You just drove 40 minutes in Miami traffic, skirting jaywalkers and Lambo maniacs, and then you had to drop way too much money on a damn parking spot. It almost takes all the excitement out of the Heat game or the big show you trekked downtown to see, right? What you need is a drink and a moment to chill to re-collect that Zen, and Pub Urbano, technically in Brickell but still on the downtown side of the river, is ready to pour you an ice-cold brew. You suck one down fast, and you've got time for another round, but now there's a grumble in your belly. No worries, mate. Pub Urbano ain't no ordinary watering hole. This place is primed to satisfy your beer-creepin' munchies with plenty of Mexican finger-food flavor. Try a warm sandwich torta for $10 with spiced pork, breaded bistec, or huevos rojos. The tacos are delectable and range from $7 to $8 depending upon a variety of meaty or veggie fillings. There are even a few $13 pizzas, along with $8 salad options if you're looking for something light. It's so good you're gonna wanna go back the next morning for breakfast. Yeah, Pub Urbano serves that too.

Readers' choice: Batch Gastropub

High-energy rock 'n' roll and tons of fun — that's what the Magic City's Plastic Pinks bring to the stage every time they put on a show. While these guys have the gift of turning every gig into one hell of a rager, the music is where it's at. Having performed alongside indie icons such as Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, Black Lips, and other garage giants of the ilk, June Summer and his "rad city sticky pop" crew released their first full-length album, Sunnyside Rabbits, on Burger Records last year. Recorded under the direction of AJ Davila of Davila 666, the Plastic Pinks' debut production was met with praise from critics and fans alike. But one of the highlights of the band thus far — not including its raucous III Points gigs, of course — was when the Miami boys rocked out at South by Southwest in Austin this spring. With a national music festival and a new single, "Kelly," released on Die Slaughterhouse Records, under their belt, the Plastic Pinks are working on their second album. Although an official release date has yet to be announced, you can always catch them wreaking rock 'n' roll havoc any given night.

Readers' choice: Afrobeta

Rick Moon has released two very different EPs in his career as a singer and songwriter. The first, 2012's Tired of Sleeping, showcased his ability to write catchy, upbeat songs without selling out or succumbing to cheap tricks. With slick production and beautiful lyricism, Tired of Sleeping gave many listeners reason to believe Moon was on his way to big things. But then life got in the way. In between Tired of Sleeping and his second EP, Cottage Scenes, he became addicted to drugs. It was a bleak and terrifying chunk of his life, one that saw him wandering through the streets of Overtown, searching for his next fix. But Moon, with the help of friends and music, pulled his life together. And from the ashes of his addiction, he created Cottage Scenes, a seven-track journey through despair, hopelessness, heartache, and, finally, survival. Moon wrote Cottage Scenes as part of his recovery process. The EP's title track, "Overtown," was written from a rehab facility New Year's Eve in Delray Beach. He has remained active since Cottage Scenes and is teasing a new album on his Facebook page. Wherever it falls on the spectrum between Tired of Sleeping and Cottage Scenes, we wait eagerly to hear what Moon has to say next.

Like a bright flame tree blooming in the spring, Camila Luna stands out from the crowd. With only one EP under her belt, the Spanish-language Flamboyán, Luna has already made national headlines thanks to her Latin Grammy nomination last year for Best Pop/Rock Album. Written by la cantante herself and produced by José Luis Pardo of Los Amigos Invisibles, the EP was officially released in 2014. However, it wasn't until 2015 that Luna's música was discovered by the industry at large. Best described as a mix of smooth, tropical vibes with a touch of reggae, Luna's acoustic guitar and soft voice are the main instruments on the title track, "Flamboyán." But in simplicity — the music video for her single "Flamboyán" was filmed using her iPhone in her grandmother's backyard in Puerto Rico — is where the singer shines. Although Luna didn't take home el premio for Best Pop/Rock Album last year, the singer isn't slowing down — the University of Miami alumna made an appearance at this year's Premio Juventud, recently dropped the single "Siento," and has been performing everywhere from the 305 to Madrid. The future is looking mighty bright for this Miami girl.

Los Herederos have made it their sworn job to share Yoruba culture with the world. "My grandma always said I would inherit something," says Philbert Armenteros, the band's lead singer and percussionist, of his abuela, who was a noted rumba dancer and singer in Havana. "Of course, in that moment I was too small and did not understand. As I grew older, I started realizing, Wow, I have a richness, and that richness was our folklore, our essence, our roots." Armenteros left his homeland when he was 18 but has made it his life's work to spread the music and culture of traditional religions such as Santería and Palo Malombe through rhythm and song. "This is what we have inherited — our gift — and it's what we need to share with the people."

