Finest Foods >>

• Best Bread (1 Comment)
  Bon-Bon Bakery
  Carb-cravers, head to Little Havana. That’s where you’ll find Bon-Bon Bakery, which has been cranking out the baked stuff in Miami for 40 years. Here they sell hot Cuban bread straight from the oven. They also sell a variety of other breads with quirky names only Cubans could have come up with.... More >>
• Best Hamburger (4 Comments)
  Royal Castle
  Burgers stuffed with foie gras; burgers made from ground Kobe beef (destroying the whole point of this already butter-tender meat); burgers made from, and topped with, all manner of horrifyingly healthy stuff; burgers like the $99 double-truffle creation at DB's Bistro in Manhattan.... The... More >>
• Best Taco (3 Comments)
  Chéen-Huaye
  Your average Yucatecan wouldn't know a taco from a meatball parmigiana sandwich, but don't tell that to the owners of this neat and petite 40-seat restaurant, which specializes in cuisine from the Mayan peninsula. After all, if they want to sneak some fetching Mexican and Tex-Mex items onto... More >>
• Best Chicken Wings (3 Comments)
  Tom's NFL Club
  It seems appropriate to defer to an expert here. There is little disparity between wings — the best aren't all that much better than the worst. And we happen to prefer Hooters' plump cuts, which are dusted with flour and deep-fried, soaked with a sharp sauce, nothing more. Yes, keep it... More >>
• Best French Fries (5 Comments)
  Il Migliore Trattoria
  The Oxford English Dictionary traces "French-fried potatoes" back to 1894, and suggests that the usage is American in origin. "French-frieds" were first mentioned in print in 1915. The term "French fries" dates to the Thirties. "French 75" is a cocktail made from gin, Cointreau, champagne, and... More >>
• Best Hot Dog Stand (2 Comments)
  Super Franizado, Hot Dog on Wheels
  Francisco Cabrera came to Miami from Havana in 1980. "I am a licensed food vendor, living the American dream!" he proclaims, smiling. You might see Francisco speeding up and down Biscayne Boulevard in his bright-orange mobile hot dog stand. It looks like a large golf cart with a small cooking... More >>
• Best Chicken Dish
  Crispy Chicken Madison at 510 Ocean
  When prehistoric man cooked the first piece of chicken, he dreamed of a succulent piece of meat encased by a jacket of crispy, perfectly seasoned skin. And that hunch-backed, big-foreheaded man dreamed of said chicken being juicy, and with a hint of thyme and rosemary that would dance on his... More >>
• Best Fried Chicken
  Pack Supermarket and Cafeteria
  This hole-in-the-wall Haitian joint pretends to be a store, but the people lined up at the window and two-deep at the counter just want one thing: fried chicken. Or, as the Haitian cooks and customers say, poulet frite. The batter is crispy and delightful, not too oily. You could belly up to the... More >>
• Best Healthy Fast Food (1 Comment)
  Julio's Natural Foods
  (Sung to the tune of "Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard") Mama Pajama roll out of work and she run to the Sky Lakes Mall, man I say, "Oy, if she beats us there, boy There'll be no more wraps or sandwiches left there. "So I'm on my way I'm thirsting for a smoothie Maybe one of 100-plus juices,... More >>
• Best Salad (2 Comments)
  Doraku Sushi
  Sally seeks Doraku for the sake of the sake, or sometimes simply to sip saketinis. She salivates over the sensational sushi, sashimi, and seafood specialties — salmon, scallops, snapper, shrimp, sea bass, surf clams, smelt fish roe, and so on. She sighs when skimming over the salad section... More >>
• Best Caesar Salad
  Christy's
  A great caesar salad is a dish of rare beauty. A great free caesar salad is so rare and beauteous you want to fall to your knees and thank Goddess (or Caesar Cardini, who invented the thing). Actually the caesar salad at this old-timey Coral Gables steakhouse isn't exactly free; it comes with... More >>
• Best Cafe Cubano
  Mario's Latin Café
  If you're traveling through South Florida, Homestead is a good place to stop to refuel your internally combusted steed. And Mario's classy, comfortable restaurant next to the Inn at Homestead is a fine place to refuel yourself as well, by sucking down a perfectly made café cubano, a.k.a.... More >>
• Best Café con Leche
  El Pub
  The container is always the same: a small styrofoam cup with tight-fitting white plastic lid. The recipe doesn't vary much either: generally Bustelo-brand espresso in a 50/50 mix with steamed milk. Plus lots of sugar. It will come as sweet as candy unless you plead, over and over again, for no... More >>
• Best Butcher
  Che, Tano
