Eat & Drink

Egyptian brothers make Miami’s best bagels. Islam and Khaled Mohammed came to the United States from their Mediterranean homeland in 2001 and took up work in bakeries throughout New York and New Jersey. In 2012, they opened the exposed-brick-covered Toasted Bagelry & Deli on a clogged Brickell thoroughfare. But they came on strong. On Sundays, they churn out more than 4,000 of the chewy little rounds topped with everything from salty-savory whitefish salad to the comforting combination of lox, eggs, and onions ($6.99). Toasted does things the old way, using kosher malt, flour conditioner, and filtered water to produce pristine bagels. However, none of that matters if you can’t get your hands on a hot one. So reconsider sleeping in on weekends.

Readers’ choice: Bagel Emporium & Grille

Two words bring joy to the hearts of transplanted New Yorkers living in Miami: hand-rolled bagels. Bagel Cove has them, and though purists prattle about New York producing the only decent version (while citing the Big Apple’s water quality as the basis of their argument), the fact is that these are damn good bagels that don’t require hopping a plane. Served with “schmear” ($2.79), they’re a breakfast staple. But go for the gusto and add some nova, tomato, and onion ($12.95) for the ultimate breakfast. There’s also a slew of other breakfast items designed to make you homesick for Bubbe, like the nova, eggs, and onions together in a scramble ($9.29) and the matzo brei with onion ($8.95). Starting your day at Bagel Cove is like going home again — if home were Brooklyn.

Readers’ choice: Buena Vista Deli

Brunch, like many things in Miami, tends to be way overpriced for the same boring thing. A few eggs, a pancake here and there, and a little prosecco with OJ, and you’re looking at about 50 bucks in some places. Add a handful of peel-and-eat shrimp and some mini Danishes, call it a buffet, and you could be dropping 100 bucks for your meal. What if you could get a spicy, savory, exotic breakfast for less than $20? A shakshuka with eggs, tomatoes, and spices, bubbling hot from the oven, is served with thick slices of rustic bread ($12). A Benedict with house-made merguez sausage comes with fiery harissa hollandaise ($16). There’s even an authentic Egyptian brunch that takes up your entire table with clay bowls brimming with delights such as feta cheese, fava bean stew, and eggs scrambled with cured beef tenderloin, all for $16. As you dine in the friendly loft-like space filled with travel posters and freshly cut sunflowers, you may find yourself daydreaming that you’re in a Greek taverna or a Moroccan café. Just have another glass of sangria (bottomless for $20) and go with it, because brunch at Mina’s is like an afternoon in the Mediterranean. By the way, your “vacation in a brunch” is served Saturday and Sunday, so you can staycation twice a week.

Readers’ choice: Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

Sometimes you want a classic eggs Benedict and mimosa for brunch. Other times (like any given Saturday or Sunday afternoon) you desire infinite amounts of sushi and sashimi, oysters, and baby-back ribs doused in chili, ginger, and scallions. If you’re itching for the latter, head to Zuma. The fare at this Japanese izakaya located on the ground floor of the swank Epic in downtown doesn’t come cheap (brunch costs $95 per person), but you can easily drink your money’s worth in umami marys (Zuma’s version of a bloody mary, containing house-made truffle dashi vodka). There’s also uninterrupted service of sake, lychee martinis, and other rotating Japanese-inspired libations. If you want a sure thing, head to the raw counter, where you can reel in as much fresh catch as your plate (and stomach) can handle. Just be sure to leave room for at least one poached egg with chilled soba noodles. Then there’s the ever-changing dessert platter, which is a reflection of the pastry chef’s sweet tooth. Regardless of what you choose, one thing is certain: You’re in for a treat.

If it’s true that we first eat with our eyes, Sugar Yummy Mama’s cupcakes, cake pops, and other delights are a delicious visual feast. Owner Giselle Pinto opened her Sugar Yummy Mama food truck around Valentine’s Day 2011 and, appropriately, stole Miami’s heart with colorful cake pops and cupcakes in cutesy flavors. There was “bananarama” and yummy “wuava.” Even hardened cynics couldn’t resist her confections, often bedecked with sprinkles, hearts, or, in the case of the recent 101 Gay Weddings event thrown by celebrity chef Art Smith, bow ties and bridal finery. Now Pinto has opened a brick-and-mortar bakery in Wynwood, where she sells to retail customers and takes orders for custom creations that range from branded cupcakes for corporate events to a mountain of cake pops for a sweet birthday celebration. Take one bite of her Bermuda Triangle cake pop (a take on the classic Caribbean rum cake), and you’ll be forever lost under Sugar Yummy Mama’s spell.

Readers’ choice: Zak the Baker

A cup of steaming milk, a shot of cafecito, and a pile of sugar can turn any day into the sweetest day ever. Willy’s Bakery is known for creating some of the tastiest cakes in East Hialeah, but try one drop of la dulcería‘s café con leche and you’ll find yourself making frequent visits to la Ciudad que Progresa. It’s not just the price ($1 for a small, $1.50 for a medium, and $2 for a large); it’s that every lick of this liquid gold is made to order. You control the intensity (“oscuro o claro,” dark or light) and the amount of sweetness (“con azúcar o sin azúcar,” with or without sugar). From the moment the café is poured into your cup and the boiling milk is served from the stainless-steel dispenser, you prepare yourself. Take the first sip of that perfect blend of silky milk, bitter espresso, and sugary goodness, and it’s love.

A typical trip to Casola’s goes something like this: You stumble in — probably inebriated after midnight — and can’t help but immediately go for the free squares of pizza. The first thought that pops into your head is, Mmmm. Pizza. So. Good. But before you place an order for the shop’s colossal, saucy, greasy, and cheesy slices, think about tomorrow. Do you want to regret eating a wedge of bread and molten cheese larger than your face, or would you rather tell yourself you made a wise decision by going for the chicken salad croissant ($7.29)? Hear us out. Yes, croissants are those flaky, buttery pastries that leave crumbs all over your face. Well, at Casola’s, they’re baked fresh every morning. (Side note: They are huge. Like stupid big.) And they come stuffed with savory fillings like ham, turkey, salami, roast beef, and chicken salad. About that last one, the chicken salad: It’s also made in house. It’s the standard recipe — chicken, mayo, salt, pepper, lemon juice, more mayo, and a lot of love. If for some bizarre reason you’re still thinking about pizza, throw some Swiss cheese on your toasty croissant. It’ll be like falling in love with Casola’s all over again after ordering pizza for the past 33 years. And if you don’t remember it the next morning, just head back for another when the croissants are hot out of the oven.

Who would have thought the French could make delicious, smooth lattes? This seems especially unlikely in Miami, where the combination of milk and espresso is reserved solely for cafe con leche made by Cuban mamis and papis. Yet Miam Café & Boutique — which takes its name from the French word miam, meaning “yum” — can give those mamis and papis a run for their money. Not only does the coffeehouse roast refreshing blends, but it also offers sweet and savory treats. The items may be on the pricier side, but that’s because they use organic ingredients and, hey, they’re French! Take, for instance, the Miam version of a breakfast burrito ($6.50): gloriously fluffy eggs, surrounded by crisp bacon, with roasted potatoes tossed in the mix, all smothered in a secret sauce that tastes like sour cream and then wrapped in a flour tortilla. It may appear a strange combination at first, but one bite will have you closing your eyes in ecstasy. The freshly baked cookies and pastries are also more than satisfactory. So are the sandwiches and homemade soups. Come for the coffees and lattes ($4), but stay for the pastries ($2.25 to $5) and sandwiches ($4.50 to $10). Plus, the café is located in the heart of Miami’s hottest neighborhood, Wynwood.

Readers’ choice: Panther Coffee

It doesn’t matter whether the empanadas are large or small, baked or fried, or packed with chicken or picadillo. What’s most important is that they’re not underfilled. Too many in Miami are, and too many first bites through golden crusts reveal little or nothing at all. You won’t find these disappointments at Richard Alvarez Guerra’s Ricky Bakery. Here, the fried empanadas filled with golden-raisin-studded picadillo ($2.15) feature bubbly, crisp crusts that seem ready to burst at the slightest touch. The baked varieties are just as crave-worthy, with flaky, slightly sweet crusts folded around spicy chorizo and chopped ham. The coups de grâce, however, are those filled with spinach. There’s no salty meat to hide any shortfalls. It’s only you and a mound of emerald-tinted greens mingled with stretchy cheese. Eating one is a treat and a challenge. Nibble a bit off the corner to give some of the heat a chance to escape. The courageous few can dive right in. Just be ready for the burn.

For more than 40 years, Rio Cristal Restaurant has been serving dishes with origins in the small Cuban town of Güines. The famous original steak may be the most popular dish, but like a celebrity in a hat and dark shades, it’s covered in fries. The other plate that deserves the spotlight is the flan de Rio Cristal ($3.90), which is silky-smooth and has just the right jiggle. It tastes like something abuela would make. The sugary syrup gathers at the bottom, and each spoonful requires a dip in for extra sweetness. The creamy consistency is king, and the sweet syrup is the queen. Miami has long embraced flan, and this one is a mainstay. Be sure to try it, but don’t forget to brace yourself: It’s so good you may get weak in the knees.

The cubano ($5.45) at Luis Galindo’s Latin American Cafeteria & Restaurant begins with thick slices of juicy pork. It continues with crisped Cuban bread and then crescendos amid ropes of stretchy Swiss cheese lathered in mustard. This Calle Ocho cafeteria still bears the name of its original owner. Luis’ brother, Raul, was revered because he served one of the city’s favorite cubanos at his Coral Way spot, which was a spiritual home for El Exilio way back when. Though Luis Galindo’s was bought out long ago by a Lebanese-Syrian man raised in Cuba, it maintains its beating heart. Every day, masters take the pulpit at the restaurant’s center to slice and stack sandwiches. By noon, the place is serving at a fever pitch as crowds squeeze in to pay their respects and take a bite of history.

In 2002, a cop named Alex Hernandez began stopping at Calle Ocho’s El Exquisito for a caffeine-and-medianoche refuel. Even after he left the force, he remained a regular. So when Heliodoro Coro, who opened the place in 1974, put it up for sale in 2011, it was easy to figure out who should take over. Hernandez quickly retooled the kitchen, brought in a new chef, and now pumps out pristine Cuban fare for camera-toting tourists and ravenous locals alike. The rotating list of daily specials is the reason to return. Finish your Monday with long-braised oxtails ($9.99); this unctuous, fatty meat slips rights off the bone. On Tuesdays, pause for lunch with fabada asturiana ($4), studded with meaty white beans and tangy rounds of the blood sausage morcilla. Meanwhile, the medianoche ($5.75) is perfectly reliable any time of day throughout the week. Sweet egg bread is pressed to a pleasant crunch on the outside, but it remains fluffy inside. The pork is perfect, and the juicy, savory shreds rest atop a layer of gooey Swiss cheese that provides a barrier for a mountain of sweet-salty ham. So don’t fear the tour buses. In fact, show the visitors where to go. You’re a banana republic ambassador.

Readers’ choice: Versailles Restaurant

Have you tried real, true shrimp croquetas? If you haven’t visited La Gamba, the answer is probably no. This Coconut Grove stalwart is the only place we know of that fries the golden spheres of béchamel first and then adds the beloved crustacean. La Gamba provides a fresh take on classic homestyle Spanish cooking. The gazpacho ($8) has just the right balance of acidity and sweetness. The texture is neither too creamy nor too chunky. Also flawless is the fideuà ($18), a dish similar to paella that replaces rice with baked noodles. Another thing you’ve probably never had before: huevos estrellados con chanquetes. Translation: broken eggs (as in fried organic eggs) with browned baitfish ($12). Get it for dinner or brunch with a glass of vino. Like everything else on the menu at La Gamba, it deserves to be devoured.

Few eating experiences are as glorious as the one found inside fritangas. They are wonderlands of hangover-friendly delights. Take, for instance, the ubiquitous queso frito. The fat rectangle of fried white cheese is carne asada’s longtime friend. But leave one sitting on a steam table too long and it goes from a bubbly, crisp, and slightly gooey treat to a chewy, flimsy mess. Chayito’s is the rare Nicaraguan spot where the cheese is fried à la minute, as the French would say. Every platter of juicy carne asada ($8.50), baby churrasco ($11.50), pork ($8), and chicken ($8) comes with rice, tortillas, maduros, and salad, but be sure to order the cheese for $2 extra. You won’t regret it.

Wolves howl when the moon is full, but Miamians head to La Moon for late-night Colombian hot dogs, arepa burgers, and yuca frita. In any other American city, the go-to drunk food is hot dogs, burgers, and fries. Here, Miamians are fortunate enough to get this kind of fare with some Colombian flair. The supermoon perro ($6.99), for instance, comes with smoked sausage, bacon, and a quail egg. It’s artistically drizzled with five sauces and topped with potato sticks for some crunch. Need more? This place serves arepas bigger than your face! If you miss your La Moon late at night, no worries — it’s open in the morning with that classic Colombian hangover cure: sancocho. The Colombian soup is served with beef daily, but Fridays you can get sancocho de gallina served with rice, salad, and a cornmeal pancake.