If we had a nickel for every time someone groaned that Wynwood is "over," gentrified into oblivion, a shell of its former authentic glory days, this Best of Miami issue would be printed on gold leaf instead of paper. And, yes, Wynwood is very different from what it used to be. In the past five years, it has been stuffed full of enough selfies and corporate money to bloat the neighborhood into an almost unrecognizable cash cow. But whether you prefer the good old days of scrappy galleries or eagerly anticipate the gleaming future, you have to admit Wynwood is booming. This is largely thanks to its nightlife, which seems to grow each month. Locals remember the days when Wynwood had about two bars to choose from. Now, on each block awaits other options. Choices range from the Latin-tinged El Patio to the Wynwood hipster mainstay Wood Tavern. With Wynwood Brewing Company, J. Wakefield Brewing, and Concrete Beach Brewery, the hood is now home to three very good distributing breweries (and others are on the way). There are multiple craft cocktail bars, quality late-night eats, and innovative restaurants. And despite the neighborhood's insane popularity, almost everything in Wynwood is still reasonably affordable. Sure, come for the murals and the selfies, but stick around once the sun goes down. It's worth it.

When New Times interviewed Douglas Abernethy, vice president and general manager of Entercom Miami, the company behind 104.3 the Shark, he made us a promise: There would never be a single Creed or Nickelback song played on his station. That solemn pledge came last September, and we're pleased to say we haven't heard "With Arms Wide Open" befouling our airwaves a single time since. 104.3 the Shark came into South Florida with a laser-focused purpose — filling the alternative void in our corporate radio market. That was a large void indeed. We had classic rock, hip-hop, underground stations, hell, even a jazz night or two. But there really was nowhere to hear the early-'00s emo anthem you so desperately craved to get you through rush hour. From playing '90s grunge and '80s classics like Depeche Mode to the good old high-school Hot Topic angst of Panic! at the Disco and Taking Back Sunday, the Shark has exactly what you need, assuming what you need are power chords and skinny jeans.

Readers' choice: 104.3 the Shark

For all too many national music snobs, Miami is good for only Gloria Estefan nostalgia and Ultra Music Festival electro partying. But contrary to what other major cities would have you believe, the Magic City is a petri dish teeming with radical development. We may be comparatively small in size, but we have a million sonic flavors from which to choose. Miami's DJ DZA, famous for his handiwork on the Peach Fuzz parties, has been all over the world, and he recognizes the talent brewing in his own backyard. That's why he gathered his audiophile friends and founded Rear View Records, a label without any regard to genre or style. The only rule to being signed: You've got to be good, and you've got to be from Miami. It's a young label with just a few releases so far, among them the '90s house-style banger "Get Into Something" from LTENGHT and 305 vocalist B.Wav, as well as an EP from DZA favorite dark dream band Kodiak Fur. With a tons of other products in the works for 2016 in both digital and physical releases, Rear View Records already reflects everything that's brilliant and weird about Miami's music scene.

Umi Selah and Aja Monet created Smoke Signals Studio with the community in mind. For them, this is not a business, but a personal mission. The two run the studio out of their own Little Haiti home. Monet is a Brooklyn-born poet of Cuban-Jamaican descent. Selah was born in Chicago and, after graduating from Florida A&M University, cofounded the Florida activist group Dream Defenders. "A smoke signal is something that someone sends up when they're stranded, when they have lost all hope and they're looking for somebody to take notice and rescue them," Selah says. The concept for the studio is similar: to give a creative outlet to Miami's disenfranchised and underserved. Back then, Selah and Monet had hoped to raise $10,000 to get things off the ground. They ended up collecting more than $15,000, and now Smoke Signals is up and running. Because they operate out of their shared home, Selah and Monet prefer to keep their address private. But it's not difficult to get in touch with them. If you're in need of studio space and a warm, collaborative, uplifting environment, shoot an email to [email protected] and get the music started.

On the eve of Easter, Miami was blessed with the most beautiful, sweaty, and queer show the city has possibly ever seen. As the clock struck midnight Saturday, calling an end to Semana Santa's pious restraint, restorative vibes from Gooddroid, Poorgrrrl, Junglepussy, and Le1f rained down upon Bardot's intimate dance floor. Bardot's main stage is really just a quaint square. And as Junglepussy emerged, there was nothing blocking revelers from getting down with the 24-year-old New York-based rapper. So they did. But JP didn't mind — this is what she loves. She wiped sweat from her face and stayed hydrated with a nearby water bottle between belting out bangers such as "Get to Steppin" and "Spicy 103 FM." During Le1f's set, somehow two backup dancers fit behind the rapper — who has broken boundaries as a commercially successful gay hip-hop artist. Le1f enticed the crowd, keeping the energy up at all times. By the end of his set, all boundaries between the artist and the spectators had been lost. Miami's music freaks encircled him, feeding off one another's energy, moshing together as one sweaty unit until, finally, he had to leave.