Miami Finga Licking comes to Miami Gardens

The popular Miami Finga Licking restaurant is making its way north and will open a new location in Miami Gardens this week.

The new location, at 17467 NW 27th Ave., will have a grand opening Friday afternoon. The North Miami location, 12490 NW 7th Ave., opened last year during Memorial Day weekend and has remained a go-to spot for fans of everything from grilled shrimp to fried lobster and chicken croissant melts.

Elric “E Class” Prince, who had already made an imprint in the music world through his work with Poe Boy Music Group, said he and his team were excited to bring the restaurant to Miami Gardens as a sort of homecoming.

“To us it’s Carol City. Carol City is our neighborhood and for us it was more about giving back to the community,” Prince said.

The restaurant began in Miami, at 105 NW 62nd St., before growing and settling at the former Royal Castle location in North Miami in 2014. It specializes in soul and Caribbean food along with some specialty drinks and “rainbow punch” served with fresh fruit.

Prince said Miami Gardens has been hospitable in welcoming the restaurant and Mayor Oliver Gilbert even mentioned the new business in his State of the City address in May.

The planning for this location featured input from hip-hop producer/record executive DJ Khaled. Prince said people should expect a few surprise guests at Friday’s grand opening. He added that the Miami Gardens restaurant will feature a few exclusive items, a football zone with TVs and outdoor seating and a few other personal touches.

Miami Finga Licking hopes to continue to expand around South Florida and build its reputation off the strength of hip-hop artists such as Rick Ross, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Flo Rida, who have supported the business, and, of course, the food.

“A lot of people won’t understand the movement of what’s about to come,” Prince said. “We’re trying to be the next Red Lobster, the next Chili’s, the next Outback [Steakhouse].”

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Miami Finga Licking comes to Miami Gardens."