With all of the very good Mexican eateries in Homestead, it can be difficult to settle on just one. But after you saunter into La Cruzada’s auburn building, you know you’re in the right place. There are the hulking tortas, the massive mound of spinning pork for tacos al pastor, and the canoe-like huaraches that magically float by, leaving a nutty-spicy aroma in their wake. The kicker is the pambaso ($5.49), a football-size loaf of bread dipped into a red guajillo chili sauce and served with carne asada and roasted potatoes. A squiggle of sour cream and a sprinkle of salty cotija cheese ensure that if you make it back to work, you’ll be doing little other than dozing off.

Argentina is much more than pampas, the tango, and carne. And Argentine restaurants are some of the best this town has to offer. At La Patagonia, named for that nation’s southern reaches, you get a long list of good stuff, including free valet parking; a cozy atmosphere; delectable empanadas ($2.50) to start your meal; homemade pasta such as linguine, fettuccine, gnocchi, and ravioles de espinaca with spinach and mushroom fillings; reasonably priced steaks like bife de chorizo (a 16-ounce grilled New York strip) with mixed greens for $16.95; a parrillada platter packed with skirt steak, short ribs, flap meat, sausage, blood sausage, and sweetbreads for $16.50; and a panqueque de dulce de leche (caramel crepe) to close out your meal for just $5. There are bonuses too: Food is likely to be delivered by the friendly owners. You receive 50 percent off the food portion of the bill on weekends, And you get a bonus with your bill: a coupon card for half off your next visit — as if you needed more incentive to return. Winner, winner, steak dinner! La Patagonia Argentina is more than a fine restaurant. It’s a revelation in hospitality.

Rooster sculptures guard this pocket-size, cafeteria-style spot in Little Havana. That may be because El Gallito Coffee Shop offers far more than just a stiff, sugary cup of café. Stop by in the morning for hulking baleadas. The chewy flour tortillas cost only $4 each and come stuffed with soft-scrambled eggs, refried black beans, and (usually) a fan of sweet Florida avocado slices. Later in the day, order the pollo ceibeño ($9). The iconic Honduran preparation offers a protein — in this case a pair of thick-crusted fried chicken thighs atop a mound of fried plantains crowned with curtido, a ripping-hot condiment made of fermented cabbage, carrot cubes, and red onion. Grab a container to go.

Gastón Acurio needs no introduction. The chef, restaurateur, and official ambassador of Peruvian cuisine is to Peru what Jacques Pepin is to France. Acurio has opened 40 restaurants worldwide, including his flagship Astrid & Gastón in Lima, which is ranked number two on TheWorlds50Best.com‘s list of the top restaurants in Latin America. But that’s not the only one of his establishments to earn a place on the coveted roster. La Mar’s outpost in Lima sits at number 14. Now on Brickell Key, you can get a taste of Peru’s (and Latin America’s) best without having to fly overseas. Simply pay for valet parking (free during lunch and $12 at dinner with validation) at the Mandarin Oriental. A universe of Nikkei (the fusion of Japanese and Peruvian) flavors awaits you. Try the inimitable chaufa aeropuerto ($26), which combines Chinese sausage, roast pork, shrimp omelet, Nikkei sauce, and pickled salad with pan-fried rice in a superheated stone bowl. Or check out the day’s catch, fried whole and steeped in a Peruvian-Japanese spicy sauce ($49). Adventuresome eaters can nosh on veal or chicken heart skewers from the anticucho grill. Of course, the plethora of ceviche options shouldn’t be overlooked — the citrusy fish staple of Peruvian gastronomy is what made Gastón Acurio and La Mar household names.

They say good things come in small packages, but condensing a region the size of Brazil into one restaurant is quite a feat. Little Brazil in North Beach gives you a taste of flavors from the largest country in South America. On weekends, feijoada — the national dish — is served. It’s a black bean stew with fresh and dried beef, salted and fresh pork, bacon, sausage, and ribs. This meaty masterpiece is served over collard greens with orange slices and farofa. There is also excellent churrasco, but one dish that steals the show every day of the week for lunch and dinner is the Salada Little Brazil ($16.95). It has plump pieces of Brazilian sausage and jumbo shrimp in a garlic, white wine, and lemon butter sauce over mixed greens, palm hearts, tomato, and carrots. Go little in a big, Brazilian, and beefy way!

High blood pressure? Slide over to Sam Konata’s North Miami spot. There, the lifelong Rastafarian will serve you a plate of spicy rainbow Swiss chard. “All you need vitamin K, and that’s what you’ll get,” says the 58-year-old proprietor of Konata’s. It’s been five years since he opened this spotless vegan place serving Ital food. No, we don’t mean Italian. Ital is the diet all Rastafarians keep, and it’s as spicy, rich, and satisfying as any plate of oxtail. Better yet, his ever-changing lineup of $11 vegan lunches will do more than fill your belly; it’ll satisfy your soul. “This is life food,” Konata says, “and it’s all ya really need.”

The rest of the week, you can eat all the fried conch and oxtail you like. But the weekends are reserved for something special: souse. At Liberty City’s powder-blue Bahamian Pot, Trudy Ellis offers souse with chicken ($6) or pork ($8). The hearty stew begins with tripe sautéed with mirepoix (a mixture of chopped onions, carrots, and celery), vinegar, and blistering-hot chilies. A pork stock is poured atop and heated to a ripping boil, turning each bit of offal into a velvety bite. Finally, the main protein is added alongside some of its juices to round out the spicy potion. If you ask nicely, maybe, just maybe, Trudy will give you one or two of her famed johnnycakes. The cornbread rounds are the perfect medium for sucking up all of that luscious sauce and cooling down the heat.

In French, the word “chez” loosely translates to “at the home of.” In Little Haiti’s Chez Le Bebe, the homestyle treat is the goat’s head stew ($10), served in limited quantities — only weekend mornings. The crowds flood in for this one, as did the Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern. The rest of the week, you can get your griot and oxtail fix, but on days off, it’s the roasted head, spicy and bubbling in a cauldron of vegetables and potatoes. Weekdays, Chez Le Bebe is a reliable spot for heaping containers of crunchy plantains and the crisp fried pork chunks called griot ($4) or oxtail ($10) in a rich gravy that doubles as an excellent sauce for the accompanying pile of rice and pigeon peas.

Readers’ choice: Tap Tap

Miami Shores is not quite Paris, and the medical/office building on NE Second Avenue that houses Côte Gourmet doesn’t much resemble the iconic Hausmann architecture of the City of Lights. But get beyond that and you’ll discover a quaint, authentic bistro run by a French husband-and-wife team. Evelyn toils in the kitchen while Yvan tends to the front of the house. The service at times is slow, but charming touches such as red ribbons tied around the dinner napkins and a solid, well-priced wine selection make up for it. Try the soups, which rotate daily. Made from fresh vegetables, they’re wonderful, satisfying, and not at all salty. Escargots ($11) are delicious, especially with fresh bread, and the smoked salmon crepe ($16.95) is a great meal when you don’t want to weigh yourself down with a heavy steak. French food is supposed to be all about comfort, and at Côte Gourmet, you can experience a meal like the French do — one that’s simple, well prepared, reasonably priced.

We’re not sure whether Tony Soprano is still alive. After all, that last scene in The Sopranos‘ series finale was mighty ambiguous. But if he were to visit South Beach, he’d take his goombahs to Il Mulino. The restaurant has locations in New York, Atlantic City, and Sunny Isles Beach, to name a few, but the South Beach outpost looks like it stepped out of Italian Vogue. The dining room is all white — so much so that you think maybe you should order white wine and something without marinara. Fuhgeddaboutit! You’re about to eat like a don! For starters, you’ll be offered freshly baked bread with carved parmigiano — just a nibble while you peruse the menu. Pasta dishes come in full or half portions. A fettuccine with rustic lamb ragu is fragrant, spicy, and a touch gamey. Get the half, because you want room for one of the West Third Street favorites — like the fall-off-the-bone osso bucco ($58), a generous veal shank slow-roasted in a red-wine-and-porcini-mushroom sauce and served with risotto. It’s hearty, yet it’s like butter. Chef Artie at the fictional Vesuvio couldn’t make a better dinner himself.

Perhaps you’re the fortuitous progeny of no-nonsense Italians who would rather be nailed to a cross than served dried pasta. If you’re not that lucky, head to Española Way. Yes, Española Way. There, Sicilian-born chef GianPaolo Ferrera plies guests with more than a half-dozen handmade pastas that could entice anyone to re-embrace gluten and carbs like two long-lost cousins. There are also lovable red-sauce classics like chicken Parmigiana ($18), pounded thin and fried up crisp. The hefty lamb shank ($29), which takes a long, slow braise in red wine before it collapses into a delicious mess, is also a fine choice. Then there’s the wine. A dozen options by the glass, all for $8 or less, have been culled from all over Italy’s boot. Bottles of reds and whites from France and Italy are offered for under $30. Meanwhile, the only pasta that crests the $20 mark is the ravioli filled with ricotta and Parmesan and then sprinkled with a flurry of black truffle. Otherwise, it’s a wonderland of tagliatelle, cavatelli, gnocchi, and fiocchetti. They pair best with stretchy pants.

The Indian food most Americans know comes from that country’s north, in a region today called the Punjab. It was the seat of British imperialism in India and thus its cuisine migrated back to the United Kingdom and eventually America. At Imlee, brothers Manoj and Paresh Bhatti offer pristine interpretations of many well-known and loved Punjabi classics. There are vegetarian favorites like dal makhani ($14.95), featuring a variety of lentils in a fragrant blend of spices and shocked with a pad of butter before being served. Paneer, a wildly popular homemade cheese, is slathered in a rich, creamy almond sauce ($15.95) or covered in a forest-green sauce made from spinach and hefty doses of garam masala, turmeric, and cumin. There are, of course, more exotic choices such as lamb do pyaza ($24.95). The thick, onion-tinged gravy offers sweet notes that pair perfectly with the meat’s gaminess. There’s also an escape to India’s south with a Goan fish curry ($19.95) that douses firm-fleshed whitefish in a spicy, intoxicating coconut mixture.

Just because you can’t go to Mykonos doesn’t mean you can’t go to Mykonos, in Miami that is. We’re referring to the decades-old restaurant on Coral Way that serves authentic Greek fare at affordable prices. The gyros — available on a platter ($11.95) or individually ($7.95) — are the most popular items, and for good reason. Mykonos Greek Restaurant knows how to make the lamb perfectly tender and proffers some of the finest tzatziki in town. If you think tzatziki makes everything better, you’re right. Other favorites include the aromatic chicken and lemon soup ($4.95) and the vegetarian moussaka ($9.95). Cap it all off with some Greek wine and baklava ($3.50). You’ll forget you haven’t actually left the 305.

As soon as you eye your bento box, there’s a problem. Where to start? This is the only option proffered by chef Kevin Cory, so you’d better be smart. A dozen little compartments carefully hold uni, tofu — is that battera? You’re dizzy, right? Take a moment to breathe. Hold on, take it slow. Think while you savor lobster and avocado. Take a sip of corn miso, then seaweed with shiso. It’s all followed up by nutty rice with bamboo. Next, move to kingfish, steamed and quite light. Follow with pork jowl, a meaty little bite. Now you think you’re done, and you’re sad. But then sweetened rice dumplings appear with whatever fruit happens to be in season. Douse them with matcha, an earthy green tea, then pause to realize you now know what lunch should be.

Try to sound it out slowly: Phuket Thongsodchaveondee (“poo-ket tong-so-cha-ven-dee”). Got it? Good. Now you know who’s saving Miami from peanut-buttery pad thais and so-called curries containing little more than jarred paste and canned coconut milk. Thongsodchaveondee’s tiny Biscayne Boulevard spot is covered with ads for superhero movies ripped out of Thai magazines. The offerings scribbled on a chalkboard menu demand a double take. There’s branzino in orange curry ($25); fresh, flat noodles with grilled pork shoulder in a thick, savory miso broth ($10); and fried rice studded with chunks of fermented pork sausage ($9). The cook, who formerly worked at Bal Harbour’s famed Makoto, learned much of his art from his father, who once owned a hotel in Phuket Province, known for its azure waters. Perhaps Miami’s similarly stunning beaches are what drew Thongsodchaveondee to the Magic City. Whatever happened, we’re glad he brought the flavors of home with him.

West Miami-Dade’s Lung Gong Restaurant has long been adored for its blue menu, which proffers palate-searing Sichuan-style cuisine. While the squeamish can dine on all the General Tso’s chicken they like, enthusiasts can select from plates of shredded pig ear in black bean sauce ($12.95) and claypot pork braised with chestnuts ($13.95). The place recently got a new owner, but don’t fret. Manager Jim Liu, husband of owner Yingxi Wang, says longtime favorites such as whole snapper cooked in a numbing combination of dried peppers and Sichuan peppercorns ($16.98) will stick around.

