Showing posts with label Pharos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pharos. Show all posts

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Miami Beach Froyo Scene & History

Cocolimon, Source: Yelp


Fro-yo girl here. Miami Beach has a current population of approximately 82,000 and is roughly 7.7 square miles. It is a very popular tourist destination with 5.4 million overnight visitors in 2024. The main neighborhoods are South Beach, Mid Beach, and North Beach.

I found four places to get froyo in Miami Beach. They opened between 2024 – 2026, and three of the four are counter-serve. I also found 13 closed froyo businesses, including 16 Handles, Red Mango, Pinkberry (2), and Yogen Fruz. Most of the closed shops were self-serve. Many were short-lived (open for two years or less). Mimi Frozen Yogurt survived the longest; it was open for eight years.

CURRENT PLACES FOR FROYO


  • MYKA Greek Frozen Yogurt, 551 Lincoln Rd #5, founded in Madrid, Spain, opened its first US shop in Miami Beach on December 8, 2025. The froyo is counter-serve. It’s made with imported Greek yogurt, pasteurized milk, and goat kefir.
  • Pharos Greek Frozen Yogurt, 110 Washington Ave CU9, shares a space with Sandwich Qbano. It is counter-serve and has a Greek-inspired appearance. Toppings are healthier and include zero sugar spreads. Pharos opened in November 2025.
  • Sunshine Coffee, 1436 Washington Ave, added soft serve in April 2026. The blue soft serve is all-natural Greek yogurt with no sugar.
  • Yummy Frozen Yogurt, 901 N Miami Beach Blvd, is a kosher self-serve froyo shop in North Miami Beach that opened in 2024.


CLOSED BUSINESSES THAT SERVED FROYO


  • 16 Handles, 665 Lincoln Rd, the NY-based self-serve froyo franchise opened the Miami Beach branch in 2013 and closed in 2015
  • Aba, 9700 Collins Ave # 101, Bal Harbour, opened in 2022 and closed in 2025. The Mediterranean restaurant was founded in Chicago by Top Chef alum, Chef CJ Jacobson.
  • Birdie Frozen Yogurt, 1552 NE 165th St, was a self-serve froyo shop in North Miami Beach that opened in 2023 and closed in 2025.
  • Blissberry, South Pointe Park 3 Washington Ave, was a counter-serve froyo and smoothies shop at South Pointe Park, from 2011 – 2016.
  • Cocolimon, 415 15th St, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened and closed in 2013. Cocolimon also had shops in Ecuador.
  • Mimi Frozen Yogurt, 7122 Collins Ave., was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2012 and closed in 2020. In the early years it also offered ice cream rolls.
  • Pinkberry, 1523 Alton Rd, opened in 2014 and may have closed in 2015.
  • Pinkberry, 1144 Ocean Dr, Ste 106A, opened near South Beach in 2013 and closed in 2018
  • Red Mango, 1111 5th St, was a branch of the multinational froyo brand founded in South Korea. The Miami Beach branch opened in 2011 and closed in 2013. It was self-serve.
  • TCBY, Lincoln Rd, closed many years ago, possibly in the 1990s or 2000s
  • Yogen Fruz, 521 Lincoln Rd, was open at the outdoor Lincoln Mall from 2011 – 2018. It had self-serve froyo and custom mix-in froyo.
  • Yogubar, 544 Author Godfrey RD, offered custom-blended mix-in style real fruit froyo and yogurt drinks in 2017.
  • Yo-Le Frozen Yogurt, 1664 NE Miami Gardens Dr, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2011 in North Miami Beach. It also offered smoothies, milkshakes, Cuban coffee, and an espresso bar. Yo-Le may have closed in 2016.

Did I miss any Miami Beach froyo shops? Let me know.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

The Miami Froyo Rankings

Fro-yo girl here. I visited Miami to check out all the new froyo shops and rank them. I had the tart froyo at six shops. Four were dedicated froyo shops and two were not. Here’s my ranking from my most to least liked:


#1) MELI Frozen Yogurt, 210 NE 98th St, Miami (Miami Shores), FL 33138

MELI was my favorite froyo in Miami. They make their own Greek-style froyo with clean ingredients. It’s sweetened with allulose, a naturally occurring sugar found in foods like maple syrup and dried figs. It tastes like sugar but has 90% fewer calories than sugar and doesn’t raise your blood sugar.