  The American butcher is dead. He was flattened by a cross-country truck packed with Boar's Head lunchmeat and buried under a pile of supermarket killhouse fare. And while you can brave the obnoxious foodie crowd at Whole Foods for a $9 organic porkchop, that's not what red meat is about. At Che,... More >>
• Best Parrillada (1 Comment)
  Chéen-Huaye
  Your average Yucatecan wouldn't know a taco from a meatball parmigiana sandwich, but don't tell that to the owners of this neat and petite 40-seat restaurant, which specializes in cuisine from the Mayan peninsula. After all, if they want to sneak some fetching Mexican and Tex-Mex items onto... More >>
• Best Fajitas (1 Comment)
  Off the Grille Bistro
  It might seem off the wall to say that the place to get great fajitas is an upscale, healthy-fast-food eatery in a traffic-choked Kendall shopping mall. Not if you've eaten at Off the Grille Bistro, though. This sleek little place proves that good-tasting and good-for-you are not morons of the... More >>
• Best Arepas (5 Comments)
  Date Aqui
  Native to Venezuela and Colombia, the arepa is a corn pone split in half and then stuffed with goodness, resulting in a stomach-expanding cornmeal sandwich. At this small Venezuelan strip mall cafe, they have every variety, each less than $5: There's the basic cheese-and-butter filling with... More >>
• Best Tapas (1 Comment)
  El Carajo International Tapas & Wine
  One would not ordinarily expect the top tapas in town to be tendered from the interior of a Citgo gas station. Or any gas station, for that matter. Yet enter the convenience store in the Citgo just off U.S. 1 and SW Seventeenth Avenue, mosey on by the motor oil and potato chips and stuff, and... More >>
• Best Mofongo
  Papa Rudy's Restaurant & Cafeteria
  Mofongo is urban street lingo for bold and sassy in demeanor; a sultry or delicious presence; an attitude. As in: I mean like, damn son, dat bitch gots crazy mofongo, word up, all sorts of wanting to tap dat, for real ... mmm.... This colorful slang derives from the traditional Puerto Rican... More >>
• Best Fish Market (3 Comments)
  Captain Jim's Seafood
  While patrons at Garcia's and Casablanca's fawn over the Miami River, residents of the landlocked north swear by Captain Jim's. While it may lack the waterfront vista that inspires seafood lovers with the morbid satisfaction of eating something just killed, don't be fooled by the fish emporium's... More >>
• Best Fresh Seafood (1 Comment)
  Matsuri
  Madonna once ate here. Best fresh seafood. Case closed. What — the material girl's endorsement isn't good enough for you? You're demanding more evidence before agreeing with us that Matsuri makes other seafood restaurants seem a little fishy by comparison? Well, all right, but if you don't... More >>
• Best Crabcake
  Fifty Restaurant
  The ramifications of a perfect crabcake were, admittedly, underestimated by all to a vast degree. Who could have foreseen that when chef Roly Cruz-Taura first unveiled his masterpiece at Fifty Restaurant, a progressive American newcomer to South Beach's Ocean Drive, it would be so creamy and... More >>
• Best Conch Fritters
  Chef Creole
  For some reason there's an unspoken rule among many Miami restaurant owners to include some variation of conch fritters on their menus. Most of them possess the requisite crunchy exterior and soft interior; but few compare to the fritters that fly out of Chef Creole. The size and shape of a... More >>
• Best Fish Sandwich
  La Camaronera Fish Market
  It's standing room only come lunchtime at this long-time Flagler fish market, not only because locals flock here in abundant numbers, but also because there are no chairs. There is a counter to lean on, however, and all the makings of a real Cuban fish fry — including, most important, a... More >>
• Best Ceviche (2 Comments)
  El Nachito
  Anyone who's been in South Florida long enough to know that the summer heat and humidity can suck the blood right out of your veins also knows that some of the best Mexican food around can be had in Homestead and nearby Florida City. El Nachito is a bit off the beaten Krome Avenue path, but it's... More >>
• Best Baklava (6 Comments)
  Almazar
  This Greek/Middle Eastern newcomer draws FIU students from across the street for solid shawarma and falafel, but the star is the baklava. Flecked with pistachio or walnuts, for a mere buck and a quarter, the flaky delicacy is a godsend in Greek-poor Miami. Have yours with a cup of super-aromatic... More >>
• Best Falafel (2 Comments)
  Pita Hut Israeli Restaurant & Grill
