The Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Miami: Minty Z

Sometimes being vegan can be tough when I’m eating out with family or friends, but luckily, Miami has some great vegan restaurants. And while it has been a minute since I’ve done a vegan restaurant review, I thought I’d get back into it with one of my absolute favorite vegan restaurants in Miami: Minty Z. 

I don’t know if it’s the quiet, intimate atmosphere, the location, the food, or some combination of all three, but eating at Minty Z feels like self-care. The restaurant just gives off relaxing vibes; it’s the perfect vegan-friendly place to escape the stresses of everyday life. And it’s my go-to restaurant when I want to have a nice, quiet dinner and catch up with some old friends.  

Serving Asian-fusion street fare, Minty Z is relatively new to Coconut Grove, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming extremely popular. However, that’s no surprise given that the food is amazing and the prices are reasonable. You can usually just walk in, but I recommend making a reservation before you go because it always seems to be packed when I’m there. 

Eating at Minty Z is an adventure every time I go, and there are so many delicious things on the menu. So, I try to get something new and different each time I visit. This time I ordered the buckwheat and scallion pancake, the roasted japonica yam, and the carrot and black sesame bao buns.  

Vegan food> non-vegan food

First up, I tried the buckwheat and scallion pancake. I love the presentation of this dish. When I ordered it, I envisioned a large pancake, but I like that it was served in little slices. The pancake itself was crispy and light, making it easy to snack on one slice after the other. And the ginger-tamari dipping sauce offers the perfect sweet-ish, tangy balance to the pancake. 

This dish is a perfect appetizer to share with one or two people. If there are more people in your party, I definitely recommend getting two orders because you’ll want to have more than just one slice.  

Next up, I had the roasted japonica yam. And I can’t really say much other than this dish was super good. Yes, you could probably make something similar at home, but there’s something about how it’s cooked that gives it a special flair. The texture of the yams complements the flavor of the dish. And sprinkled with large flake sea salt, this dish, like the buckwheat pancakes, is balanced and gives you a nice combination of salty and sweet. 

I also especially loved the coconut yogurt sauce that the yam was served on top of. Pro tip: dip the buckwheat pancakes in the coconut yogurt sauce to make them even more addictive. Or, just lick the plate; no judgment here. 

Best yams from Minty Z

The last dish was by far my favorite. Simply put, the carrot and black sesame bao buns were amazing. The bun itself was soft and pulls apart perfectly. And the filling, well, the filling may look a little unappetizing, but the taste is deliciously unique: a strange but lovely combination of salty, umami, and sweet. And just like the japonica yams, these bao buns come with a coconut yogurt dipping sauce which makes them that much better. No matter how many people are in your party, you’re probably going to want to get a second or third order of these because they only come in twos.

Vegan bao buns