During my visit, there were two froyo flavors: tart and cinnamon. Ask for samples. For toppings, they had honey, condensed milk, sauces, nut butters, fresh fruit, jams, toasted coconut, chocolate chips, housemade crunches (baklava, pavlova), housemade granola, crushed pistachios, pistachio kataifi, etc. The toppings labels had information on allergens.

Prices: Small, $6/ Medium $9/ Large parfait with 3 toppings, $12. Regular toppings are $0.75 each. Premium toppings are $1 each.

Small tart froyo with housemade baklava crumble: At 6 oz of froyo, this was the right size – not overwhelming but a good amount of super creamy, super smooth, very thick yogurt that did not melt quickly. I loved that there was a hint of sourness and a good amount of tang. The baklava topping was crunchy but not that sweet. This felt and tasted like premium froyo with a premium topping.

The cinnamon froyo flavor had the same tart yogurt base, I think. It was good and similar to the tart. The cinnamon wasn’t overpowering.

The place is very small but cute with a blue and white theme. There was only one table and three chairs outside, and an upholstered bench near the window.

MELI opened on November 19, 2025.




#2) MYKA Greek Frozen Yogurt, 551 Lincoln Rd #5, Miami Beach, FL 33139

MYKA, founded in Madrid, Spain, opened its first US shop in Miami Beach on December 8, 2025. It had the longest lines and possibly the best toppings (tied with MELI). The froyo is counter-serve. It’s made with imported Greek yogurt, pasteurized milk, and goat kefir.

Available flavors: Natural Greek yogurt, yuzu yogurt, blood peach sorbet

Toppings were kept in blue and white bowls with wood spoons. I spotted coconut flakes, chocolate chips, granola, baklava, crumbles, pistachio kataifi, cacao nibs, honey, olive oil, compote, fresh fruit, etc. It was a bit hard to see all the toppings because of the crowd of people waiting to order.

Prices: Kids with 1 topping, $7.90/ Regular with 2 toppings, $9.90/ Large with 3 toppings, $11.90. A regular takeaway tray with 3 toppings was $20 or $25 for a large takeaway tray. Extra toppings were $1.25 each.

Regular Natural Greek yogurt with berry crumble and baklava: Both the texture and taste were superior. The texture was very creamy and thick. It did not melt quickly. The flavor was a little less sweet than usual, with a distinctive flavor that was like yogurt plus something extra (from the goat kefir?) and a slight sour note. The baklava was crispy but not very sweet. The berry crumbles tasted like a cookie crumble, only berry-flavored and not that sweet.

The interior was white with a woven white fabric above and blue accents. There was no seating inside and no seating set up outside either.





#3) Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, 900 S Miami Ave, Suite 172, Miami (Brickell), FL 33130

VL’s downtown Miami Brickell location opened on March 19, 2026. It was the first VL outside of NY to offer VL froyo. The froyo is made with A2 Bulgarian yogurt and cane sugar.

There were four froyo flavors available:
  • Tart
  • Matcha (non-tart), the best-seller
  • Strawberry (tart)
  • Chocolate (non-tart)
The toppings were displayed on the counter in white bowls. They included fresh fruit, toasted coconut, sprinkles, mochi, nuts, granola, gummy bears, sauces, crumbles, strawberries in syrup, cherries, honey, whipped cream, sauces, etc. They had more toppings than the other shops that I visited.

Prices: Small with 1 topping, $7.95/ Medium with 2 toppings, $9.25/ Large with 3 toppings, $10.25

Tart and Strawberry froyo with fresh strawberries (small): The texture was creamy and smooth, though I found it wasn’t firm enough. Both the tart and strawberry flavors tasted like real yogurt with natural tang. The strawberry flavor had little strawberry flavor, though.

This location is also an ice cream scoop shop with over two dozen flavors, including vegan options. They had basic flavors like vanilla bean, chocolate, and strawberry, but also interesting flavors like Earl Grey tea, key lime pie, and strawberry matcha latte. You could also add a cookie. One scoop was $7.95. I’d much rather have a small froyo with toppings than a scoop of ice cream. You can also pick up a pre-packed pint of ice cream from the freezer.

The shop was spacious with a long yellow tiled counter and yellow wall tiles. They also sell froyo hats and t-shirts.




