Welcome to the Miami Checklist

Here's where you'll find a concise list of the best food, drink, and events in Miami and beyond.

Miami skyline

Welcome to the Miami Checklist, where you’ll receive a literal checklist of things to do in Miami, along with interviews, stories, and inside information on new places and established favorites, written by some of the most seasoned writers in the Magic City.

What’s different about this newsletter?

Hello. I’m Laine Doss. As the editor of a leading Miami newspaper for close to a decade and a half, I’ve seen the Miami food, cocktail, and cultural scene flourish. Currently, I’m the editor of Broken Palate, a national Substack newsletter that focuses on culture and food. I am also a contributor to multiple local and national publications and have decades of journalism experience. My goal is to inform with a sense of humor and whimsy.

Nicole Danna, who will be a steady contributor and co-editor, has over a decade’s experience writing about Florida’s food scene. In addition, we will offer stories by guest chefs and a host of talented food writers as we go forward.

We want you to feel invested in and connected to this community of restaurants, chefs, makers, bartenders, and beyond that make Miami great.

We want to showcase the best new cocktails and beers. We might focus on a particular new restaurant that’s worthy of your time or just a fantastic burger or bowl of pho that we have to share with you.

We’re not just about food — we’ll talk about places to shop, the best spa treatments, and things to do from festivals to flea markets. We want to be Miami’s top resource when you’re looking for something to do, a way to treat yourself, or you’re hungry for the perfect bite.

We will also feature an adoptable animal from one of South Florida’s many animal shelters weekly. Why? Because we think all animals deserve a home. And they make great lunch buddies.

Why subscribe?

We aren’t beholden to anyone at the Miami Checklist. We have no corporate monolith or Google Analytics to answer to. That means that if we recommend anything it’s because we want to eat it, drink it, shop there, or experience it. But exploring neighborhoods and writing great stories costs time and money so we’re asking our Miami family to help support us.

We invite you to join the Miami Checklist community to show your support of local, independent journalism for $60 a year or $6 a month.

In exchange, you’ll receive two packed newsletters a week, plus bonus breaking news, exclusive discounts, and more. We are also asking our friends to become founding members which will allow us to move forward and grow the Miami Checklist faster.

As a subscriber, you will be part of a community that cares about the food and restaurant industry — and good writing. We want to support beloved places and new spots, from the scrappy corner dive bar to home-grown hospitality groups.

Thank you for reading and your support. We invite you to share the Miami Checklist and to spread the word on social media @Miami_Checklist #miamichecklist.