Readers’ choice: Tropical Chinese

Speedily spirit your Shanghai soup dumplings ($7.99) away from Dumpling King. The aim is to get them home once they’ve cooled just a bit. When you’re safely away from judging eyes, you can pierce the little pouches, releasing their glossy broth for your sipping enjoyment. You’re at home, so feel free to slurp as loudly as you like. Nor must you contain the pain of an inevitable burn. Then move on to little fried purses filled with pork and pak choi ($6.99) or a bowl of scalding-hot mapo tofu ($6.99). If you’re smart, you remembered to bring home sweet taro bubble tea ($4) to cool things down.

It seems Miami’s Sinophiles forget about South Garden despite the fact it offers both Americanized Chinese and more traditional fare. So take something to go. Once you’re home, no one can judge you for scarfing down ten sticky honey chicken wings ($6.95). No one will see when you follow that with salty sliced fish in rice porridge called congee ($5.75) or a spider-like Dungeness crab that’s been wok-fried with ginger and scallions. You won’t have to hide when you gobble up South Garden’s black mushrooms and bok choy ($10.95). Heck, now that you think about it, be proud! You’re eating some seriously awesome Chinese chow.

Our bodies are our temples. That fact is easy to forget while downing tequila shots and eating croquetas. But Temple Kitchen can offer your cuerpo some TLC to keep going. The food here tastes good and is good for you. Try the cozy Curry Favor hot pot ($11), brimming with red chilies, fresh mushrooms, eggplant, edamame, coconut milk, and green curry. Or sip the seriously strong Just Ginger Elemental Elixir ($3) — a fantastically spicy pure ginger shot. There are also smoothies, juices, infused waters, soups, and more. Creative types can make their own salads or bowls, so the blue sky is the limit as far as plant-strong sustenance. Temple Kitchen’s motto is “Joy to the Food,” so you know you’re in good hands.

In case you’re unsure, “Middleterranean” is a relatively new term used to describe the dining trend of combining foods from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and North Africa. Think Mediterranean staples such as vegetables, olive oil, and fish but with the addition of exotic spices and flavors. In Miami, Danny Elmaleh’s fun and affordable Cleo flawlessly executes this type of cuisine. The mezzes (small plates) are intended for sharing, but when the merguez ($7) comes out, you may want to steal the spicy beef and lamb sausage from your friends. His labneh ($8), a yogurt-based dip with feta, tastes like velvet. It’s perfect with a warm piece of za’atar-seasoned laffa bread. Chef Elmaleh is half-Japanese and half-Moroccan, and the Israeli-born toque’s enthusiasm for his heritage shows in his dishes. The Moroccan-inspired decor with touches of Hollywood glamor is the ideal backdrop for another crowd favorite: chicken cooked in a ceramic pot known as a tagine ($16). Kudos for taking a chance on Miami, Cleo.

If you order the pho ($10.95) at Miss Saigon, they deliver it properly, with the toppings on the side, the beef medium-rare, and the broth piping-hot. If you want to play beat-the-clock, ask for the beef raw on the side so you can race to heat the meat before that anise-and-cinnamon-flavored broth gets too cool. You cook the beef shabu-shabu style with chopsticks, turning the meat from red to brown with each twirl. It transforms into that magical synergy stuff known as pho. You continue to create your bowl of heaven by adding bits from the topping plate: jalapeño slices for heat, lemon wedges to squeeze for acidity, basil to tear for something herbal, and bean sprouts for crunch. Need to turn up the heat? There’s sriracha for that. Another dish that can’t be missed is the Miss Saigon rice noodles ($12.95). It’s mixed tableside — a delicious combo of cool rice noodles with cut-up spring rolls, lettuce, carrots, shrimp, and chicken. If you get it to go, you can play chef for the evening by adding the contents of the multiple containers. Not only is the food at Miss Saigon delectable, but you also get to accessorize it to your palate’s preferences.

At Miami Juice in Sunny Isles Beach, you can get whatever you want — that is, provided it’s on this side of healthful. Eating well is the name of the game at this casual eatery and minimarket. The menu is extra-large, featuring myriad anything-but-bland compositions. A popular item is the baked butternut squash. It comes stuffed with your choice of tuna or chicken salad ($14.95) or veggies and melted cheese ($12.95). The chicken here is organic, and for $2 extra, you can even get a kosher bird. Try the organic red kidney beans with Rosemary grilled chicken ($15.95). Crisp falafel is the perfect add-on to MJ’s special salad loaded with veggies and feta cheese ($12.95). Freshly made fruit and vegetable juices are always excellent, and the servers are pros at working a crowded room. Since 1992, Miami Juice has been proving that healthful food can taste great and even be comforting. To that, we raise our kale juice.

What do you get when Blue Collar chef/owner Daniel Serfer and lawyer/blogger Ryan Roman open an oyster bar and seafood eatery together? A glimmering pearl adjacent to a cemetery. In this borderline-sketchy area in Edgewater, servers wear T-shirts with bow ties printed on them, deviled eggs are topped with Maine lobster, and clams swim in bacon broth. You can go the fancy route and order Kaluga caviar ($110), or you can eat sea-creature popcorn (think oysters, clam, conch, and shrimp) fried to golden perfection as if it were finger food ($14). It’s this juxtaposition of swank and blasé that makes Mignonette dazzle. And though bivalves are the undisputed stars of the show (check the vintage marquee for the day’s rotating East and West Coast attractions), everything on the seafood-heavy menu plays a part in this real-life rendition of “Under the Sea.” Get your hands dirty with the peel-and-eat wild Florida shrimp ($13) or the buttery and impeccably succulent lobster roll ($22). And don’t forget your veggies! Think wilted rainbow chard with preserved lemon or roasted cauliflower and smoked trout roe mayo — y’know, just in case you didn’t get enough fish with your fish.

Many restaurants try to tell a story through food. Liberty City’s Esther’s spins the tale of Miami. Opened as a catering kitchen for newly arrived Cuban immigrants in the ’60s, it survived the race riots of the ’80s to become the neighborhood’s soul-food favorite. Guiding impressive growth was Pablo Suarez Jr., whose father bought the place in 1965. Come here for a $3.97 breakfast of grits, eggs, and a biscuit. Later in the day, swing by for a $5.47 catfish fillet with okra, rice, and peas. Really, though, the options seem limitless. Turkey wings ($5.59) with mac ‘n’ cheese and candied yams are one possibility. A half-rack of baby-back ribs ($9.99) or two hefty slices of meatloaf ($5.49) can be served with anything from stewed okra and tomatoes to sweet cornbread muffins to pigeon peas and rice. Rest assured the steam-table selection is always hot and vast. And don’t be surprised when the customer standing next to you fishes out some change if you’re a few cents short.

Readers’ choice: Ms. Cheezious

The bar starts the seduction with lubrication from libations. Ready to get more intimate? Enter the Matador Room, where mood lighting emanates from a vintage chandelier suspended over a sunken circular dining room with plush seating. A wave of ambiance crashes over the cape of temptation. If you need some fresh air, head to the terrace for pool and ocean views, candlelight, and hanging plants laced into the pergola overhead. When your appetite has been thoroughly whetted, delve into the menu. World-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has melded his signature style with the flair of Latin cuisine. The menu has titillating touches such as sweet pea guacamole ($10); then it gets down and dirty with arroz con pollo ($18), studded with sizzling, crackling skin and lemon zest. This is not your abuela‘s chicken and rice; the fanciful flavors and textures dance in your mouth. The roasted red snapper, playful with a tamarind glaze, bites back. For dessert, get your churro sticky with an assertive dunk in orange cajeta, a thick dulce de leche-like syrup with a squeeze of orange to enliven it. After this intimate dining experience, you’re ready to take the bull by the horns or give the ferocious beast your sword.

Nothing is more romantic than a candle-lit dinner overlooking Biscayne Bay. The warm ambiance and sleek decor of Crazy About You set the tone for an intimate night out. But the real romance factor of this Brickell hot spot is the food. Entrées such as the I’m Crazy About You margherita pizza and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Pasta chicken carbonara made with zucchini ($17.99 to $32.99) include an appetizer of your choice. Try the serrano ham croquette — the same melt-in-your-mouth fritter served at the nearby restaurant Dolores, but You Can Call Me Lolita. When it comes to vino, the lounge offers house selections starting at $5 per glass and $15 per bottle. After you’ve satisfied your appetite and fulfilled your wine cravings, end the night on a sweet note with A Message in a Bottle ($6), an interactive dessert experience. You can design your own brownie and, well, leave a message in a bottle. This handwritten note will be entered in a raffle for a free dinner for two. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be coming back for more.

Just a block from the bright lights and bustling traffic of South Beach’s Collins Avenue hides a secret little villa. If you’re looking for it from the street, it’s best to search with your nose and ears, not your eyes. An eight-foot-tall wall of greenery shields Casa Tua from view, but you can hear the gentle tinkle of glassware and the soft laughter of couples enjoying a wonderful meal before you even get a glimpse. Once inside, you’re transported to the Amalfi Coast, perhaps Positano or maybe Sorrento. Step to the right and you’ll find a seaside-chic dining room, where wicker chairs with cushions invite you to sit for a relaxing dinner. The open kitchen offers a chef’s table that seats 20, perfect for watching your pasta being made from scratch as you enjoy a second bottle of wine. But the showstopper is the garden patio. Mature trees sway with myriad lanterns, each glowing with the soft radiance of a daydream. The effect is mesmerizing, festive, unfussy, and magical.

Every once in a while, your inner carnivore craves something more than a kale smoothie. It needs meat. Take it to 180 Degrees at the DRB for chef Ryan Martin’s 50/50 ($12). Though that price might sound high for chopped meat, this burger is a sure thing. Equal parts chorizo and Angus beef are ground and then cooked to juicy perfection. The spicy Spanish sausage is a playful foil to the richness of the quality beef. The blend itself makes a tasty patty, but then Martin tops it with queso frito, maduros, and spicy citrus aioli. Just when you think this burger can’t get any better, the chef slaps on a fried egg. Because everything — even an outstanding burger — can be made better with an egg. Finish it off with a cold beer, and your hunger pangs will have been vanquished.

Readers’ choice: Burger & Beer Joint

“Dogma” is defined as a set of principles laid out by authority as absolute truth. The folks at Dogma Grill refer to this as their “Frank Philosophy.” There are divine laws such as “Bring respect and creative culture to the hot dog” and “Create an urban oasis and a nostalgic place to celebrate the hot dog.” If that sounds a little hippy-dippy for your ordinary Oscar Mayer wiener, just wait. This place aims to “offer the freshest ingredients,” “focus on details,” and “answer the demands of the vegetarian clientele.” By this dogma, the hot dog abides. The results are pretty fantastic, and while others may compete, these are the hottest dogs and buns in town. The best of the best is the Pitchfork ($4.50), with barbecue sauce, bacon, grilled onions, and cheddar. It’s more than the snap of a hot dog in your mouth; it’s a religious experience. Peace, love, and hot dogs, man.

You can taste the difference between fresh and frozen fries. You can also make out the distinction between those cut in factories and the ones that are hand-sliced a few at a time. Rok:Brgr takes great pride in slicing its potatoes by hand every day. The result is thick-cut fries that are crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside, and can withstand any adventure like an intrepid explorer. You can take them for a dip in the house-made ketchup or dress them up with truffle oil and Parmesan flakes. You can even weigh them down with Wisconsin cheese curds and brown gravy. (They will keep their structural integrity.) Also check out the sweet-potato fries and the truffle fries — and don’t forget the trio of dipping sauces.

Have you been to Naples? No, not the town across Alligator Alley — the one in Italy in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. If you can’t make it there, Baccano might be the next best thing. An homage to all things Italian, including a classic red Fiat impossibly parked inside the entrance, Baccano (née Café Babbo) serves pizza made with double grade-00 dough and topped with San Marzano tomatoes, cheese, and subtle spices by a pizzaiolo from Napoli. The pies are quickly fired in a wood-burning oven imported from Milan to form a crisp, charred crust. For nine bucks for a classic Margherita pizza, your wallet will say, “Grazie mille.” Pair the pie with vino from owner Antonio Chia’s family winery in Montalcino, and you’ll have yourself one hell of an Italian vacation — in Wynwood. Dolce, dolce, dolce.

Readers’ choice: Steve’s Pizza

Thick, pillowy dough; oozing, melty cheese; earthy sautéed mushrooms and onions — this is the stuff of a mouthwatering Mellow Mushroom pizza. The one that’s best, however, isn’t your average pie; it’s a veganized version of the spot’s popular Holy Shiitake. Like many of the eatery’s specialty pizzas, the HS can be altered for vegans. Skip the aioli, leave off the butter, and switch out the regular cheeses for Daiya and — voila! — you’re in pizza heaven. Though not a vegan establishment, Mellow Mushroom goes out of its way for plant-based eaters. The kitchen staff stocks the nondairy Daiya, tempeh, tofu, and fruits and veggies in every color and flavor. Guests can even build their own creations. Beginning with the dough, the pizza masters slather each pie with Daiya ($1.50 extra on a small pie, $2.50 on a medium, and $3.50 on a large). Then they pair pineapple with jalapeños, artichoke hearts with sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli with tempeh — the sky’s the limit. And it all tastes just as delicious as the meaty alternatives. Traditional pizzerias, eat your hearts out (but not really, because vegans believe in nonviolence).

