Super Bowl 2018: Where To Watch, Eat And Drink Around Miami

MIAMI, FL — If you're looking for an authentic Super Bowl 2018 experience, there's more to consider than the actual game or trying to climb an electric pole slathered with Crisco. Take, for example the food and the ambiance. New England fans can find clam chowder and lobster rolls with relative ease around the Miami area, but it's a bit more challenging to find good Philadelphia fare.

Philadelphia fans may need to head north to find an authentic Philly pretzel, hoagie or cheesesteak but just not as far north as you might think.

"The best pretzel is the one you're buying on the side of the street," insisted Derek Forchic, who owns Phlorida Pretzel at 168 NW 51 Street in Boca Raton. Forchic grew up eating the baked doughy goodness around the Philadelphia area only to wind up on the 1996 then Florida Marlins for a season.

Forchic stayed for the weather but longed to satisfy his Philly gastronomic roots, which is how he came to open Phlorida Pretzel.

"If you're from Philly, you're from the area, you know what you want. You know what you're looking for and everybody that comes in here, they take a bite, and within a minute they know it's what they grew up eating," he said. "They're excited. They come back."

Philly pretzels are different than the ones you typically find at the mall. For one thing, there's no butter on them and they're typically eaten with mustard. Forchic said his pretzels are also vegan friendly.

Be sure to place your order by Saturday or stop by in person on Sunday (for small orders) if you want to take home Philly pretzels ahead of the big game.

"The Super Bowl is one of our busiest days of the year and with the Eagles playing in the Super Bowl, it's been insane," said Forchic. "Everybody's pumped up. Everybody's excited. We're looking forward to it. It's going to be a great weekend."

For more information or to place an order call Phlorida Pretzel at 561-910-1846.

As long as you're in the neighborhood, Laspadas boasts the "best damn hoagies" a few miles away near the Town Center at Boca Raton shopping mall. They started in the Philadelphia area, but now have six locations in South Florida, including the Boca Raton store.

Other locations are in Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Coral Springs and Lauderdale By the Sea. The Boca location is at 2240 NW 19th Street. Call 561-393-14 to place an order for the Boca store or find a closer location by visiting the website.

When you order ask for the Italian and hold the mayo.

"It's all about what you put on the sandwich, what kind of meat you use, what kind of bread you use," explained store manager Marcus. "I can't give out the recipe. Just know that you're getting quality meats, premium meats."

If you're lucky, you might catch one of the hoagie makers tossing the deli meat to finish your sandwich. It's worth the drive. Pro tip: the large is probably good for two meals.

Flanigan's Seafood Bar and Grill, which has a number of locations around the Miami area, also makes a good Philly cheesesteak with a little guidance. Ask for extra fried onions and leave off the mayo, mushrooms and anything else that a non-Philly person might want to throw on.

However, for an even more authentic experience head to Direct From Philly in Deerfield Beach. It's located at 1201 South Military Trail, inside the Chevron station. Call 954-428-7035 to place an order.

"A perfect Philly cheesesteak for me would just be meat, cheese and onions," said Roberto Lora, who was getting ready for the lunch crowd at Direct From Philly on Friday morning. "A lot of people like sweet pepper and mushrooms in it."

In addition to finding the right beef and having it sliced properly, he said the single most important ingredient is the bread.

"The Amoroso's rolls, that's what keeps it authentic," he told Patch.

If you are looking for the perfect atmosphere to watch the big game, here's a list of happenings around the Miami area:

Watr at 1 Hotel Rooftop, 1 Hotel South Beach, 2341 Collins Ave, Miami Beach
If you’re looking for a casual way to celebrate the biggest football game of the yearl, WATR at 1 Hotel Rooftop will be hosting a viewing party with cabana offerings. All TV’s will be showing the Big Game and the full cocktail and bar menu will be available. No pre-purchased required but reservations are encouraged. Private cabanas booking can hold up to 6 people while the Ultra Cabana can fit 25 people. Enjoy football, cocktails and the best views in South Beach at WATR.

Atton Brickell Miami, 1500 SW 1st Ave, Miami
If you’re looking for 360 degree views of Biscayne Bay as you cheer on your favorite team, head to Atton Brickell Miami’s rooftop bar, Vista, for the big night. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., guests can enjoy complimentary beer upon arrival and a special menu. The game will be displayed on a 16-foot blow up screen placed a top Atton’s picturesque infinity pool – talk about a perfect night with your pals.

