8 Perfect Eats For A Boat Day In Miami

One thing is sure about Miamians: we freaking love a boat day. Put us out on the water and let us live our best lives. All that sun (and likely day drinking) is bound to work up an appetite and having the perfect boat day eats is key to curating the best boat day ever.

From a build your own taco bar to stone crabs and fried chicken to family-sized bowls of some of Miami’s most iconic bites, there’s really no shortage of great spots offering easy to transport, large format food for a crowd that plans on hanging outside all day.

Here are 8 Miami spots to grab boat day eats for a group that are guaranteed crowd pleasers every time.

For a true Miami staple: Chicken Kitchen

Forever one of the absolute best boat day options, Chicken Kitchen is a local chain with locations all over the city meaning, you’re likely close to one as you prepare to head to the marina. Family (serves 4 to 5) and Party-sized (serves 8 to 10) Chop-Chop bowls are the go to move here. Pair a bowl or two — might we suggest the Cuban featuring chicken, black beans, tomato, and lettuce — with a quesadilla platter and perhaps a family-sized salad and an order of balsamic tomatoes and you’re good to go. They even provide plates, utensils, and plenty of curry mustard (and other sauces as well). And the best part? No need to worry about ordering in advance. In fact, you can even order the large format bowls via Uber Eats for delivery right to the dock just before you set sail just as easily as you can pop into one of their locations and order on the spot.

For those keeping it as classic as possible: Publix

Those from Miami (or really Florida and the South in general) know Publix is the ultimate favorite when it comes to feeding a large group delicious platters of food. From mini sandwiches to fruit and veggie platters to the legendary chicken tender platters, there’s no shortage of easy-to-order ideal boat day food at this favorite supermarket. The ultimate order will most definitely include a chicken tender platter, maybe a mix and match deli wrap platter, a fruit tray, and cookie platter. Make sure to stock up on plenty of sauces for the tenders. Orders can be placed online and need to be done 24-hours in advance.

For the fancy boat days: Joe’s Stone Crab

There’s nothing more iconic in Miami than stone crabs from Joe’s Stone Crab. As the first restaurant to ever serve stone crabs, this spot has perfected the art of delicious stone crabs all year long. Thanks to Joe’s Takeaway, ordering from Joe’s on your boat day is super simple. Pair those stone crabs with Joe’s legendary fried chicken, peel & eat shrimp, Joe’s coleslaw, a chopped salad, and the Miami-style fish and chips aka fried grouper in lemon garlic spices served with yuca fries and mango guava sauce and garlic aioli for the dreamiest order. Don’t forget to order Key Lime pie, because everyone deserves a sweet treat.

For those who can’t get enough sushi: Poke OG

From omakase boxes to large scale sides of seaweed salad, krab salad, and zucchini noodles, Poke OG is one of the most refreshing boat day options. Opt for a few omakase boxes that each feature 10 nigiri, maki rolls, 5 sashimi, edamame, and seaweed salad for easy to pick at options or go hard with a build your own poke bowl bar. With your choice of two mixes (tuna, salmon, Japanese yellowtail, shrimp, watermelon, or tofu), rice, greens, toppings, and even nori sheets so you can make your own handrolls, it’s a super solid boat day option that’s easy to customize for a crowd. Orders can be placed in advance on Poke OG’s website.

For taco and tequila loving crowd: Coyo Taco

Who doesn’t love a build-your-own taco bar at sea? Coyo Taco makes it easy with their catering options — featuring your choice of proteins, all the ingredients needed to make tacos (or burrito bowls), a salsa bar, chips, plenty of guacamole, rice and beans — it’s ideal for a boat day where people can eat at their own pace and make whatever taco creations they want. Add a few quesadillas and an order or two of esquite (street corn) and you’re all set. Orders can be placed on Coyo Taco’s website.

For those trying to stay healthy during the boat day: Carrot Express

Keeping healthy on a boat day is easy thanks to Carrot Express. No matter what time of day your day begins, this spot has a wide range of options from all-day breakfast, wrap and ciabatta platters, family style salads, power bowls, dessert trays, juice bundles and more. Wrap and sandwich trays feed up to 10 to 12 people and include two different variations of your choosing including the Chicken Caesar Wrap filled with chicken breast, romaine, kale, homemade croutons, parmesan cheese and homemade Caesar dressing or the Pesto Passion featuring Free range grilled chicken, arugula, tomato, mozzarella, pesto, balsamic glaze, lemon and olive oil. Salads are served family style also feed 10 to 12 people with choices like their Oriental Crunch Salad made with mixed greens, romaine, avocado, carrots, bean sprouts, roasted cashews, toasted sesame seeds & crispy tortilla strips tossed with honey-lime peanut vinaigrette. For something more hearty, Power Bowls are large enough for 10-12 people including the popular Mario’s Favorite Chicken Bowl mixed with arugula, kale, spinach, almonds, peas, golden raisins, quinoa, cilantro brown rice in their tangy citrus sauce. Carrot Express’s dessert tray includes a choice of three different treats where guests will have to decide between their homemade vegan banana bread, chocolate chunk walnut cookies, oatmeal cookies and guava cookies. Catering orders can be placed online here and must be placed 24-hours in advance.

For the burger lovers: Shake Shack

Burgers on a boat? Look no further. Did you know Shake Shack’s menu has a Large Orders section of the menu? Perfect for groups of up to 12, these orders come with a variety of sandwich options — including the ShackBurger, Chicken Shack, Veggie Shack, and even SmokeShack. A perfect classic order would be the ShackBurger Box and the Crinkle Cut Fry Box. Orders can be placed via shakeshack.com or by using the app.

For those looking for a chic option: Maman

This New York transplant located in the heart of Wynwood makes the ultimate boat day lunch for those who are looking for chic French sandwiches and easy mini bites. Snag a platter of 16 half sandwiches for including bestselling options like the Katie Sandwich with herb-roasted chicken with basil aioli, roasted red peppers, arugula, and roasted tomato on a baguette or Bibian’s Turkey Sandwich with sliced turkey with kale spring pea and ricotta spread, pickled onions, and melted Swiss on seeded sourdough. For those who prefer mini bites, choose from a selection of mini sandwiches or mini quiches, sold by the dozen featuring delicious options like the Croissant de Sud, Mini Everything Croissants, and Quiche Sophie made with Spinach, feta, and artichoke quiche. Of course, finishing off on a sweet note is everything, and Maman offers cookies by the dozen ranging from Oprah’s favorite Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies to S’mores Cookies and Lime Cilantro Sugar Cookies. To place an order visit Maman’s website or use the Maman app.