Mac ‘n’ cheese might be universally loved, but not all is equal. By far, the most delicious variety is the traditional Southern kind. Rich in cheddar and baked piping-hot, this is a robust, casserole-like dish brimming with different textures. Open your individual crock at Yardbird and you’ll find a multi-layered mac ‘n’ cheese. A semiburnt cheese crust is topped with cornbread crumbs for added texture. Poke it with a fork and you’ll discover the creaminess within. You’ll find no lobster bits or morel mushrooms. It is simply one of the most pleasurable experiences you’ll ever consume. It will take you back to Sunday supper in the South — no matter where you’re from.

Enter the atrium of the Melin Building in the Design District and you’ll get a whiff of sweet, freshly baked pastries. Miami’s culinary sweetheart, Michelle Bernstein, runs this cozy, shabby-chic café. Her mama is responsible for some of the baked goods. Because Bernstein is a longtime “friend in our head,” we often imagine a life where we’d go to her house after school and her mom would make us grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, and chocolate chip cookies. Crumb on Parchment brings this fantasy to life. The Gooey Grilled Cheese ($7.50), with melted fontina on buttered bread, melts our heart and takes us back to this childhood memory that we never quite had. If you don’t feel like being kosher, add bacon for $2.25. If you wanna go crazy, add wild mushrooms for a dollar and think about that time you and Michy got busted with magic mushrooms in high school. We know, we are delusional, but it’s a damn good sandwich.

If there were ever a sandwich in need of an ingredient-driven overhaul, it would be the Cuban. Alberto Cabrera was just the man to do it. He bakes the pan cubano daily at his Coral Gables spot Bread + Butter. He slow-roasts the pork for a dozen hours in a hulking red smoker. He makes the whole-grain mustard every day. Getting a Cuban ($12) here can take more than ten minutes, but it’s worth it. His Elena Ruz ($8) includes slow-roasted turkey glazed until it develops a crisp, crackly exterior. The Reubencito ($10) pairs house-made pastrami with pork belly in a combination that will silence even the chattiest visitor. These sandwiches can stand toe-to-toe with those of Italy, Vietnam, and even Greece.

Nestled among the shops and restaurants along Biscayne Boulevard lies a tiny escape from the city that leads to a cozy green pasture called Lulu’s Ice Cream. Wooden panels cover the walls, and picturesque wooden tables delicately accented with fresh flowers fill the room. There’s only one thing that could make this atmosphere sweeter: ice cream. Using all-natural ingredients, Lulu’s Ice Cream combines the scientifically awesome power of nitrogen with delicious options like Nutella and coffee to create concoctions so rich and creamy it’s a sin to have only one scoop. Not only is the shop both adorable and enjoyable, but also the food is all about being natural. Chalked on the blackboard wall beneath the pale light of a red lantern is the story: “We work with local farmers to bring you the freshest ingredients… We use liquid nitrogen to freeze your ice cream on the spot.” Cool down one summer afternoon at Lulu’s with some heavenly Nutella ice cream in a freshly made waffle. Two scoops are $5, and a pint costs $11.

Even before it reached Miami Beach, Freddo was a big deal. Its helado had tempted taste buds in Argentina with its hand-crafted creaminess since 1969. When the company announced its foray into Miami, locals swooned at the mere thought of this frozen perfection. So what makes Freddo so outstanding? It could be that it’s made from fresh, hormone-free milk, pure cane sugar, fruits, and other natural and raw ingredients. No artificial flavors, colorings, or preservatives here! But it’s really all about the taste and texture. The helado is far creamier than others. The flavors are rich and tasty without being overly sweet. So when you dig into your dark-chocolate cone, you’re getting the flavor of the chocolate, not a sugar-masked substitute. But what really sets Freddo apart is its panini — a scoop of chocolate helado heat-sealed inside a Hawaiian roll. It’s way beyond an ice-cream sandwich. It’s the most delectable food-engineering marvel in the world.

The cupcake is the ideal dessert. It’s a personal cake, not too big, nor is it too sweet and chewy like a cookie or brownie. But don’t settle for the basic — that’s so 2000s. In the 2010s, desserts come in weird mashups (cronut, anyone?). At Sweetness Bake Shop, the selection of cupcakes is not only unique (and uniquely Miami) but also impressive enough to put a smile on any kid’s face. Cupcake flavors change daily, so prepare for the unexpected (or just check the website). One regular is the guayabera: a cupcake filled with guava and topped with cream-cheese frosting. For some extra mouthwatering sweetness, visit the shop’s Instagram account, @sweetnessbakes.

Few things are better than sitting in an opulent Louis the XIV-style Parisian bakery. War, peace, the latest hemline — none of this matters. The only real question in such a place is whether you want your macaron with wisps of rose petals or lemon zings. Mike Mayta and Keily Vazquez, the couple behind roving sweets seller Illegal Bakery, turn this hoity-toity experience on its head. They sell delicate, sugary little sandwiches for breakfast in the flavors of Fruity Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cap’n Crunch. Later in the day, they peddle a more refined selection, such as jasmine, strawberries, and champagne, or chocolate and cardamom ($24 for a dozen). The pair, regulars at pop-ups and farmers’ markets, recently joined the kitchen at Michelle Bernstein’s Cena, but there are no plans to get off the sweet train anytime soon — they’ll still sell macarons at farmers’ markets around town.

Various locations in Miami-Dade; illegalbakery.com

Decadent desserts belong in hotels, perhaps because you have to walk only a short distance to your room after the sugar high crashes. At Traymore, in the Metropolitan Miami Beach by Como, executive pastry chef Emanuel Alves brings a sense of wonder to sweets. He plays with texture in exciting ways. Take, for instance, the passionfruit cannelloni ($12): It differs from a traditional cannoli because it uses a sesame-seed tuile as the shell, which comes stuffed with passionfruit cream instead of ricotta or pistachio. His desserts are different nuts to crack. The orange-chocolate texture ($15) is bold and tart with a blood-orange sorbet and rock-lava coulis and crunchy crepe flakes. The deconstructed lemon pie has strawberry foam and spicy piquillo pepper ice cream to pique your interest. Come for dinner, but stay for desserts so addictive you might have to check in to the hotel for a night.

Readers’ choice: Barton G the Restaurant

You expect fried chicken, green bean casserole, fried okra, and good old Deep South fixings at any Southern restaurant. Though Crackers Casual Dining serves some of the Magic City’s tastiest finger-licking, country-inspired comfort food, the Miami Springs eatery takes home the blue ribbon for its fried bread pudding ($5.95). Cut into cubes, deep-fried to perfection, and served on a warm platter with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, Crackers’ fried brioche bursts with flavor. With a crisp, golden outer layer and a soft, creamy center swirling with cinnamon sugar and just the right amount of raisins, this bread pudding melts in your mouth. Sure, this dessert is large enough to share with the table, but after one bite, you’ll want it all for yourself, no matter how stuffed you may be.

You know the saying: Firefighters make darn good pie. No? Well, it should be a saying considering fireman Derek Kaplan bakes the most luscious ones in town. Kaplan’s story began with an affinity for baking at the age of 15. Then he grew into a six-foot-tall college football player and, after graduation, took a job as a firefighter at Miami’s Fire Rescue Station 1. But between putting out blazes and rescuing cats from trees, he turned a rundown Wynwood storehouse into a vibrant bakery. It’s a sliver of a space, but its mural of psychedelic pies is just the right way to illustrate his flagship creation: the key lime pie. Everything is done in-house using the good stuff — from the buttery graham cracker crust to the plump key limes (he and his crew go through 300 to 400 pounds per week). It’s easy as pie to take home a whole one for $25 to $30. Want to practice sweet restraint? A single slice will set you back $5.40 — but good luck eating just one.

Danny Serfer is the slick of mayo inside a Taleggio-and-Gouda-stuffed grilled cheese. He’s the dollop of caviar atop scrambled eggs and white bread. Junk food and highbrow ingredients don’t exist for this South Florida-born-and-raised chef. Everything is delicious. First came the Allen Susser protégé’s diner-style Blue Collar, with gut-busting sandwiches and parm portions large enough to strike fear in the heart of the sturdiest Italian-American grandmother. Next came Mignonette, a seafood bar that shamelessly offers caviar alongside fried shrimp. Serfer’s greatest success is his ability to vacillate between borderline-stoner grub and pinkie-out cuisine while consistently delighting diners. Only with Serfer can you relish crawfish gumbo and foie gras in the same meal.

Readers’ choice: Michael Schwartz

In Miami, it seems everyone is from somewhere else. But not everyone embraces this wacky, sun-and-drama-soaked city like Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr. He has opened restaurant after restaurant that has added whole new dimensions to the subtropical diet. First came Makoto, his pristine Bal Harbour Japanese spot where Morimoto protégé Makoto Okuwa plies some of the city’s freshest fish. Next came Verde and Ted’s at YoungArts, two eateries that are helping to fuel and spread downtown Miami’s cultural renaissance. Soon to arrive will be the Continental, a midcentury-Philly import that will give Miami Beach some Mad Men flair. So go ahead, have a three-martini-and-club-sandwich lunch. Tell your boss that Starr said so.

The Restaurant at the Setai is where you go when you want to impress a date. Start at the hotel’s bar for the signature chili passion martini, made with passionfruit purée and topped with chili flakes ($18). Then sit down to dinner in the exquisite dining room, where servers will dote on you. A stool for the lady’s purse? Of course. A suggestion about wine from the sommelier? Easy. An anniversary celebration that needs some champagne or a special confection at the end of the meal? They will take care of it. The service at the Setai is spot-on but subtle. Your needs are anticipated without fanfare. Water glasses are filled, and dietary restrictions (gluten-free, ovo-lacto vegetarians, we’re talking to you) are handled with grace. After you’re finished with your meal, don’t be surprised if your server offers a tour of the courtyard and grounds. That’s just how it’s done in this ultra-sophisticated paradise.

Readers’ choice: The Forge

Miami is seriously lacking fresh, delicious doughnuts, but that wasn’t always the case. In 1947, a man named Jim Hadler had a vision that the world (the Magic City, specifically) could use a good doughnut and set about making one. Almost immediately, people were smitten with the warm glazed pastries. For about 50 years, multiple generations of Miamians heartily ate Velvet Crème doughnuts. Then, in 2000, an illness in the family led to the closing of the neat retro red-and-white-striped shops, and the city fell into what is known as “the end of doughnut times.” But you can’t keep a good pastry down. Velvet Crème has been revived by Krista Rios and her family. While Rios works on opening a brick-and-mortar shop, possibly in Coral Gables, the Velvet Crème food truck circles town, selling powdered, cream-filled, cake, and glazed doughnuts, as well as the signature round John, a cream-filled, chocolate-frosted number. Each doughnut costs about a dollar, which itself is something of a miracle (when was the last time a buck bought you anything)? To find out where the truck will be next, follow it on Instagram (@VelvetCremeDoughnuts) or Facebook (facebook.com/VelvetCremeDoughnuts).

Various locations; 954-609-0576; velvetcremedoughnuts.com

Readers’ choice: Ms. Cheezious

The movie Chef, starring and directed by Jon Favreau, was inspired by the real-life Miami food truck Jefe’s Original Fish Taco & Burgers. For years, this truck served the best fish tacos ($2.35) in Miami. They were Ensenada-style, meaning the fish was fried with crisp beer batter and topped with pico de gallo, crema, and cabbage on soft flour tortillas with a squeeze of lime. Now, at the Soul Shack in North Miami, you can get these tacos whenever the craving hits — no need to chase the truck or stalk its Twitter feed. What’s better? You get an expanded menu with sandwiches, salads, beers, and wines. You also can dine in or take out. It’s a restaurant you want to root for — for real!

“Excuse me. Do you have Brussels sprouts?” No. “How about some truffle mac ‘n’ cheese?” Sorry. “Maybe charred shishito peppers?” Not here. The Mighty is a real gastropub — the kind of dark, welcoming place you want to relax in and pore over a good beer list. When you get hungry, turn your attention to the house-made sausages featuring duck ($13), free-range rabbit ($15), and lamb ($12). You’d also be remiss if you didn’t take advantage of the rotating list of house charcuterie. While other places phone it in, the Mighty cures beef filets and pork loins. It salts Russian pastrami, duck pâté, and cantimpalo. You never know what you might find, but the guarantee is it’ll be hard not to order it all.

It’s 3 a.m. Do you know what your next delicious meal will be? Your wasted buddies are pushing for something fried and filthy from whatever wretched fast-food joint your Uber driver passes next. But you know better. You’re going to Moshi Moshi. Open until 5 a.m., the sushi and Japanese joint serves award-winning rolls alongside ramen bowls and rice dishes guaranteed to stop that sloshy feeling in your belly. Your fried-food-fiending friends won’t be disappointed either, with a menu featuring a variety of dishes like chicken kara age ($8), tempura everything, and the Rock N Roll ($14), a fried sushi roll packed with crab and topped with avocado and roe. (Yes, of course you want extra eel sauce with that.) Not quite ready to sober up? Moshi Moshi serves beer and hot sake if you’re slumming it and more than 20 other sake varieties if you want to spend a little extra on the good stuff. And with locations in South Beach and on Biscayne Boulevard, there’s a good chance you’ll pass it on your way home anyway. (But if you’re likely to drunkenly embarrass yourself, do it at the relatively uncrowded MiMo spot. No one will notice besides the waitstaff, and those women know how to keep a secret.)

