Top Mussels In South Florida

While Miami may not be on the Mediterranean, it is still home to some fantastic dining options for mussels. The options from the best spots for mussels include places for everyday al fresco dining and shorts and tees to restaurants for dressier affairs. These mussels are served as appetizers and entrées in rich wine sauces, marinara, olive oil and even cioppino. They pair well with hot and delicious garlic bread as well as clams and even a refreshing glass of wine for of age diners.

Southport Raw Bar
1536 Cordova Road
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
(954) 525-2526
www.southportrawbar.com

Fort Lauderdale's oldest raw bar is the ever-popular Southport Raw Bar, located right on the water. Guests dining outdoors may enjoy dockside seats, lively conversation and quality seafood. The mussels come in a hearty marinara sauce or a rich garlic wine butter sauce and they're served with bread. The fresh and delicious mussels are sold at market price and they're sometimes included in the daily price specials that last from open to close.

Mandolin Aegean Bistro
4312 N.E. 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 479-9140
www.mandolinmiami.com

The fairly new Mandolin Aegean Bistro is a gorgeous restaurant decorated in the blues and whites of Santorini. The food is Mediterranean with a focus on Greece and Turkey. Mandolin's fresh mussels are served in a white wine sauce with garlic, lemon and oregano. The restaurant is open daily and lovely al fresco dining is available.

Timpano Italian Chophouse
450 Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 462-9119
www.timpanochophouse.net

Timpano Italian Chophouse is a lovely restaurant with friendly service and exceptional food. Its mussels are available as an appetizer – black skillet-roasted mussels. The mussels are served in extra virgin olive oil with sea salt. Timpano Italian Chophouse's extensive menu and wine list equates to easy and exciting pairings for this seafood specialty.

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(Source: http://dorakusushi.com/)
Doraku Sushi
1104 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 695-8383
www.dorakusushi.com

Doraku Sushi is a Japanese restaurant with a lively social scene perfect for a number of occasions. In fact, Doraku is home to one of the most popular happy hours in the area where the bar seems to fill in mere seconds like clockwork on any given day. The popularity comes with good reason – the food is incredible and the atmosphere is top notch. The steamed mussels are no exception. The South Beach location is joined by a nearby Brickell location in addition to one more in Waikiki.

Town Kitchen & Bar
7301 S.W. 57th Court
Miami, FL 33143
(305) 740-8118
www.townkitchenbar.com

Town Kitchen & Bar is one of the best places to dine and spend time with friends in the South Miami area. The restaurant features a beautiful environment, a thriving social scene and one tasty menu. For lunch, mussels are served Barcelona style with chorizo sausage, Spanish olive oil, soffritto and sparkling wine or as Italian Mussels Buccanero with Barolo wine and spicy tomato sauce. The dinnertime versions of Barcelona-style and Buccanero mussels transform a bit in addition to adding lobster broth and garlic bread as well as the option of including clams. There's also the exquisite Cioppino Pot recommended for seafood lovers – mussels, scallops, shrimp, calamari and fresh fish in tomato, pesto and lobster broth.

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Chanoa Chen is a Fashion Merchandiser, Freelance Writer and Blogger. Chanoa has contributed stories to top firms including QVC Insider Germany and regularly contributes to CBS Local Miami and Examiner.com. She may be reached via: bokilovellc@gmail.com.