IKEA To Open in Miami: Five Reasons For Foodies To Rejoice

By Laine Doss Thu., Aug. 23 2012 at 9:22 AM

Ikea's coming to Miami.

IKEA announced last evening that the Swedish furniture chain plans to open a second South Florida store in Sweetwater. Pending approvals, construction of IKEA Miami could start in Spring 2013, with a store opening in Fall 2014. The 417,000 square-foot airplane terminal-sized store will be located adjacent to the Dolphin Mall. IKEA already has locations in Sunrise, Orlando, and Tampa.

IKEA, by the way, is a one-stop haven for foodies. In its giant walls lie everything you need for your kitchen and dining room -- including the actual kitchen and dining room. Here's a little preview of what to expect, just to get you salivating.

Y-Shumin via Flickr

Swedish meatballs

The IKEA Restaurant
More like a cafeteria, there's no candlelight, no waiter service, and not a lot of ambiance (unless you think the local mall food court is the best place to bring a date). But IKEA's restaurant has its own fan base thanks to their cheap Swedish meatball platters ($3.99) and gravlax ($4.99). The restaurant also offers kiddie portions for about half the price and weekly specials. Get there early for their 99 cent breakfast, consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, and potatoes or grab a cinnamon roll for a buck. Insane prices by a completely smart company -- go for the meatballs, buy a sofa.

Laine Doss

Herring and lots of it!

IKEA Food Shop
If you've been searching for cheap caviar, salted licorice, or lingonberry jam, you've come to the right place. Did you know that each IKEA contains an entire Swedish supermarket? From frozen salmon ($9.99 for four portioned filets) to a jar of seaweed ($2.29), to many kinds of herring (four jars for $6), it's like someone took the entire cast of the Little Mermaid and jarred them for your convenience.