Readers’ choice: Gigi

You woke up hugging the toilet and grasping your liver. Only one thing can bring you back to life, and it’s not a greasy burger with fries. No, you need something nutritious, organic, and peanut-buttery (hey, it’s protein). Enter Under the Mango Tree, a holistic gem straight out of The Jungle Book in the heart of South Beach. It serves 100 percent raw, fresh, and organic juices, smoothies, and açaí bowls. The last will be your saving grace, specifically the Marley bowl: raw açaí blended with banana, almond milk, spinach, and peanut butter. The magical elixir is topped with sliced banana, berries, and shaved coconut. It’s no hair of the dog, but the last thing you need after swigging a bottle of vodka is a bloody alcoholic anything. And priced at $9.50 for a small or $12.75 for an XL, it beats any other morning-after antidote out there.

Anyone who has attempted a three-day juice cleanse and failed miserably after just eight hours has surely never tried My Raw Juice. The online-only (for now) local company delivers raw and organic juice cleanses you’ll actually look forward to. For $69 per day (or $198 for three days), you get six Mason jars filled to the brim with four pounds of liquefied fruits and veggies and no water — just pure, unpasteurized liquid goodness. For the first time ever, you might find yourself hankering for juice rather than food. You won’t miss the act of masticating at all. Heck, you’ll feel as though you’re eating a bag of carrots or a handful of beets when you drink this stuff. But not all cravings will be forgotten: The nightcap nut milk — made with raw cashews, agave, alkaline H2O, sea salt, cinnamon, and love (the most important ingredient) — will leave you wanting more where that came from.

786-766-0040; myrawjuice.com

Sun Juice is the kind of place Carol Brady would’ve taken her bunch for an after-school smoothie. Parking is free, there’s no website, and it’s endearingly cash only. The iconic storefront has been painted the same cotton-candy pink with the same baby-blue awnings for at least 20 years. Inside, the walls are bright orange, highlighted with neon-green accents. It’s an unofficial neighborhood landmark. The bell from the nearby elementary school determines the shop’s peak hours, as excited kids rush in every afternoon. Like other smoothie bars, Sun Juice is stocked with citrusy fruits. It offers supplements like wheatgrass shots and açaí boosts that are blended before your eyes. The milk-based smoothies draw the biggest fans. The Nutella Nouveau is a glorious conglomeration of the hazelnut spread, nonfat milk, nonfat frozen yogurt, and nondairy sorbet. Smoothie? Maybe. Tasty? For sure.

Miamians are in a liquid state of mind. Everyone is either juicing or talking about it. Juice shops and cafés are popping up all around town. But Juice & Java, with locations in Aventura and South Beach, is a pioneer of sorts. Since 2002, this place has been trying to spread the notions that our bodies should be treated like temples and that we are what we eat. The seemingly endless list of additive-free juices ($4.95 to $8.95) includes killer combinations such as watermelon/cantaloupe/pineapple and basil/strawberry/mango. For an extra buck, you can add health boosters such as ginseng, fresh ginger root, and whey protein. Also check out the solid-food choices, especially the pita melts ($7.50 to $8.50). The baked, not fried, falafel makes a great addition to any salad. Vegetarians and carnivores will be equally happy eating here, while juicers will think they’ve died and gone to juice heaven.

Don’t let the modest storefront fool you. This year-old Argentine wine shop and bar is quaint but packs a lot of character and plenty of space. Hanging out on the patio and sipping reds or whites for $8 to $22 a glass, you’ll begin to feel like Bunbury is your own best-kept secret. The rustic hideaway offers a delicious and extensive menu of domestic and imported wines available by the bottle for prices ranging from $26 to $129. (Argentine wines make up their own robust section.) The knowledgeable staff is happy to guide you with recommendations. Besides the vino, try the empanadas ($4) or share the cheese platter ($24). Or grab a main course of duck confit ($24) or veggie lasagna ($14). With smaller tables and lots of romantic atmosphere, Bunbury is the perfect place for a quiet, get-to-know-you date inside or on the back patio. Or bring a big group to sit at the table in the front of the store. Enjoy happy hour from 5 to 8 p.m. There’s even a large, free parking lot out back, so you never have to worry about where to park. One caveat, though: Drink responsibly.

Miami’s beer scene is lighting up, with breweries making suds that really reflect the Magic City’s diverse cultures. But of all the fantastic new concoctions, J. Wakefield’s are the most innovative. Key limes, hibiscus flowers, and exotic teas are some of brewer/owner Jonathan Wakefield’s flavor muses. The result is beers that are sophisticated and playful. His signature sours are exactly what you want to sip on a hot Florida afternoon. The brewer, who raised more than $112,000 in a CrowdBrewed campaign to help fund his Wynwood brewery, might be a new kid on the block, but he’s no flash in the pan. By learning from established breweries such as Cigar City and collaborating with craft beer greats like Terrapin, Wakefield proves he has gravitas. Just a few months after the opening of his brewery, Wakefield is planning an expansion so he can bottle his beers. The only thing better than having a few pints inside the Star Wars-themed taproom is enjoying them at home. We’ll hoist a glass to that.

Ah, rum. It conjures images of exotic, tropical locales, balmy breezes, romance, and maybe a hint of danger. That description can fit Jamaica, Barbados, and, yes, Miami. That’s why when Matt Malone decided to open Miami’s first legal distillery, rum was the only option. The distiller puts extra care into his product, going so far as to name his infusion tanks for famous Latin singers, including Gloria and Celia. Salsa music is played for the rums 24 hours a day. It seems all of that extra love is paying off. Miami Club Rum has won several awards and was named the world’s best white rum at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Now, actor William Levy has partnered with Malone for a new campaign. The slogan? “My City, My Rum.” The same should be said for all of us.

Miami is a great city for beaches, clubbing, and a bit of debauchery. But when people think of fine-dining, thoughts usually turn to New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. However, the Bravo series Best New Restaurant may have forever secured the Magic City a place in the rankings of fine eats. The series’ first season, which featured celebrity chef and James Beard Award winner Tom Colicchio as both host and executive producer, set out to find America’s best new restaurant. Of the 16 restaurants featured, five (R House, the Federal Food Drink & Provisions, Buns & Buns, Tongue & Cheek, and Dolce Italian) were from the 305. The restaurants showed skill, talent, and determination, making Miami proud. In the end, South Beach’s Dolce Italian beat the pants off Manhattan’s L’Apicio to bring the title home. New York City may have the Empire State Building, but Miami has amazing food — and palm trees.

bravotv.com/best-new-restaurant

Dangerous as it may be, you can endlessly swipe through social media in Miami traffic jams. It’s enough to make your thumb cramp. But then you stop on some photos from Peru’s Astrid & Gastón. I’d like that, you think. Same for that plethora of arepas. God, those saved me from a wicked hangover last weekend. #QuesoAManoPorVida. Ooooh, medianoches with extra mustard? All of this can be found on Javier Ramirez’s Instagram, where he goes by the handle gourmandj. He seems to consume the same number of meals per day as Dwayne Johnson (seven) without any of the flexing. He’s also involved in restaurants with Jean-Georges alums Brad Kilgore (Alter in Wynwood) and Antonio Bachour (Bachour Bakery & Bistro in Brickell), so in addition to peeping all of the hedonism, you can also catch glimpses into two of Miami’s most anticipated spots.

instagram.com/gourmandj

Despite good intentions and an abundance of Pinterest recipes, cooking for yourself can feel like an insurmountable task. If you’re clueless in the kitchen, the convenience of Papa John’s online ordering and Pollo Tropical on the corner will always win. That’s why Sabina Torrieri (nutrition coach and VeganAroma owner) and Graciela Augier (vegan chef) will change your life. The two host intimate cooking classes at Torrieri’s cozy Coral Gables eatery. Each course features a specific menu — all vegan, gluten-free, and organic — often with a seasonal or holiday twist. The teachers demonstrate the entire process and school students on the various benefits of garden-grown, whole foods. The afternoon culminates with a vegan feast (so no one has to stop at Taco Bell on the way home). Classes usually run $70 per person or $65 if you bring a friend, so that’s extra incentive to get your buds on board.

The 305 is known for its crystal-blue waters and miles of white sandy beach. Yet there’s an alarming shortage of restaurants where you can breathe in the salt air and feel the balmy trade winds on your sun-kissed skin. Enter Fresh American Bistro at Sole on the Ocean. The restaurant is on the second floor of the property, up a glass staircase that makes you feel like it was made for Cinderella’s perfect feet. The dining room is reminiscent of a tony Newport beach house — perhaps someplace where a Kennedy vacationed. But you’ll want to sit on the wrap-around terrace. That’s where you’ll get the full effect of the ocean. In the daytime, sun rays bounce off the Atlantic, turning the waves into a cluster of sparkling sapphires. At dinnertime, moonlight dances on the ocean. Chef Philippe Ruiz, the former executive chef at the Biltmore’s Palme d’Or, makes food inspired by this view. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a seared Florida hog snapper while watching the surf, knowing that your meal came from below the surface just that morning. That’s what Miami Beach is all about.

We wouldn’t blame you for choosing to forgo alfresco dining during Miami’s sweltering summer months. There’s nothing worse than eating a hot plate of food while perspiring half your water weight. But during the moderate winter season, it should be illegal to dine with a duct blasting cold air in your face. Instead, take advantage of the bright sun and cool temperatures at Mandolin Aegean Bistro, whose dining area is mostly outside. Grab a table on a Saturday afternoon and order the Turkish sampler (hummus, tomato-walnut dip, and fava bean purée, $16); tell the waiter to keep the pitchers of white-wine sangria ($36) coming. If you’re hungrier than usual, opt for a sandwich such as the grilled halloumi cheese ($14) or the Greek gyro ($14), and just sit and take in the view. Mandolin is an oasis along busy NE Second Avenue. Once you enter the space, it feels like you’re dining in someone’s backyard along the Mediterranean coast. The rustic decor combines unfinished materials and lots of greenery. Although dining, even for lunch, can be a bit pricey ($20 to $30 per person), it’s still cheaper — and more convenient — than booking a trip to Greece. Plus, remember that great Miami weather.

Readers’ choice: Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market

Question: Can you describe something as “nestled in the heart of Miami” if it’s actually located above the craziness?

Answer: Yes, and it’s Touché. This is the crown jewel above the heart. That pulsating heart is E11even, the 24-hour cabaret, nightclub, and live music venue in downtown Miami. You’ve heard about it, the place where Leo DiCaprio picked up 20 girls during Art Basel. Upstairs, Top Chef‘s Carla Pellegrino proffers a savory yet light meatball appetizer that features two five-ounce spheres made from veal, beef, and pork ($12). This signature dish arrives slathered in a slightly sweet red sauce that’s so good you’ll want to dip everything into it. The lounge area boasts a retractable roof that protects patrons from the occasional rain shower. Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows offer a stunning view of the city. But if you’re curious, you’ll really want to see what’s happening in the club downstairs.

It used to be that Miamians could catch late-night glimpses of chef Masaharu Morimoto only on the Japanese cooking-competition show Iron Chef. Then Food Network brought him to prime time with the show’s spinoff, Iron Chef America. If you wanted a real taste of the chef’s expertise, you had to hoof it all the way to his sushi bar and restaurant at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. But all of that changed last year when he opened Morimoto at the Shelborne. Inside the luxe, low-lit enclave opening onto the resort’s pool, diners can indulge in a feast of sushi, sashimi, and other seafood delights, all prepared with the expertise and creativity that made Chef Morimoto a household name. You can choose from a menu stocked with inventive options such as ishi yaki buri bop (yellowtail cooked in a stone bowl at your table, $30) or select from dozens of sushi and sashimi items at the sushi bar. But for Morimoto superfans, the “chef’s choice” omakase tasting menu is worth the splurge: course after delectable course (offerings change regularly), all designed to let you “experience the essence of Morimoto’s cuisine.” Add on the sake pairings and any upgrade your waiter offers, be it Wagyu beef or tableside wasabi-grinding, because, hey, you’re in the Iron Chef’s house, and you only live once.

There’s a reason many chefs don’t try to cook their grandmother’s specialties. No one wants that challenge. So maybe the restaurant now standing alongside the wildly popular bar the Broken Shaker has recruited a legion of grandmothers from across Miami’s diaspora. We never knew you could combine latkes ($8), ropa vieja-packed arepas ($32), and crisp griot ($9) into the same meal. Now, thanks to 27 Restaurant & Bar, there is no going back. And at this charming indoor/outdoor place, you can sample cocktails by Bar Lab duo Elad Zvi and Gabriel Orta. The space, which the staff affectionately calls “the house,” is covered with brightly patterned wallpaper and packed with beachy-boozy tchotchkes. If it feels like home, that’s because it is.