  One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that he had changed overnight into a giant falafel ball. There was something fishy going on. Soon enough Gregor would figure things out: He was indeed a falafel ball, and a nice plump one at that — although... More >>
• Best Cheese (2 Comments)
  Marky's Gourmet
  Fiending for some Finnish Lappi? Craving Cambazola? Got a boner for some Bonne Bouche? Look no further, friend. Marky's has all of your bases covered — in cheese. Prices aren't much different than the usual supermarket fare (a ten-ounce hunk of Pecorino goes for $9.81), but the quality and... More >>
• Best Cupcakes (12 Comments)
  Sticky Fingers Cupcakes
  It's a fledgling operation run by a 27-year-old Johnson & Wales grad without a storefront, but Coliene Belle's cupcakes taste delicious — and are brilliantly marketed. Each is named for a song; Belle seems to favor pop music from the Eighties: "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a vanilla... More >>
• Best Key Lime Pie
  Quinn's
  Key lime pie is one of those quintessential South Florida dishes attempted by every professional and amateur in kitchens from the ocean to the bay to the river. But like fellow local staples Cuban sandwiches and conch fritters, not all pies are created equal. Quinn's, a restaurant perched on... More >>
• Best Ice Cream
  Swensen's Restaurant and Ice Cream
  The cover of Swensen's menu is enough to send a diabetic into shock. Layers of ice cream covered in caramel, fudge, whipped cream, and peanuts, plus a cherry on top, will have you salivating simply from staring at the photo. Swensen's does have another menu, one filled with hamburgers and... More >>
• Best Chocolate (1 Comment)
  Wendy's Chocolates and Gift Baskets
  For thirteen years Wendy's Chocolates has been creating custom candies for parties and gifts. This quaint little shop at the end of a pink antique mall is filled to the brim with adorable offerings. It's decorated according to the season, with stuffed animals and baskets bearing... More >>
• Best Bakery (1 Comment)
  Delices de France French Bakery
  As you pass the bistro-style tables outside of this bakery you'll see why it's worth the drive south. Upon entering — past the sign that states that all baking is done on premises, using only natural ingredients — an assortment of pastries and breads will leave you clueless as to what... More >>
• Best Gelato
  Coco Gelato
  Gustavo Sidelnik was a young man in love when he first started making gelato. He had caught sight of a beautiful Italian maiden, Rosa, sitting at the counter of her father's gelateria. Sidelnik strolled in and begged the owner, Don Giuseppe, for a job. The old gelato-maker agreed. Sidelnik... More >>
• Best Asian Grocery (2 Comments)
  PK Oriental Mart
  Considering how few truly good authentic Chinese restaurants there are in Miami-Dade County, it is astonishing how many excellent Asian markets there are. And while a few, like Japanese Market on the 79th Street Causeway, specialize in the ingredients of a single country, most carry packaged... More >>
• Best Carry-Out Chinese/South (1 Comment)
  Peking One Chinese Restaurant
  You wouldn't think there's much special about Peking One if you just pass by. It's a three-table takeout space with pink Formica walls, white tile, and a counter. Above the counter, the menu is a series of photographs of typical dishes, each on a flowered white plate surrounded by baby's breath... More >>
• Best Carry-Out Chinese/North
  Bamboo Garden II
  Little Garden secret: If you eat in, you get scrumptious ice cream for dessert. You also get brilliant service, bright surroundings, and damn good Chinese-American food. But the Garden's also the place for takeout — right on Biscayne, plenty of parking, and damn good Chinese-American food.... More >>
• Best Seafood Pasta (2 Comments)
  French Kiss Terrasse
  Put together two of the tastiest food items on the planet — freshly made pasta and lobster — and you have one reason why this tres French Coconut Grove cafe is a bright new addition to our local dining scene. Take a creamy-dreamy force of Maine lobster; pipe it into pillowy half-moon... More >>
• Best Risotto
  Caramelo Restaurant
  An Italian rice specialty made by stirring hot stock into rice, half a cup at a time, until all the liquid is absorbed. Carol, for $100....What is risottoçThat is correct. Okay, Alex. I'll stay with Holy Arborio for $200.He said, "People really know me in Coral Gables for my risotto. We... More >>
• Best Juice Bar
  Richard's Fruit Center
  You feel like jumping off the roof of your downtown office. No, you feel like jumping off the roof wearing a vest made of spikes, so you can take out as many people on impact as possible. The thought occurs to you only in passing. You doodle a basic outline of the spike vest on a blank memo... More >>
