Whether you’re just moving to Fort Lauderdale or if you’ve lived in Florida all your life, you may be curious about the cuisine available around NSU. If you’re new to South Florida, there are several different staples of local cuisine to really make you feel at home in Fort Lauderdale.
Seafood
It’s impossible to live in South Florida without acknowledging the huge seafood businesses that thrive on the East Coast. Because of our proximity to the ocean, seafood is abundant and stone crab is a popular request in South Florida. It is harvested fresh off of the coast, and while it can be pricey, it is definitely worth the money. There are a number of different places to get seafood depending on what you want, but if you’re looking for an adventure and some fresh seafood you can cook yourself, try venturing out near Dania Beach. On most weekdays on Dania Beach Boulevard, you may pass a white van that advertises fresh fish and crab. While it may seem a bit strange if you’re not from the area, this guy is for real and sells fresh seafood at very fair prices.
Fruit dishes
Florida is known for it’s tropical environment and guess what else thrives in tropical environments? Fruit! There are a great number of fruits that are used in many fruit dishes in South Florida, such as key lime pie, guava jelly and pastries, and of course, orange marinade. While not all of these fruits are native to Florida, fruits such as key lime, guava, orange, mango and lychee are all popular flavors and make for a great addition to any meal or smoothie. Publix’s key lime pies are especially delightful.
Authentic Cuban cuisine
Due to South Florida’s proximity to Cuba, Fort Lauderdale is abundant with amazing Cuban restaurants to choose from. There are even places near campus that are great places to get a bite to eat. Padrino’s in the Fountain Shops is one of the best Cuban restaurants in the area. Little Cuban Cafe offers breakfast and lunch, boasting a large menu filled with things such as fresh coffee, amazing sandwiches and delicious mango milkshakes. A little further out is 925 Nuevos Cubanos, which hosts breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their menu offers classic cuban sandwiches, carne asada platters, guava and cheese pastries for dessert and much more. Make sure to visit an authentic Cuban restaurant in order to really get a feel for South Florida cuisine.
