Is Kendall Miami’s most underrated area? Here’s what the haters are missing

There will come a time when no one remembers that people used to look down on Kendall, when they acted like it was some remote suburban outpost neighboring the Everglades (or the end of the earth ).

But residents looked at Kendall and chose to live there. Kendall extends from U.S. 1 to the turnpike between the Snapper Creek Canal (just north of Sunset Drive) down past the area near The Falls shopping center. Anything west is filed under West Kendall, which is basically everything before the Everglades.

Kendall is not a city, a village or a township. It’s unincorporated Miami-Dade County, so residents boast a Miami address. Mainly, Kendall is where people live. Little-known fact: The area is named after Henry John Broughton Kendall, a director at the Florida Land and Mortgage Company, which bought the land in 1883.

Most residents commute to jobs in other parts of the county and bought their home in Kendall because it felt safe and affordable. As a result, everyone knows someone who lives in Kendall. Everyone has a family member who lives in Kendall. And while Kendall isn’t one of those live, work, play neighborhoods Miami is obsessed with, all three of those things are happening in Kendall.

As housing prices climb all across the county, they are climbing in Kendall as well. And though many may consider Kendall too far from Miami’s action to be relevant, residents are probably just fine with that.

Here are all the things we love about Kendall:

Parks

Kendall has not one but two affordable golf courses. The weekend rate at Killian Greens for 18 holes is only $60. If you walk the whole course, it costs only $30. Just try not to get run over by some clueless driver speeding down Killian Parkway when you have to hit holes 10 through 13. The most you will pay at the Miccosukee Golf Course in Kendale Lakes is $65.

For Miami’s cyclists, the trail around the Miccosukee course is the county’s best-kept secret. It offers four miles of an uninterrupted bike lane where the biggest hazards are the Muscovy ducks trying to cross the street (and runners wearing headphones).

Indian Hammocks Park is where Kendall keeps the game of Frisbee golf alive (IYKYK). There’s also a skate park inside Indian Hammocks and another one a few miles west in Westwind Lakes Park.

Tip: If you go for a bike ride at the Miccosukee golf course, stop for empanadas and coffee at the Blue Star Food Store (66th Street and 139th Court).

Holes in the Wall

You know what strip malls are full of? Tiny amazing little restaurants.

You know what Kendall is full of? Strip malls.

You can try Empanada Harry’s, Smoke & Dough, Mr. & Mrs. Bun, Tacos & Tattoos, Puerto Madero, Hungry Bear Subs. There’s actually even a spot called Hole in the Wall Grill in Kendall.

Tip: Tacos & Tattoos has a queso frito taco that will make you forget about chicken and beef.

Buzzy restaurant

Ghee, 8965 SW 72nd Pl.

James Beard Award-nominated chef Niven Patel was like, “Where is Miami’s next big deal ‘hood?” He decided Dadeland was it before opening his farm-to-table Indian restaurant, Ghee. Patel is on his way to being one of South Florida’s most celebrated chefs, with new concepts Mamey and Orno open at Thesis Hotel in Coral Gables.

But it was his work at his Kendall spot that got him named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs in America in 2020. Just give him his James Beard Award already.

Tip: If you have never been to Downtown Dadeland, almost all the parking is underground.

Old timey stuff

Super Wheels Skating Center, 12265 SW 112th St.; 305-270-9386; Kendall Ice Arena, 10355 Hammocks Blvd.; 305-386-8288; Arcade Odyssey, 12045 SW 117th Ave.; 305-253-2722

There is a quad skate roller rink (Super Wheels), an ice skating rink ( the boringly named Kendall Ice Arena) and an arcade where you can play Frogger and Galaga (Arcade Odyssey) in Kendall.

Kendall Ice Arena has two kinds of people: Miami folk who will never learn to skate and a small crew of trained ice skaters and hockey players who just want to not trip over them. Super Wheels will play your favorite freestyle jams, skating classics like “Planet Rock” and some songs that the kids are listening to on Tik Tok. Fun will be had by all. Arcade Odyssey is hidden in Kendall’s most unassuming plaza and has no windows, so nothing informs you that you are not in the 1980s except the fact that you are old enough to order a beer before and after you lose at Pac-Man.

Tip: Adult skate on Monday is the way to go if you don’t want to trip over a bunch of kids at Super Wheels.

Breweries

Spanish Marie Brewery, 14241 SW 120th St #109; 786-502-2180; Strange Beast Brewpub and Pizza, 15220 SW 72nd St.; 305-912-7390

If a brewery is what an area needs to prove it’s cool, Kendall has two, Spanish Marie and Strange Beast. We stand behind both of these spots because we don’t want to have to drive to Wynwood for craft beer.

Tip: Strange Beast is located next door to Miami’s only ice cream ventanita, Sweet Melody Ice Cream.

This story was originally published February 23, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Is Kendall Miami’s most underrated area? Here’s what the haters are missing."

Amy Reyes

Miami Herald

305-376-3658

Amy Reyes edits the education team plus arts, entertainment, food and race & culture.