where to shop for seafood and vegetables

[Manolón]

I eat a lot of fish and when I lived in Miami, I went to the Marina or whatever in the Downtown, near the park and the library. There's a mooring for yachts and fishing ships there and they sell fish straight out of the boat. Maybe the place does not exist anymore. Not particularly cheap since it's not a wholesale fish market. You can bargain. I remember that back in those days, there were many foreigners buying fish since it was very difficult to buy fresh fish in Miami..a lot of years ago.

There's also a place called:

Casablanca,400 Northwest North River Drive
Miami, FL 33128-1628
(305) 371-4107

[Olmyt]

Garcia fish market is what that place is called.

Ive also heard of one a lil north of design district.

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by brandnewlife

[SIZE=3]I just moved to Miami and I am a big seafood fan. I was expecting prices to be cheaper here since it is next to the sea. But they are not. I went to publix and I didn’t like the prices there. What are the best places to shop for raw seafood and vegetables with reasonable ‘cheap’ prices? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. [/SIZE]

For fresh fruit and veggies, it may be a bit of a drive but if you travel down Krome Ave, you will find all kinds of farmer's markets, "Pick Your Own" places and can get great deals. Publix is horrendously expensive for everything. I could get oranges cheaper in Seattle than I do here! (Makes no sense.)

As for seafood, I don't eat seafood so I'm not 100% sure but I've been told that people will go to the Keys and meet some of the fishermen down there for some good deals.

Where I work, a guy comes about once a week and offers us stone crabs for $20 a bag. My co-workers will buy from this guy a lot, they say it's a great deal for the amount they get. (I think the guy crabs in Florida City? Everglades City? Again, not sure since I don't eat seafood but the point is, you're not going to find the good prices at Publix.)

Get to know some people, get a network going and find out who has the good deals. It's going to be from those farmer's markets and fishermen, directly.

[cixcell]

see the thing is that you have to go down to south dade to get the fresh fruits/veggies/seafood directly because it all gets run straight up the coast to sell in the northeast for top dollar. theres no point wasting their time on a less affluent population who wants cheaper prices.

[hymnsinger]

The docks is the place to buy fresh seafood, especially when the night drift boats come in. Try Haulover Marina about midnight. Expect to pay top dollar for the freshest seafood in the area. They will clean the fish however you want, fillet, steak, or gutted whole. I don't know what the catches look like these days, haven't been down in quite a few years, but kingfish, grouper, and snapper were common then with an occasional wahoo or tuna from time to time. There's also lots of smaller, bonier but tasty little fish called grunts, AKA, the poor man's snapper. Some nights the catch is great, some nights there's barely nothing. You just never know.

If you want shellfish or Florida lobster you'll have to go to a local seafood market. The grocery chains do not carry local seafood.

Enjoy some for me! I can't afford Florida seafood up here!

[cixcell]

there is a seafood (lobster/crab) festival on marathon in the keys coming up i believe.
its like ALL snowbirds though. the vendors never know what to think of me when I say I live here. they either assume I'm a snowbird too or I'm rich. to them for some reason a third option doesnt exist.

[Giovanni92]

Bone Fish Grill no doubt!!

[Manolón]

Originally Posted by hymnsinger

The docks is the place to buy fresh seafood, especially when the night drift boats come in. Try Haulover Marina about midnight. Expect to pay top dollar for the freshest seafood in the area. They will clean the fish however you want, fillet, steak, or gutted whole. I don't know what the catches look like these days, haven't been down in quite a few years, but kingfish, grouper, and snapper were common then with an occasional wahoo or tuna from time to time. There's also lots of smaller, bonier but tasty little fish called grunts, AKA, the poor man's snapper. Some nights the catch is great, some nights there's barely nothing. You just never know.

If you want shellfish or Florida lobster you'll have to go to a local seafood market. The grocery chains do not carry local seafood.

Enjoy some for me! I can't afford Florida seafood up here!

-------

Yes, they had the same right there in the Downtown Park, near the library. They gutted and clean the fish for you. Yes, grunts or roncos are tasty but bonier. I used to fish them and when you take them out of the water they make a strange sound. Also a lot of mackerel and blue runners. Wahoo is one of the most delicios fish I ever tasted.

[carib]

I hightly recommend Norman Brothers on Galloway and Sunset. They have excellent vegetables and fruits. They have fish, seafood, organic chicken and beef and - when you don't feel like cooking - a great hot food area where at any given time you can purchase soups; gumbo, french onion, lobster bisque, to name a few, entrees; fish/beef/chicken and many sides. You can eat in or take out. A family owned and operated South Florida gem.