• Best Smoothie
  Pinecrest Wayside Market
  This charming roadside stand has fresh fruit and gourmet snacks, but its most faithful customers — kids and parents from Pinecrest Elementary next door, tourists on their way to Fairchild Tropical Garden, commuters from Old Cutler Road — come for the smoothies and shakes. For less than... More >>
• Best Saketini
  Dragon
  We love Dragon, the sushi den set off to the side of, but within, China Grill — which we also love. Grab a seat at one of the hammered iridescent stained copper tabletops, or at the giant communal table that sits in the center of the space and seats fourteen, and get set for some very fine... More >>
• Best Microbrewed Beer
  The Miami Area Society of Homebrewers (MASH)
  Miami is not a beer town. There are a few good brewpubs (the Abbey, Titanic) but generally, it's all Corona, pricey Italian piss-water, and domestic swill. As a result, the 50 paunchy members of the town's most beer-hungry citizenry have taken to brewing in their homes. On the third Monday of... More >>
• Best Bagel (1 Comment)
  Harriet & Bob's Bagel Cove
  In New York, a bagel is a bagel. Everywhere else, a bagel is bread. Some say New York City's unique way with bagels has something to do with the water, but if you know where to look you can actually find a decent specimen in the sixth borough, too. Harriet and Bob, a pair of transplanted New... More >>
• Best Croissant (1 Comment)
  Uva 69
  Uva makes its croissants on-site and uses real butter. The result is flaky and airy, best enjoyed with a cafe au lait, while seated in the shade of the outdoor restaurant. Varieties abound: plain ($1.88), chocolate ($2.68), and ham and cheese, spinach and cheese, or almond (also $2.68). If... More >>
• Best Delicatessen
  Sam's
  It's all about the pastrami. In Miami, the word "deli" is used to refer to almost any eatery that has any kind of food behind glass counters. But New Yorkers know that "deli" doesn't merely mean a place. Deli is also a food group. And the assumed word preceding it is "Jewish." When you eat deli,... More >>
• Best Place To Pick A Peck Of Pickled Peppers
  Kalinka Russian-European Delicatessen
  Actually this is the best place to pick a peck of all sorts of specialties from Mother Russia, which is why immigrants from the Old World flock to this deli/grocery from several counties away. They come for the herring, halvah, kasha, caviar, candies, kefir, smoked fish, sundry sausages,... More >>
• Best Health Food Store (1 Comment)
  Apple-a-Day Natural Food Market
  There are two types of health food stores in this world: Giant chains with lots and lots and lots of goods, and small, privately owned places with much less stuff. So why choose the latter? For the personal touch. For the laser-beam focus on truly nutritional foods, not hamburgers and... More >>
• Best Prepared Foods (1 Comment)
  The Fresh Market
  This is the prettiest food market at which to shop — like an old-time general store, but bigger and with better lighting. Serene classical music and dazzling produce grab attention as you first enter, but the island in the center of the store is where the finest array of prepared foods is... More >>
• Best Gourmet Grocery
  Norman Brothers Produce
  Norman Brothers Produce is like a candy store for gourmands. Oh, you can actually get candy here too — the display cases along the store's left wall are filled with fancy chocolates, cookies, and jimmy-covered pretzels in all shades of brown and cream. But for people who love to cook and... More >>
• Best Farmers Market (1 Comment)
  South Florida Farmers Market
  Farm-fresh sno cones, anybodyç Not really, but at most of South Florida's so-called farmers markets, even imported South American produce generally takes a back seat to booths offering processed fast foods, incense, jewelry, sunglasses, even massages. Where to go if you are seeking... More >>
• Best U-Pick
  Home Grown U-Pick
  "Strawberry fields are not forever, at least not in Kendall, anyway," chuckles Bill Taylor, as he points to the Publix across the street with his large, calloused hand. "Those chain stores pick the tomatoes when they're green, and they sit in a cooler somewhere to ripen. If you pick them out... More >>
• Best Righteous Meal (1 Comment)
  St. City Church of God
  That's right, it's a church. As a way to raise money for the small congregation, St. City has been selling barbecue chicken and pork out of a little street-side stand for years. You can probably smell the parking lot-hogging barbecues (old steel barrels) from heaven. People line up just to buy... More >>