Labor Day. The outdoors. An Island. International Taste scene. Grilling … weather permitting.
For most, the upcoming 3-day Labor Day weekend presents an opportunity for a quick getaway before the next natural break at Thanksgiving, but for many it presents a chance to stay on the Island and enjoy the holiday with friends and neighbors. In true Key Biscayne style, the gatherings are centered around food.
So, what to grill or serve? What’s popular? What if it rains?
Burgers remain the most popular item to an American cookout, with 46% of grillers naming the round patties their summer favorite, this according to a 2026 survey of 5,000 grillers commissioned by Perdue Farms and conducted by Talker Research.
Hot dogs (27%) and corn on the cob (13%) round out the top of the list, while beef remains holiday king with nearly three-quarters of consumers naming burgers a grilling must-have and close to 60% say the same for steak, per Beef Research’s 2026 summer outlook. Labor Day, along with the other holidays, consistently ranks among the strongest beef-sales weeks of the year.
Floridians, for what it’s worth, have their own grilling identity, the same survey found steak and grilled gator are the dishes the Sunshine State is best known to put on the grill.
If your decision is to grill, you are in luck, as there are three great places on Key Biscayne to get your grilling meats.
The Golden Hog
One of Donut Gallery’s burgers, located next-door to and owned by the same local Golden Hog onwers.
The popular market has a well-stocked meat counter, located by the gill area, where you can find fresh meats and fish perfect for grilling. Want to take it home? They will grill it for you, so all you have to do is serve it.
They are located in the Harbor Plaza at 91 Harbor Drive. Visit thegoldenhog.com or call (305) 361-1300. They also have a full complement of side dishes and platters idea for entertaining.
Total Carnes
Founded in Bahía Blanca, south of Buenos Aires, they tout the “uniqueness of our product, thanks to the exceptional genetics of Argentine cattle,” co-owner Martin Ghiozzi, told Islander News. Total Carnes run their own meat processing plant, and offer “100% Argentine beef, pasture-raised, free of hormones and anabolic enhancers,” Ghiozzi said. Their most popular cuts, like ribeye, skirt steak (entraña), short ribs (asado), flank steak with skin (vacio con cuero) and beef, chicken and pork loin breaded cutlets (Milanesas).
They are in the Galleria Shopping Center at 328 Crandon Blvd, Suite 106. Visit totalcarnesusa.com or call (786) 940-8011.
Winn-Dixie
The Island’s supermarket standby, good for a last-minute grocery run if you’re short an item or two. They now have a rebate offer of 20% back on meat purchase. To activate the offer, download the Winn-Dixie app and tap the percent-back offer before scanning your member card at checkout. Their Labor Day weekend grilling specials include USDA Choice Beef T-Bone steak for only $9.99 lb. For the same $9.99 lb, you can also grill flap meat, fresh salmon fillets or ahi tuna steaks. They are in the Key Biscayne Shopping Center at 604 Crandon Blvd.
In case of rain, or you just want to maximize your table-time, the Island’s Taste offers plenty of delicious burger options for any taste and budget.
For those who want to extend a more delicate treatment to their burger, the Taste recommendation is Costa Med Bistro, in The Square Shopping Center at 260 Crandon Blvd.
Their burger is representative of the quality and attention to details patrons have come to expect from the bistro often referred to as ‘the place to see and be seen.’
Owner and operator Antonio Braschi told Islander News their burger “is truly homemade” as it came about from looking for efficiency in the kitchen.
Costa Med’s delicious burger.
“Our burger is a careful mixture of three of the meats we use for our main dishes, flat iron steak, entraña (skirt steak) and tenderloin which we blend together for a juicy and delicious steak,” Braschi commented.
It is served with Canadian smoked applewood bacon and packaged on a Sullivan Street Bakery bun and Costa Med’s famous hand cut French fries. Visit costamedrestaurant.com or call (305) 361 7575 for reservations or more information.
Another Taste option for a great burger is the aforementioned grill at The Golden Hog in the Harbor Plaza. They serve a patty made of a Certified Angus Beef blend, which creates a juicy masterpiece, cooked to perfection and served tableside with fries.
If you are visiting Harbor Plaza in the afternoons, from Thursday to Sunday, and want a different kind of delicious option, the island icon that is The Donut Gallery (TDG) is now open in the afternoon, turning itself into a ‘burger joint,’ according to co-owner Jorge Gonzalez. They have introduced a line of elaborate gourmet smash burgers which have become a popular burger option for many. Resident Nelson Jimenez, co-owner of the local catering company Il Mercato, has become a regular at the TDG’s counter on Saturdays.
“The Royal Burger is my kind of burger,” Jimenez said. “I always order it double: juicy, made to order, with two patties and just the right amount of egg and avocado: two of my non-negotiable toppings. And the onion rings? A must. Super crispy, golden, and unapologetically oniony.”
There is the “Classic” smash burger which comes with red onion, tomato and a grilled mushroom burger with provolone cheese and greens. The smash burgers lineup include one topped with bacon, arugula, caramelized onions and a fried egg. Another pairs blue cheese with arugula, tomatoes and sweet onions.
“Our chefs like to play with different cooking techniques and bold flavor combinations,” Gonzalez said.
Other options for burgers include:
Kazumi in the Square Shopping Center, serving one of the most unique burgers on the Island; Wagyu beef sliders, wasabi mayonnaise, baby arugula, and fried quail egg. Call (305) 361-2675 to order or make reservations.
Two of Kazumi’s sliders, also offered on Labor Day.
Dune Burgers on the Beach, inside the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, which serves burgers beachside and offers a Smashed Wagyu Burger, with aged white cheddar, caramelized onion jam, lettuce, tomato and truffle Aioli. Call (305) 365-6231 for information, hours of operation or reservations.
Novecento in the Square Shopping Center, which offers the Hamburguesa Novecento, an Argentinian grilled hamburger, mozzarella, ham, bacon, butter lettuce, tomato, fried egg, green olive-mayonnaise, all on a soft brioche bun. Call (305) 362-0900 for reservations and more information.
For the last Taste of KB feature, click here.