Coconut Grove is one of Miami’s most beautiful neighborhoods, but there’s only one restaurant where you can truly appreciate its breathtaking seaside location. Tucked away on the eighth floor of the Sonesta hotel is Panorama, a hidden gem of a restaurant that holds many surprises. The first is the view. Get there before sunset, order a glass of wine, and you’ll know without a doubt that this place could have no other name. After the sun sets, stay for the food, which features fantastic Peruvian dishes from executive chef Chris Cramer. There are fiery ceviches ($15 to $16) and patacones con pollo ($10) — fried plantains with chicken and cheese — for starters. Traditional soups like spicy chupe de camarones ($12) and pollo con fideos ($10) — chicken soup with hard-boiled eggs and cilantro — are soul-satisfying. Entrées include grilled churrasco ($19) and lomo saltado ($24). Throw in one of the best margaritas in town and you’ll have everything you need to remind you that you live in the most gorgeous city on the globe.

Readers’ choice: GreenStreet Café

Things are constantly changing at Seasons 52. Described as a “celebration of what is now,” the Coral Gables restaurant serves “the best of each season, straight to your table,” according to its menu. Dishes vary based on the time of year. If you’re lucky, you’ll get wild Alaskan halibut served with spring vegetables, succotash, chorizo, and romesco sauce ($29.95). Or you’ll luck into wood-grilled pork tenderloin paired with sweet-potato mash, bacon sauté, French green beans, and cipollini onions ($17.95). Every plate, from appetizers to entrées, is prepared “with rustic techniques like oak-fire grilling and brick-oven roasting.” And then, of course, there’s the vino. Each meal can be washed down with one of the 52 wines handpicked by George Miliotes, one of the world’s 250 master sommeliers. This sort of gastronomic experience is certainly not what you’d expect from a corporate restaurant (the Miracle Mile hot spot is owned by Darden Restaurants), but serving gourmet dishes is Seasons 52’s specialty. And with no dish on the menu exceeding $30 and 475 calories, you can indulge without going broke or having to hit the gym afterward.

Readers’ choice: Eating House

Question: What do you get when three guys with no pizza-making experience open a Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta joint?

Answer: You get unusual pies topped with oxtail, house-made mozzarella, black garlic, thyme, and caramelized onions ($14). Sound weird? It is, but it works, as does the crab angel-hair pasta with Calabrian chili and lemon breadcrumbs. Those two items are staples, but everything else at Proof Pizza & Pasta is a surprise that depends upon what chef and owner Justin Flit (who was a sous-chef at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak) has seasonally available. Take, for instance, the colossal macaron ice-cream sandwich, a heavenly creation that changes flavors the first of every month. The consistency at Proof is provided by the from-scratch pasta and 00-grade dough, which is tossed into a wood-burning oven for no more than 90 seconds, complying with Neapolitan standards. And because nothing on the menu exceeds $20, it’s the kind of place you can afford to frequent every night — as long as you work off all those carbs during the day, of course.

Readers’ choice: Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink

Niu Kitchen’s plate-glass door is a portal from downtown to a land of tempranillo and mustard ice cream. Sometimes, when the place is packed, you have to stand with a glass of wine and a grumbling hobo a few steps away. But that’s OK. You can admire what’s to come. Inside, Niu is unlike anything in the area. Chef-partner Deme Lomas hails from Barcelona and brings with him the creativity that makes that city a jewel of Europe. The pocket-size space has played host to wahoo tartare ($16), house-made botifarra with white bean purée, and a dish called “ous” ($14) — where a pair of poached eggs is hidden in a bowl of potato foam crowned with crisped jamón ibérico and black truffle. After trying it, you’ll never want a stale sandwich from a downtown café again.

Readers’ choice: Zuma Contemporary Japanese Cuisine

Tim Andriola is proof that plant-based diets are marketed all wrong. At Basil Park, the healthful, long-awaited followup to his long-standing Timo, even the most grease-obsessed heathens can get their fill. There are fish tacos packed with mahi-mahi and sour cream. Just don’t tell your junk-food-loving companion that the tortillas are made of brown rice and that the tangy cream was culled from cashews. More than a dozen Joyce Farms chickens ($17 half, $30 whole) can be found in a gleaming rotisserie. Whether you opt for your bird to be doused in ají amarillo or a Hawaiian-inspired blend of pineapple, garlic, ginger, and soy, the skin will be just as crisp and unctuous as your favorite fried bird. The only difference is that you won’t need a nap after eating it.

For nearly two decades, Philippe Jacquet’s Café Pastis has been a benchmark for Miami’s bistros and neighborhood restaurants. It seems simple, but it’s not. And inside his tiny dining room, which sits next to an even smaller kitchen, Jacquet allows you to eat in your own style. A crisp baguette, for example, can come with a generous smear of duck pâté ($11.50) or decked out as a classic croque-monsieur ($8.50). There are also hints of France’s African incursion, such as a link of spicy, fragrant merguez sausage ($23.50) atop a bed of couscous, or chicken tagine, spiced with cumin, plumped apricots, and salty olives ($21.50).

Hy Vong may not seem to fit into cortadito-and-croqueta-packed Calle Ocho, but history extends past the fryer. Like so many Cubans who made Miami their home, owner Tung Nguyen fled a country in turmoil but brought along much of her homeland’s greatness. Take her spring rolls outside and wolf them down while sitting on neon plastic stools and it’s as though you’re sitting on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. The cha gio have crisp, brittle shells containing a blistering hot pork-and-mushroom filling. The bánh cuôn’s rice rolls are made fresh to order, packed with pork and sprinkled with sweet fried onions. So take a seat, and trade that mojo marinade for a splash of funky fish sauce. You won’t regret it.

This ode to Italian regional cuisine was years in the making, but after finally opening in the heart of Brickell during 2012, Toscana Divino quickly became a standout thanks to the deft hand of executive chef Julian Baker. Don’t miss his hand-rolled pastas like pici ($22) — thick, chewy spears immersed in a rich duck ragu with a sprinkle of pecorino cheese. Even heartier is the $98 porterhouse lovingly referred to as “La Fiorentina.” It’s sliced tableside and served with a hearty mixture of kale, white beans, and an ethereal, gently smoked potato purée. If the decisions are overwhelming, simply sit back and let the chef take control with a tasting menu (starting at $110 for two). All you’ll have to do is fall into bed after staggering home.

Your best friend from college is coming to Miami and knows only about the tourist traps. So why would you take her to Ocean Drive? Head to the Redland so she can really see what South Florida is all about. Schnebly Redland’s Winery’s new restaurant, the Redlander, is helmed by venerable chef Dewey LoSasso. Each week, he creates a new menu that brings the best of SoFla to the table: produce from local farms, fish straight off boats in the Keys, and tropical fruits freshly picked off the trees. A recent menu included a tabbouleh salad ($6) made with spent grains from Schnebly’s on-premises Miami Brewing Company, spicy guava glazed chicken wings ($9), and a crisp whole Florida snapper made for sharing ($38). Pair your meal with a bottle of unique tropical fruit vino made at the winery (hint: the guava is marvelous) or a Big Rod coconut ale brewed onsite, and you’ve just given your friend the most memorable taste of Miami.

When this hip restaurant first opened its doors in the middle of a shopping center anchored by a Publix on Coral Way, the throngs of people waiting to get a table extended beyond the parking lot. Among the excited chatter from hopeful customers was the phrase, “This restaurant feels like it belongs in Wynwood.” It’s too cool to be hidden away in a strip mall. But alas, that is the beauty — and brains — behind Finka Table & Tap. Had this restaurant settled anywhere other than the outskirts of West Kendall, the patrons might not be so willing to wait nearly two hours for a table. Yes, you read that right: two hours. Though the wait has typically been anywhere from 45 minutes to upward of 90 minutes (even on weekdays), each and every time we’ve visited, the service and food quality have been well worth it. Finka is the brainchild of siblings Jon and Eileen Andrade, whose parents own and operate the Miami staple Islas Canarias. As locals know, Islas cooks up authentic and delicious Cuban and Spanish food. At Finka, Jon and Eileen have fused traditional Cuban and Peruvian plates with Korean cuisine, and the result is bombtastic — like a flavor bomb going off in your mouth. A bomb you must patiently wait for.

There are many reasons to anticipate chef Dale Talde’s new restaurant, slated to open this summer at the Thompson Miami Beach Hotel. The Top Chef alum and Culinary Institute of America graduate has worked with some heavy hitters, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, and restaurateur Stephen Starr. Then he opened Talde in Brooklyn. There, the chef melded his formal training with his Filipino roots to create a menu filled with modern interpretations of Asian-American cuisine. One example: kung pao chicken wings that were named some of the best chicken wings in America by Food & Wine; pretzel pork and chive dumplings; and crisp oyster bacon pad thai, all of which cost well under $20 each. Talde promises he’ll keep the prices low and the beer cold at his Miami outpost to attract locals, making us salivate at the mere thought of chowing down on his chow fun.

About a year before his Wynwood restaurant, Shikany, opened, chef Michael Shikany was working on the menu. Once service began, the restaurant, housed in a former warehouse space, wowed guests with its gorgeous decor and global cuisine. For dinner, Shikany used molecular gastronomy to turn out dishes that showed up on many an Instagram feed. Though the flavors backed up the presentation, Miami might not have been ready for the chef’s multicourse degustation menus that deployed bacon dust, lavender mousse, and pumpernickel soil. The restaurant made several attempts to attract crowds, announcing brunch and new menu items, but ultimately, it shuttered one evening, and the chef announced he was looking to move to the Midwest. Our loss.

There are classic steak houses, there are modern steak houses, and then there’s Bourbon Steak, which demands a category all its own. You know Michael Mina. He’s the Michelin-starred toque who, besides running a restaurant empire, has uncovered the secret to the perfect steak: butter-poaching it and then slow-cooking it in a wood-fired grill to eliminate the bull’s-eye effect. What does that mean? Every cut of beef is pristinely and evenly cooked from top to bottom but remains juicy. If you like fries with your steak (who doesn’t?), you’ll be pleased to know that suppertime begins with a well-seasoned trio (rosemary-herb, onion, and smoked paprika) of duck-fat potato slivers. It’s on the house. Consider it Mina’s way of welcoming you to his not-so-humble abode at Turnberry Isle Resort & Spa. Sure, the trek up to Aventura for a piece of meat might seem overly ambitious, but this is a meat lover’s paradise. Even so, nonsteak offerings are copious. Check out the decadent Maine lobster potpie with brandied truffle or miso-glazed sea bass. It melts on the tongue. And even though you won’t find the all-beef dry-aged burger doused with secret sauce on the dining room menu, order it anyway, along with the pillow-like beignets, which come with Macallan 18-year butterscotch dipping sauce. We told you this deserved a category all its own.

Readers’ choice: Smith & Wollensky

Don’t be deceived by the name — Meat Market isn’t just a place for rare cuts of beef. The sexiest steak house in town also proffers the freshest local catch in all the land. Executive chef Sean Brasel prefers to eat and cook fish (although he might be reluctant to admit it). And it’s the uncooked seafood that best evidences his prowess. Try the made-to-order daily ceviche, which tosses the morning’s bait in a mélange of tropical and exotic ingredients ranging from ají amarillo to pineapple yuzu. Equally tantalizing is the tuna tartare with avocado smash and mango mole ($19) and the cedar-scented jalapeño hamachi drizzled with yuzu and white truffle ($19). If you happen to arrive on a good night (and during season), you might just score 17-ounce stone crabs. For a sure thing, a plethora of rotating East and West Coast oysters are shucked on the spot and served with Brasel’s atomic horseradish. Slurp with caution. Still want red meat after all that? Opt for the Wagyu carpaccio or the Kobe tartare. Some like it hot. In Miami, we like it raw.

Buffets may be humankind’s greatest culinary contribution. And nothing beats beginning your day with back-to-back servings of crisp bacon, scrambled eggs, buttery grits, and roasted potatoes. Oh, there’s some Cuban food too. Though typical American breakfast items are certainly available at La Carreta’s weekend breakfast buffet, the Hialeah outpost of Miami’s largest chain of Cuban restaurants provides a Cuban spin on el desayuno, including croquetas, pastelitos, picadillo, and tostada con mantequilla. In addition to platos calientes, there are also fruits, cereals, and all sorts of baked goods. The buffet runs from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and includes café con leche. For only $9.45, you get a satisfying, banquete-style breakfast good enough for abuela.

Readers’ choice: Toro Toro

Cold cuts are nice, but sausages are nicer. Since the early ’70s, Cheryl Mainzer and her husband Ron have been tucking braunschweiger ($5.45) and bratwurst ($5.95) into steamed buns. If you happen to order one, trust us, the meat is in there; just look beneath the mound of warm sauerkraut. There’s also a seemingly endless array of cured meats, salty smoked fish pastes, fresh-baked pretzels, and tangy liverwurst that you can get if you ask nicely. More important than all of that, however, is that Mainzer’s is a home away from home for Miami’s German community. Deutschlanders stroll in and out all day enthralled to find currywurst alongside those little chocolates they remember so well from childhood.

