Vegan seems to be more than just a fad. Whether it is because of health reasons or
simply a preference, everywhere you go more and more people prefer a vegan
menu. And in Miami, that means only one place – Choices Café. And now, Choices has finally come to Coral
Gables. Opened since January, this place
has become a favorite to those who know about it as well as anyone who stumbles
upon it.
Centrally Located in Coral Gables
Voted top vegan restaurant in Miami, the owners of Choice
Café said in a Miami
New Times article they chose Coral Gables for a location because “so many
people begged them to open here.” Ponce
de Leon Boulevard (2626
Ponce de Leon Boulevard) is the perfect spot for this Miami favorite (just off the
Miracle Mile) that features a detailed fare that is “100 percent vegan and 95
percent organic.” Even those who do not
profess to be vegans (or vegetarians for that matter) always find time to stop
in any of the three locations to have a snack or meal.
Real estate in the area around Choices Café is predominately
condominiums as it is situated in the middle of the business district of Coral
Gables. List prices start in the mid to
upper-$200s at Ten
Aragon; the mid-$300s at Gables Tower Condo; and, the mid-$400s at Ponce
Tower. These condos are considered to be very “walkable” as they are
centrally located to the Miracle Mile and the businesses around it. Even
neighborhoods like Gables
Granada and Coral
Gables Country Club are close enough that residents can make a plan to walk
to Choices, enjoy a healthy meal and walk home – you can’t get much better than
that! For single family homes in these neighborhoods, list prices start in the
low to mid-$400s and climb into the multi-millions.
Coming Soon to Coconut Grove
June seems to be the target month for another “choice
location” for Choices Café if the permits and zoning come thorough. Just like the Gables location, the owners say
that they “didn't choose the Grove, the Grove chose us. That's kind of how we
operate; we let the universe guide us," in a recent Miami
New Times article. The location in
an historical building on McFarlane Road is the brainchild of a Choices
customer who owns the building. This
location has a huge front patio which is ideal for a restaurant like this
one.
Mutiny Park Condo and Sonesta Coconut Grove are situated on McFarlane
Road and feature units starting in the mid to upper-$300s. Just a couple of blocks away and within a
short walk of McFarlane Road are Yacht Harbour Villas and Lofts at Mayfair with
units also starting in the mid to upper-$300s.
What to Eat
The favorites seem to be the Mental Lentil and Kind Slam as
well as their smoothies and the No Capitan Wrap. The menu is large enough that you can easily
eat there several days a week to try everything and discover your
favorites. Some say it is a little
pricey but for an organic, vegan fresh meal, it isn’t too pricey.
More Healthy Options
If there were more healthy options like Choices Café, maybe
we would be a lot healthier. But for
now, we’ll just have to enjoy one of the three Choices locations and patiently
wait until the summer for the fourth one to open in the Grove.
