the best place to pick up food and then pretend that you made it. You can also walk the aisles for interesting oils and vinegars — to drizzle on top for your signature final touch. Have a potluck to attend? Head to Joanna's.
3. Trader Joe's
We still can't even believe that we were lucky enough to get a Trader Joe's. This reasonably priced, gourmet snack store has brought things to the neighborhood that we didn't even know we needed. Cookie butter, dried mandarin oranges, coconut jerky, mochi, gyozas, and edamame hummus are now items that we crave on the regular. And their produce prices beat Fresh Market and Whole Foods by a long shot. We are total fans, Here are our 10 must-try items and you can read how I stalked Joe of Trader Joe's.
2. Norman Brothers Produce
If you don't feel like waiting for a designated day-of-the-week farmer's market, and you don't want to trek down to Robert is Here or Wayside Market, then head to Norman Brothers Produce. It is really the best of all worlds. You can get your fresh produce and milkshakes and so much more. They also have meat, seafood (even stone crabs!), pastries and breads— try the forgoza— and healthy gourmet to-go meals.
1. Marky's Gourmet
Marky's has it all. There's the gourmet, with a rainbow of caviar from the inexpensive to the pricey and a freezer with lobes of foie gras. In this Russian specialty store, sure we can find perogies and Matryoshka dolls, but we have also come across incredible wines and this epic seven-layer dip type thing with herring, potato, mayo, carrots, beets, and eggs. 

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