Blackbird Ordinary, 729 SW 1st Ave, Miami
Blackbird Ordinary will be showing this year’s exciting game on their big screen TV located in the beautiful patio area. Blackbird will also be offering specialty beers from the cities of the final two teams and a tasty pig roast to really get the party started!

Bristol’s Burgers, 3460 S Ocean Dr, Hollywood
Hollywood premiere burger joint gives sports lovers and their families the ultimate laid back party venue to enjoy NFL game days! In honor of The Big Game, Bristol’s Burgers is offering the option to “build-your-own party platter” including their signature Hollywood fries, BBQ wings, sliders and tater tots, customizable for groups of all sizes. Guests can add a bucket of canned beer for $25 or bottles for $30. In addition, from 5PM-7PM, enjoy happy hour pricing which includes $5 beers, mac & cheese tots, smoked chicken wings and much more. Zone into the game while the kids check out the complimentary arcade or even roam The Diplomat Landing Marina where there are outdoor games like ping-pong, corn hole, and giant Jenga.

The Confidante Miami Beach, 4041 Collins Ave, Miami Beach
Guests are invited to watch The Big Game this year at The Confidante Miami Beach! The Confidante is hosting their very own Confidante Crawl Happy Hour in The Backyard and Bird & Bone Bar from 4-6 p.m. where they will be offering half-off draft beer, wines by the glass, and specialty cocktails, along with tuna poke bowls in The Backyard and oysters from Bird & Bone Bar. Buckets of Rolling Rock beer as well as $1 wings will also be available until the end of the game.

Super Bowl Watch Party at The Yard, Sunday, Feb. 4 from 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Join The Wynwood Yard and World Famous House of Mac for a Super Bowl party in our new YardBox and by the House of Mac truck. Feast on fabulous eats from any or all of our resident food concepts like Latin-fused Caribbean fare like loaded plantain nachos from Food Dude, perfectly grilled pizzas from Morgan’s Pizza Truck, and many more tasty options. Cheer your favorite team on with craft beers, wine or cocktails from The Bar at The Yard. No table reservations necessary here. More info here!

Super Bowl Sunday: All-Day Brunch at CHARCOAL Sunday, Feb. 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Whether you're going to a watch party or BBQ later, or you don't care at all about the Superbowl, join us for the official holiday of eating and drinking! We're serving all day brunch at CHARCOAL with housemade waffles, shakshuka, BLTs, burgers, craft beer and cocktails. Full bar and full brunch menu will be available. Afterwards, head over to the Superbowl Watch Party at The Wynwood Yard. Please note that just this Sunday, Charcoal will be closed for dinner. Reservations recommended. Event link here.

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar locations in Florida offer football fans touchdown-worthy wing party platters for big game gatherings that are sure to score an extra point. To avoid a game day fumble, guests are encouraged to pre-order wing platters in advance and schedule their preferred pick-up time on Sunday, Feb. 4. YOu can choose from the following party platter options below:

• Wing Platters - $19.99
• Boneless, Bone-In or Combo
• Honey BBQ, Hot Buffalo, Sweet Asian Chile or Classic Buffalo

Craving something more? Check out “Applebee’s Anywhere” catering menu to choose from a variety of menu items.

For added convenience, Applebee’s locations in Florida and Georgia are partnering with several third-party delivery services to bring neighborhood favorites directly to your door. Contact your local Applebee’s for more information.

Duffy’s Sports Grill Kendall and North Miami Beach, Kendall: 8575 SW 124th Ave, Miami; North Miami Beach: 3969 NE 163rd St, North Miami Beach
With more than 80 TVs throughout each location, there is no way you’ll miss a second of the big game! Duffy’s Sports Grill will be offering double points all day (dine in or takeout) to it’s MVP members along with a $10 MVP reward after spending $25 or more. Indulge in Duffy’s Party Platter menu featuring delicious menu items such as boneless chicken wings, mini cheeseburger sliders, Tex-Mex chicken egg rolls and more!

E11EVEN Miami and ROOFTOP at E11EVEN
E11EVEN Miami - Guests are invited to come out and watch the biggest football game of the year on Sunday, Feb. 4th. The biggest football game of the year, will be presented on the ultraclub’s 30-foot LED, 16-foot LED screen and 52 TV’s with surround sound. The viewing party will feature an open bar from 6 pm to 10 pm and a complimentary 11BBQ Menu featuring BBQ Chicken, Asian BBQ Ribs, Wings, Mac & Cheese, Potato Salad, and Cole slaw. Early Bird online pre-paid admission for The Big Game at E11EVEN is priced at $30 for ladies and $50 for men. Prices may increase as it gets closer to game day. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. In addition, upstairs at ROOFTOP at E11EVEN, guests can kick back at the open-air lounge with a state-of-the-art retractable roof and watch the game on a 16-foot LED screen with surround sound. E11EVEN ROOFTOP’s comfortable sofa seating, communal fire pit tables, bottle service, and a full-service bar and $11 beer bucket special for the optimal viewing party. There will be open bar from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM and the 11BBQ menu is available for purchase. DJ Wasabi will be taking over the DJ Booth. Early Bird online pre-paid general admission is $20. Price may increase as it gets closer to game day. Tickets at the door will cost $30. The doors will open at 5 p.m.