#4) Tata’s Yogurt Bar, 2992 McFarlane Rd, Miami (Coconut Grove), FL 33133

Tata’s Yogurt Bar is an upscale, stylish Greek froyo shop in Coconut Grove with a European vibe. It’s just steps from the beach. The Greek froyo was developed in-house. It is made with no refined sugar and lightly sweetened with local raw honey. I was told that it was made with four ingredients.

The idea is that you can customize the yogurt, including the sweetness level, to your liking. Add more honey if you prefer a sweeter froyo. The toppings were kept on the counter in white bowls. They carry healthier toppings, including honey, olive oil, fresh fruit, housemade granola, housemade nut butters, toasted coconut, honeycomb, fig preserves, cacao nibs, etc. The pistachio butter is the most popular topping.

In addition to froyo, Tata’s also offers baked goods (made for them) and smoothies.

During my visit, there was one froyo flavor available. They are working on adding new flavors.

Prices: Small, includes one topping, $10; Medium, includes 2 toppings, $12; Large, includes three toppings, $15. Additional toppings are $1 each.

Tart Greek froyo (small) with almond butter on the side: The cup was small but the 6 oz portion felt satisfying. The froyo was smooth and clean-tasting. It was less sweet and mild in tartness. I could taste the honey. It was pleasant but not as flavorful (possibly because it was lightly sweetened). It wasn’t as rich and creamy, but it was thick, firm, and smooth. I liked that it did not melt quickly, and it tasted lighter and healthier. The almond butter was rich and creamy; it might have been sugar-free (I’m not sure). Pharos was more flavorful, but Tata's had better toppings, was cleaner in flavor, and had better texture (firm).

Tata’s opened on February 3, 2026, and is named after the founder’s grandfather. The interior is serene with soft, neutral colors, lots of curves, light wood, and plants. The interior smelled fabulous.



#5) Pharos Greek Frozen Yogurt, 110 Washington Ave CU9, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Pharos is a bit hard to spot as it shares a space with Sandwich Qbano. Look for the counter to the left of the entrance.

There were two froyo flavors available: plain Greek Yogurt and hazelnut.

The toppings were displayed in white and blue ceramic bowls on the counter. The toppings are healthier and include fresh fruit, nuts, granola, coconut, cacao nibs, crumbles, zero sugar spreads, kataifi pistachio crunch, honey, olive oil, matcha powder, etc.

Prices: Small, one topping, $7.99/ Medium, two toppings, $9.99/ Large, 3 toppings, $11.99

Plain Greek Yogurt with chopped pistachios, small: The froyo was smooth, creamy, and had more air than average. It also tasted sweeter than Tata’s, Meli, Plants & Bowls, and Myka. There was a bit of an icy edge. It tasted like yogurt but also had a distinctive taste. It was moderately tangy. The texture was softer, and it melted more quickly.

The hazelnut froyo had a mild hazelnut flavor and was also creamy and sweet.

The décor is Greek-inspired with lots of white and blue. There is limited seating inside (two small tables). Pharos opened in November 2025. It is counter-serve.



#6) Plants & Bowls, 140 NE 39th St #241, Miami, Florida 33137

Located inside MIA Market, an upscale food hall in the Miami Design District, Plants & Bowls is a clean-eating concept offering fresh juices, shots, superfood bowls, salads, smoothies, and wraps. They added Yōva Greek yogurt ice cream, made with 2% milk and no sugar, in March 2026.

One scoop is $6, and toppings are $1. While the menu says one scoop, it’s served as a swirl out of a soft serve machine. Toppings include fresh fruit, granola, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, chia seeds, nut butters, agave, honey, maple syrup, and sugar-free syrups. There was one flavor, plain.

Greek froyo: The texture was thick but not as creamy as some of the other Greek froyo places in Miami. The main issue is that it did not taste like yogurt. The flavor was faint in general. It tasted more like cream. It was not tangy. On the other hand, I appreciated that it was less sweet. In terms of flavor, it was on the bottom of my list of Miami froyo shops.

The toppings didn’t look as appealing as the other Miami froyo shops. However, in terms of value, the portion was larger than average and the price was reasonable.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

I skipped Go Greek Yogurt because I’ve been to the California locations many times. I prefer MELI and MYKA to Go Greek. Go Greek's texture is creamy but too soft. The froyo is also too sweet.

It's so interesting that all of these new shops are counter-serve. I also spotted a lot of sugar-free and no sugar added yogurt and toppings. The toppings are better and healthier as well. And most places charge based on cup size, bundling the cost of a topping or two in that price. 

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.