The seedy Biscayne Boulevard of yore is a whole different place these days. There’s the Vagabond, Starbucks, Michelle Bernstein’s Cena, and too many new, cool stores to count. But there are some Miami favorites that were here a long time ago and will never go away. Jimmy’s Eastside Diner, a boulevard tradition for decades, serves diner favorites like tuna melts, BLTs, and meatloaf at bygone prices. Clubgoers, strip club denizens, and Saturday breakfast club members alike will be happy to know Jimmy’s opens at 6:30 a.m. and serves breakfast until closing at 4 p.m.

Readers’ choice: Big Pink

Miami grows many other things besides skyscrapers. There’s a whole world of fresh-farmed produce and meat out there, and plenty of skilled artisans are ready to put their inventive touch on every edible indulgence. Some of these fine folks have begun hanging out around the Arsht Center’s beautiful steps every Monday afternoon. They offer their crops, wares, and finished dishes, but the real excitement is at the long table just behind the market, where adventuresome diners taste the best of Miami’s homegrown fare for just $25 a head or $35 for unlimited wine with the meal. This isn’t a bad deal at all. Each week, there’s a different menu and selection, but everything is fresh and local. Let the good people at the Café at Books & Books know if you have special dietary restrictions, and they’ll be happy to oblige. Even if you don’t want to spend the extra money on wine, there’s a complimentary cocktail pairing with at least one course. Get to know the farmers better when they come by to discuss their business. You’ll be shocked to hear some of the stories and see what farmers are doing in our area. And you’ll be stuffed with food so delicious you’ll want to share this secret with all of your closest friends.

While many farmers’ markets hibernate in the summer months, Pinecrest’s weekly bazaar braves the brutal heat to keep Miamians stocked with locally sourced foodstuffs. Contrary to popular belief, plenty of South Florida produce hits its peak in the hottest months. It ranges from summer squash to mangoes to dragon fruit. Instead of spending Sunday in supermarket hell and overpaying for California-grown Monsanto stock, grab a reusable bag and unleash your inner locavore. Buy seasonal fruit and nutrient-rich leafy greens. Browse spiky bromeliads and pick up a jar of local honey to soothe those pesky allergies. Rip bite-size hunks from your freshly baked Zak the Baker sourdough, and thank the Miami gods you’re not bumping carts with rude shoppers in an overly air-conditioned aisle. The affair runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday, year-round. But during the summer, arrive early to avoid heatstroke.

With more than a dozen cured meats and nearly two dozen cheese varieties, Made in Italy Gourmet is antipasti nirvana. It’s easy to get distracted by it all, and no one would blame you for falling face-first into your glass of white wine. Yet try to remain on task. You’re here for the good stuff, for the supplies that will power you through the rest of the week. After you’ve had your fill of salumi, ask for the crate of items that represent different regions of Italy. The $99 box of goodies might be from Abruzzo, Apulia, or Emilia-Romagna. Whichever you choose, it’s sure to improve your home-cooking game.

Once you enter Japanese Market, you’ll understand why this family-run bazaar has been in business for three decades (despite its lack of a website and advertising). Sure, you might not be able to read any of the Asian labels, but that’s part of the fun. Simply ask the Broken Shaker’s Gui Jaroschy and local cocktail muse Cricket Nelson, who frequent this hidden gem for exotic ingredients to mix up libations. For you, there are oodles of noodles, dried shiitake mushrooms, fermented soybeans, and freezers stocked with fresh catch flown in from Japan’s fish markets. Want uni? You got it. Eel? Done. Hamachi kama? Yep. Kurobuta sausage? It’s here. Prices fluctuate, but you’ll find things as cheap as two bucks to upward of about 20 and 30 for the delicacies and bottles of sake. You didn’t think you were going to get out of this without sake, did you? Arrive early enough (before 5:45 p.m.) and you can score the highest-grade sushi in town at the counter. The market is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6.

You’re late to a dinner party and don’t want to show up empty-handed. Or maybe you’d like to pack a romantic picnic. Perhaps you want to wow your co-workers with the pasta salad you “made” for the potluck. For all of these food situations, there’s a one-stop solution: Flavorish Market. It puts the “super” in “supermarket.” This foodie mecca has a gourmet to-go section (empanadas for $3.25 and sandwiches for $8), a collection of cookbooks, wine and cheese with a designated expert, and specially curated groceries from local and international purveyors. You can pick up Zak the Baker sandwiches and loaves, homemade ravioli from Mimi’s in Hollywood, and locally made ice pops alongside imported cheeses, wines, and other gourmet items. Want to get social? There’s a series of events like winetastings and cookbook signings. If you want to enjoy Flavorish between visits, join its wine and organic produce clubs.

Mall food courts generally have nothing in common with fine dining. They are there to feed shoppers quickly so the masses can return to their favorite store’s sale racks. You can find the usual flavorless options like sodium-laden lo mein, dried-out burgers, and that unidentifiable brown stuff called “bourbon chicken.” That is unless you find yourself at Aventura Mall. This commercial juggernaut is quickly becoming a high-end mecca. Stores such as Fendi and Louis Vuitton share real estate with Lululemon and the Apple Store. Now the mall has upped the ante at its food court with the addition of GastroPod. Chef Jeremiah Bullfrog’s commercial version of his Airstream food truck serves comfort food for locavores at fair prices. Arepas topped with goat cheese are $6, pulled pork tacos run two for $7, and a bowl of freshly made noodles costs $9. This is delicious, real food made right there — not at some chain restaurant commissary a thousand miles away. Before you head to the Apple Store to blow a few hundred bucks on that new watch, stop at GastroPod for a Mo’ Betta burger. Having a full belly might make the fact that the item you want is on backorder a little easier to swallow.

Drive-thru windows are great. There’s only one problem: These stay-in-your-car-while-you-purchase-something services are generally found only at fast-food chains or pharmacies. And while picking up a prescription in your jammies when you’re sick is nice, it’s even nicer to pick up a scorching bowl of sopa de pollo. That’s where Sergio’s comes in. Unless you’ve been living under a rock since 1975 when Sergio’s was established, you know the family-owned Cuban joint and its ham croquetas. Fast-forward 30 years, and they’re making dreams of pan con bistec and fritas on the fly come true with the first-ever Sergio’s drive-thru. Etiquette here is the same as anywhere else — pull up, place your order, pull up some more, pick up food, and then fight the urge to eat said food till you get home. If you want to make things even speedier, you can call ahead to place your order as long as you know what your stomach desires (the whole menu is up for grabs). So next time you’re craving vaca frita ($12.45), masas de puerco ($11.95), lechón asado ($10.50), or any other Cuban classics and don’t feel like going out for a sit-down meal, drive up to Sergio’s ventanita.

On its own, tequila might be a liquor feared by college students and those with weak stomachs. After a night of imbibing it, people often find themselves swearing off alcohol with the phrase “I’m never drinking again.” That’s utter nonsense. Be smart about your drink of choice and take your tequila like a man’s man: in a fruity margarita. There’s no denying the tastiness of a classic margarita — especially the elevated deliciousness of a frozen one — but R House in Wynwood takes the recipe a step further by adding an extra kick. The R House margarita ($12) uses jalapeño-infused Espolón tequila mixed with Cointreau, pineapple purée, and lime juice. At first, you won’t feel the spicy ting of the pepper, but give it a few seconds and — boom — your mouth will be on fire, the good kind of fire.

It must be said: Hypochondriacs shouldn’t be allowed to consume beets. Eating a beet salad or having a beet in your morning juice can color your bathroom activities in such a way that you believe you have internal bleeding. Your worry subsides only when you’re driving yourself to the ER and recall your diet over the past 24 hours. Beets, you realize, are the culprit. The same edible root that turns borscht red can paint your insides. But when that stain touches Miami’s favorite cocktail — the mojito — magic happens in the Magic City. The beet mojito ($13) at Sugarcane is the drink of dreams. Though the bar specializes in rum, it is the beet juice mixed with Bacardi Superior that enhances and elevates this beverage. The muddled mint is, so to speak, the cherry on top. This cocktail is herbaceous, rich, and flavorful, just like Miami. So go ahead and drink too many. Beets are good for you.

Readers’ choice: Havana 1957

The Raleigh Hotel is a time machine. While other art-deco-era hotels have been glitzed up and glamorized by chains, the Raleigh looks as though Clark Gable or Katharine Hepburn would stroll in for a smart cocktail at any moment. An air of old-world glamor wafts throughout the resort. And the Raleigh’s slightly secret Martini Bar is the epitome of Hollywood elegance. Cocktails are classic — you won’t find dry ice or neon ice cubes — but you will have the perfect Vesper ($14), a cocktail invented by Ian Fleming for his 007 agent James Bond. There’s also the Martinez ($13), thought to be the father of the classic martini. And, of course, there’s the martini itself, dressed up with a blue-cheese-stuffed olive. Cocktails cost around $14, which is pricier than they were back in the 1940s, but consider this: They are much cheaper (and more obtainable) than a time machine.

Readers’ choice: Prohibition Restaurant & Speakeasy

Sunday morning comes too quickly after a long Saturday night, and you remember you made plans to meet friends for brunch. The only thing that’s saving your head from exploding is the thought of the kimchee bloody mary ($13) at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink. The cocktail is made with Absolut Elyx, the brand’s premium single-batch vodka that contains floral and peppery notes. Then the restaurant’s house-made kimchee is added, along with a piquant bloody mary mix. Finally, the drink is garnished with a perfectly pink rock shrimp. This bloody mary is not in-your-face fiery, nor is it too salty. Instead, it’s well balanced and beautifully layered. Each sip brings a discovery as your brain cells fire up and your senses return. It’s much more than a brunch cocktail. It’s revival in a glass.

Tea is often the underdog, its many fine qualities drowned out by the addictive lure of java from Starbucks and Keurig. However, tea is an art all its own — a peerless tradition with more complexity than most Lipton drinkers realize. And at the chic, softly lit Small Tea in Coral Gables, Miami’s tea culture is coming into its own. Here, tea is serious business. A whopping 84 varieties are categorized by letters and numbers, and samples of each blend fill glass canisters that you can open and sniff. From ayurvedic to herbal, from Black Rose to Lavender Dream, there’s a tea for every mood, taste, and ailment. Made using a steampunk machine — a cutting-edge device that allows baristas to control temperature, time, and agitation — each cup is a work of art. The cost is $3.21 for a small and $4.21 for a large — not too much to pay for the title of Serious Tea Drinker.

Got a craving for spice that just won’t quit? Looking for a late-night snack with a healthful edge to fill you up? South Beach’s Sriracha House is the stuff of slurp-happy dreams. The staff is incredibly friendly. Don’t worry about asking to taste a sauce. There are ten (not counting all the varieties of sriracha scattered all over the restaurant), and you can sample every one. The servers happily guide you through the build-your-own menu. If the hundreds of combinations are daunting, feel free to try one of the menu’s time-tested house recipes. Sriracha House prides itself on having something for everyone, whether you are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, or Paleo. Because the place is open until 4 a.m. daily, you can finally stop treating your drunk tummy like a garbage dump. Grab any one or five of the srirachas from the wall and see which one you like best — if your mouth can take the heat. Prices vary, depending upon how many crunchy veggies or savory meats or scrumptious add-ons you desire. But give yourself room to play — you’re likely to land in the $10 range. Be sure to grab a visitor card, because after ten meals, the next one is free. And when it comes time to hole-punch, the guys have been known to be generous. They even deliver.

Leave it to the 305 to put a Latin twist on sushi. At Sushi Runner, there are dozens of tasty options. Try the Calle 8 roll ($12.95), made with ham croquetas and garnished with papita sticks. Or check out the deep-fried Havana roll ($10.95), oozing with cream cheese and guava paste. Maybe you feel like the Caribbean roll ($14.95), stuffed with whitefish tempura, asparagus, avocado, cream cheese, spicy mayo, and sesame seeds and topped with sweet plantains. The eatery also chops up traditional rolls like the California, dragon, and rainbow. You can dine in, but Sushi Runner also delivers its Japanese-fusion grub to hungry Miamians across Doral, Hialeah, and Miami Lakes. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. So even if you don’t live in the area, there’s plenty of time to make the drive to get your sushi fix.

Readers’ choice: Doraku

The dumplings at Kon Chau send diners into a frenzy. Even when these delectables are too hot to be eaten and too delicate to be seized by a pair of chopsticks, they’re sought after. On busy Saturday mornings, packs of patrons gobble down shiny chive shrimp dumplings ($3.75) and crisp taro cakes ($2.95). They hunt down the green tea wrappers packed with slick duck meat and earthy mushrooms that come four to an order because no one can eat just one. They don’t forget about the pork pies ($2.95), with savory little nuggets of char siu wrapped inside buttery puff pastry, or the soup dumplings in a slick, meaty broth. After trying this classic establishment, you’ll know why crowds go crazy for Kon Chau.