KINGS Dining & Entertainment Doral, 3450 Northwest 83rd Avenue #152, Doral
Catch the big game at KINGS Doral where you can enjoy delicious food and drinks while also bowling for FREE after 6 p.m. KINGS Doral offers big-screen HDTVs with surround sound systems that are perfect for viewing the game. Guests who prefer to enjoy football Sunday from the comfort of their homes can still enjoy top-quality foods like chicken wings, nachos, pizza and more from KINGS with 20 percent off all take-out food!

Halves and Wholes
Satiate yourself and all your closest friends for the big game February 4 with a 3-foot-long super sandwich. Bite into hearty bread stuffed with chicken, turkey, ham, provolone cheese, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and drizzled in a zesty vinaigrette. The sandwich feeds 10-12 people and costs $89.99. Pair the sandwich with our house chips for an additional $12.99. For more information call 305.704.3600 or visit halveswholes.com.

Ricky’s South Beach
The best happy hour in Miami Beach brings back their Big Game Watch Party February 4th, with 50% off everything behind the bar. Watch the best teams in the NFL go head to head on our big screen projectors and large TVs. Enjoy food and drink specials while just steps away from Alton and Lincoln road. Happy hour starts at 5 and lasts until 10.

Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen
Address: 452 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale
Wings: Organic Oven Roasted Chicken Wings
Description: Start off lunch or dinner with perfectly cooked, oven roasted chicken wings from this modern-American spot. Known for its wide selection of fresh, mindfully-sourced and all house-made menu items, Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen has something for everyone. Enjoy a plate of the flavorful stacked wings at an intimate table inside, or dine al fresco on Doc B’s signature outdoor patio.

Wings: Korean BBQ Wings
Fresh and new to the menu! Starting on February 1st and just in time for The Big Game, Duffy’s Sports Grill will be launching a Cajun menu featuring their new Korean BBQ Sauce that compliments their award-winning wings. Order to go or for pick up on February 4th, MVP members will be receiving double points all day along with a $10 MVP reward after spending $25 or more.

Sweet Liberty Hosts Super Bowl Sunday Party, 237-B 20th Street, Miami Beach.
On Sunday, Feb. 4 acclaimed neighborhood bar, Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Co. will host a Super Bowl viewing party from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. featuring food specials inventively dedicated to each team’s hometown. CONFIRMED EATS: Philly cheesesteaks and Lobster Rolls! Sweet Liberty will also be offering its full cocktail menu with beer and rosé on tap along with a limited food menu featuring sports fan staples including their beloved cauliflower nachos, wings, and burgers. What’s more? Sweet Liberty is bringing in extra TV screens so all guests can comfortably watch the big game go down with prime time touchdown viewing.

Jezebel Bar + Kitchen Hosts Super Bowl Viewing Party, 1625 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach
On Sunday, Feb. 4, Jezebel Bar + Kitchen invites guests to join them for their Super Bowl Sunday Viewing Party at 6 p.m. At Liquid Hospitality’s cocktail lounge and restaurant tucked away between Michigan Avenue and Lincoln Road, the game will be shown across Jezebel’s multiple large flat screen TVs for prime time touchdown viewing throughout the evening. Football fanatics can enjoy a full selection of upscale bar menu items – like lobster tacos, Jezebel signature chicken wings, mini sliders, truffle fries and big eye tuna pizza – and sip handcrafted cocktails while rooting on their favorite team. Whether you come to watch the game, or Justin Timberlake kill the half-time show, there’s no better place to do so than at Jezebel! For table reservations, please contact info@jezebelmiami.com.

After weeks of preparation, Phlorida Pretzel's Forchic hopes that he and his wife, Erin, will have enough energy left to watch the Eagles take on the Patriots.

"I hope to be awake by the Super Bowl," he told Patch. "We're going to be here until just before kickoff. We'll get home,get cleaned up and watch the game."

Photo by Paul Scicchitano