There’s a no-frills and lots-of-thrills family-owned place in South Miami-Dade by the clever name of Pho-Thang. Just in case that appellation isn’t a dead giveaway, it’s all about the pho here. Sure, you can get all the usual Vietnamese suspects — pork rolling cake, spring rolls, and rice vermicelli — but it would be a mistake not to slurp one of the ten varieties of pho (pronounced fuh to your server if you want to sound like you take your soup seriously). The piping-hot beef broth is so good you’ll want to bathe in it. Don’t. Instead, let slow spoonfuls warm your soul while chopstick snatches of springy noodles with bits of beef ball, rare beef, fibrous tripe, and braised gelatinous tendon fill the tummy. The special beef pho will set you back a measly $10.95. Pro tip: Order the rare beef on the side so you can toss it into the soup at your leisure and watch as it slowly changes from vibrant red to ready-to-eat pinkish brown. Other pho incarnations include fish balls, quail eggs, scallops, and white-meat chicken. None exceeds $11. Add as much basil, bean sprouts, lime, fish sauce, sriracha, hoisin, and soy as you like. We suggest lots of everything, especially hoisin and sriracha. Slurp with caution.

I like big buns and I cannot lie/You other Miami foodies can’t deny/I don’t want none unless you’ve got buns, hun. Miami is all about the buns. Before they go on display at the beach, we inject them with fat, lift them, and even add implants to make them plumper, fuller, and bubblier. Well, Buns & Buns fills its creations with beef, lamb, tuna, chicken, pork belly, lobster, and shrimp. The place takes a special, international approach. From brioche to ciabatta to naan to steamed Asian, every one you have ever known is here. You’ll learn to appreciate the range of colors, textures and flavors. And there are perfect pairings. The pork belly ($15.95) comes on a brioche bun with bourbon glaze, chicharrones, and pickled slaw for some fatty meat with a sweet and acidic crunch.

Taquiza’s Steve Santana does more work than necessary. No one said he needed to import dried blue corn from small Mexican farms. Not a soul told him to undertake the painstaking process of turning it into cornflour and then making tortillas. No one demanded they be filled with the slightly spicy, charred poblano strips called rajas or the tangy corn fungus known as huitlacoche. Yet the programmer-turned-cook, who did stints with Jeremiah Bullfrog and at Giorgio Rapicavoli’s Eating House, decided it had to be done. And that was the beginning of a little walk-up counter on Collins Avenue that set a new standard for excellent tacos in a city where tacos are booming.

The rest of Miami-Dade is finally coming to know the pleasure of a proper taco thanks to the latest foodie trends, but Homestead has long been the place to go in the 305 for authentic Mexican cuisine without the blogger hubbub or upcharges. Casita Tejas has been in business since 1987, and you can bet that during those 28 years, it has learned to make a damn good burrito. The standard option is delicious at this humbly decorated eatery in historic downtown Homestead, but if you’re looking for something special, try the burrito norteño. It comes stuffed with steak, grilled onions, rice, and cilantro. Along with a ladle of salsa suiza, a generous portion of melted Monterey Jack cheese is served on top. It’s a giant roll of Mexican goodness, along with beans on the side, for just $10.25.

Readers’ choice: Lime Fresh Mexican Grill

Miami’s best-loved (and probably only) tapas bar in a gas station has a lot to offer. There are at least 2,000 bottles of wine alongside a few quarts of motor oil. There are plump shrimp doused in a fruity, garlicky olive oil sauce ($13.50) and enough candy bars to rot out multiple teeth. But after the thrill of ordering a cazuela of plump chorizo al vino ($8.50) with your gasoline, you’re left with simple, delicious food to be enjoyed with good friends and plenty of wine. Because before we all started obsessing over the latest Spanish spot’s pinxtos, that’s what first drew us together, right?

What do you buy at a gas station? Gas (duh), a six-pack of mass-produced beer, lighters, lottery tickets, and condoms. At first glance, it seems arepas don’t fit this list. But they do at this Doral Exxon station that also doubles as an arepa bar. Chefs here sling crisp corn cakes like nobody’s business. If you’re a gringo, ignore the Spanish menu and simply order an arepa especial. This particular pillow of corn is fried and topped with your choice of beef or chicken, ham, cheese, slaw, and avocado ($7). They’ll also put a fried egg and a bevy of house sauces (there are six) on it to amp up the flavor profile. If you prefer your cakes stuffed rather than topped, Pepito Arepa Bar serves a plethora of traditional arepas, such as the reina pepiada (chicken salad with avocado), ham ‘n’ cheese, and scrambled egg with tomato and shredded cheese. Bonus: They’re cheap! Buy a couple and you’ll still have money left over for gas and whatever else you came here for in the first place.

In anthropomorphic terms, most pan con bistec is an underachieving, pot-smoking genius. Kush takes this promising miscreant and turns it into a Mensa-level engineer who unlocks the secret of cold fusion on a bar napkin. The Wynwood spot’s version ($13) starts with a palomilla steak from Cowart Ranch that’s grilled and sliced. No more desperate struggling and gnawing through each bite. They swap the Cuban bread for a fluffy challah round, then add butter and press it into a slick, toasty delight. The perfunctory potato sticks, lettuce, and tomato are also on hand. So is a slice of spicy melted jack cheese that grabs the potato bits and doesn’t let go. You’ll feel the same way. So go and get one. Just don’t let your favorite cafeteria know.

The moment you sit down at Doral’s La Esquina del Lechón, the pig takes over. If it’s Sunday, there’s most likely a whole pig shrouded in lettuce making its way across the dining room. Any other day, a meal begins with a few hunks of crisp fried pork belly and buttered Cuban bread. What most other places call “bread service” is simply culinary foreshadowing. The juicy shredded meat packed inside each order of pan con lechón ($7.45) is studded with innumerable bits of pork skin. The kitchen takes care not too douse it all in a combination of the pork’s juice and mojo too soon. Such a crime would render the bits chewy and offset the perfect balance of tender meat, crisp skin, and slightly sweet onions.

If you’re a ceviche fan (and if you’re not, you might as well leave Miami), you’ve certainly come to know CVI.CHE 105 in the heart of downtown. It’s highly regarded, but it’s almost always packed. Fortunately, the owners have another — even better — option conveniently located down the block from their famous eatery. The ceviche at Pollos y Jarras is just as tasty and costs less. Even better, for now there’s no wait. Upon entering, parties are ushered through an open-air kitchen and bar to an elevator that takes them to the dining area on the second floor. The walls are covered with colorful street signs, lending the sister spot a more casual and fun-loving atmosphere. The menu is stacked with nine ceviches in both fish and seafood varieties ranging from $10.95 to $15.95. Try the crema virgin for something creamy, or add some spice with the crema rocoto. You won’t be disappointed.

Readers’ choice: CVI.CHE 105

Fried and mashed plantains take many forms and names, but the version at Milly’s Restaurant has a unique quality: It’s made with love. Milly and her husband Hector give this mofongo a cozy and loving upbringing. Their Dominican restaurant on Calle Ocho is filled with tables of family and friends. Photos of smiling faces adorn the walls. In this nurturing environment, the mofongo grows up well balanced and flavorful. The plantains are fried and then mashed with fresh garlic that gets along well with all kinds of meaty friends from the land and sea. You can get the mofongo solo ($6.75), but why would you? It plays so nicely with others. Try the mofongo con longaniza (Spanish sausage) for $10.75; you can also get it with fried chicken, pork chops, shrimp, lobster, or conch. Whichever way it comes, it will be some of the best mofongo you’ve ever tasted.

Brazilians have been flocking to Miami for decades — and they’ve definitely brought along their caipirinha recipe. It’s a cocktail that includes Brazil’s most popular alcohol, cachaça (a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice), blended with sugar and lime. The origins of Lulu’s Monday caipirinha night are unknown. Current management speculates it emerged sometime in the past three years as a simple solution to the Monday problem — it’s a night of the week when Miamians are sometimes too hung-over to drink. That day, a pitcher goes for $24 and a glass for $4. It’s rumored that a bartender named Vicky has even begun infusing hibiscus into the cachaça. The only way to find out if this is true, though, is to visit.

Pita Loca is, well, different. The place that has served South Beach for more than a decade is kosher. It has a separate sushi menu, but the Middle Eastern and Israeli food shines brightest. In particular, we love those fluffy fried chickpea balls known as falafel. You can get a side dish (three pieces for $2.99), a pita sandwich (6.99), or the laffa or baguette version ($8.99). Don’t forget the toppings and tasty sauces. You can also opt for a falafel plate ($12.99) with French fries, Israeli salad, and tahini. Plus, you can pick up all kinds of Judaica: Jewish texts, mezuzahs, yarmulkes, y mas. It’s loca like that.

Beards are everywhere, covering the faces of every man, from Wynwood hipsters to Surfside Hassids. May we suggest a new look? The hummustache. It’s a smooth and edible hummus mustache made from a blend of puréed chickpeas delicately flavored with ground sesame seeds, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and Mediterranean spices. This stache is applied to your upper lip using warm pita bread that will leave your hands clean. Just think of Bert’s unibrow or Burt Reynolds’ mustache dressed up this way! Where to find the key ingredient? We recommend a nondescript restaurant in SoBe for the most special blend. It’s made fresh and has just the right creamy texture. And if the completely reasonable $5.95 for fresh hummus and pita seems too much to pay, check in on Yelp to get a batch of this potion for free. It belongs on your pita, on your face, in your mouth, and most surely in your belly.

For the past couple of years, the frita has enjoyed the spotlight. Morro Castle in Hialeah offers the ideal version. The smoky, spicy chorizo has the perfect sheen, and the fresh potato sticks have a warm amber hue, almost like a hard-earned suntan. And those buns? Oye, don’t even try to say they’re not surgically enhanced. But at the end of the day, the humble frita is a utilitarian, working man’s food. It doesn’t want to be celebrated or admired. The cost: $2.89 with tax. It even comes wrapped in paper so you can eat it on the run during a hectic day.

Béchamel is the stuff that binds France and Cuba. At Ms. Cheezious’ long-awaited MiMo storefront, the humble mixture of butter, flour, and milk that’s essential in croquetas and croque-monsieurs is doubled up with a couple of fat handfuls of creamy, smoky Gouda cheese. What emerges is the croqueta monsieur ($8). It’s truly a thing of beauty. Three smoky croquetas de jamón are squished onto shaved tavern ham, with Gruyère cheese and sourdough bread soaked in béchamel and pressed until crisp. Call it fusion. Call it freakish. Whatever you call it, just make sure you have some.

The smokehouse wings at Bulldog are simple, subtle, and scrumpdillyicious. The smoke flavor is present but not overwhelming, and the meat is tender, never burned. They have a kick without being uncomfortably hot. It’s a perfect base for the fickle eater and nothing some extra RedHot sauce won’t fix for fire-eaters. The pound at $15 is enough to satisfy a couple of hungry bellies, especially when it’s paired with Bulldog’s incredible mac ‘n’ cheese ($4 small, $8 large) or burnt-end beans ($4 small, $8 large). A smaller portion of wings costs $8, but when they’re this good, why order less? Top it all off with a beer from the extensive bottled and draft menu, and you have yourself the perfect evening out.

The juicy fried chicken thighs hold an unexpected secret. It’s not about buttermilk, grandmothers, or the American South. Instead, the salty crust that crackles with each bite is a Cuban tale. Vincent Herryman’s uncle skipped Miami when he fled the island in the days after the revolution. He went on to open a handful of beloved fried-chicken joints throughout Harlem and Washington Heights in New York City. A year ago, Vincent, who spent 15 years learning his uncle’s secrets, pulled up his stakes and reopened Caporal Chicken in the heart of La Saguesera. He peddles wallet-friendly ($1 per thigh, $2 per breast) buckets of chicken whose meat emits a smoky aroma. Accompaniments include a pile of sweet-potato fries ($2), fried yuca ($2), and a chocolate-chip-studded waffle slathered with maple- or strawberry-infused butter.

Readers’ choice: Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

South Dade has long known Tom Wills as the man behind T&W Subs’ hulking hoagies. What the good folks of this region didn’t know is that they had a champion pit master at hand. It all began simply enough with a towed smoker for briskets. Before long, Wilms was taking jaunts across the South for barbecue throwdowns. After his ribs — baby-backs with a crackly, salty bark concealing juicy pink smoke rings — earned ribbons in Georgia and South Carolina, Wilms took out a space in a Cutler Bay strip mall. Thinking of going for lunch? Get there early. The brisket doused in a vinegary, mustard-based sauce often sells out.

Readers’ choice: Shorty’s Bar-B-Q

Walk into Sparky’s during lunchtime and you’ll see a herd of suits rolling their sleeves up and getting their hands dirty as they attack racks of St. Louis-style pork ribs. Owners, chefs, and barbecue mavens “Sparky” and “Sparky” (they nicknamed each other years ago, hence the name of the restaurant) came up with a special rub for the ribs one hot summer during a grill session. It has 26 spices and herbs, but the secret ingredient is a spoonful of sugar. Once the rack has been nicely rubbed, the thick slabs of meat are cooked “low and slow” until tender. The result: Every morsel of pork bursts with rub and smoke. You can go full ($26) or half ($16) rack depending upon how ambitious you feel. Either choice comes with two sides. One should be the baked beans, which have bacon bits smoked right into them. And whatever you do, be sure to squirt your rack with one of the five or so house-made sauce varieties. The guava-habañero is rib-licking good.