Eat & Drink

Finding a quality bagel in Miami is tough. So 25-year-old entrepreneur Matteson Koche found a way to do it himself. He's the creator of El Bagel, a roving food truck stocked with hand-rolled New York-style dough. Each bagel is proofed overnight, boiled, and then baked, yielding a dark and crisp shell with a heavy sprinkling of poppy and sesame seeds. The center is remarkably soft. The whole thing tastes even better when loaded with a heap of cream cheese, a yolky egg, and a slice of American cheese. Some weekends, the truck pops up at local spots such as Boxelder on NW Second Avenue in Wynwood to sling bagels with schmear for $5 apiece.

There are many reasons why you should visit Eating House on a weekend. Created by Chopped champion Giorgio Rapicavoli, the popular Coral Gables restaurant gives brunch a face-lift with the Wake-N-Bacon a munchies-themed menu filled with tater tots drizzled with Coca-Cola ketchup, candied applewood-smoked bacon with brown sugar and sea salt, and pumpkin-spice granola. But the star dish is Rapicavoli's Cap'n Crunch pancakes ($14). Covered in vanilla butter, condensed-milk syrup, and candied cereal, each doughy bite includes a loud crunch and a sweet finish. Wash it down with a guava mimosa, made with prosecco and pink guava juice ($10), or a yuzu cocktail with Florida grapefruit juice and vermouth ($12). Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11:30 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

There's a new baker in town. James Beard Award-winning Jim Lahey, best known for creating New York's Sullivan Street Bakery, has opened a production facility in Little Haiti. Through a partnership with Steven Perricone, owner of the long-standing Perricone's Marketplace & Café, Lahey has brought his no-knead method of mixing dough to a growing list of local restaurants and shops. Among the places serving his crunchy and fluffy baguettes and loaves are 27 Restaurant at the Freehand, Proper Sausages, Laurenzo's Italian Market, MC Kitchen, the Four Seasons, Le Zoo, River Oyster Bar, Joey's, Les Bahn Amis, and Café Roval. In early 2019, Lahey and Perricone will open a bake shop attached to the facility, which will sell a lineup of breads as well as sandwiches, salads, pastries, and pizza.

On the corner of NE 29th Street and Second Avenue in Edgewater, amid shiny new restaurants and selfie-taking tourists, stands the iconic Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop. The low-priced Cuban cafeteria serves authentic eats such as pan con bistec ($7) and medianoches ($7) from morning till night. For something more breakfast-centric, try the desayuno especial: two eggs, bacon or ham, Cuban toast, a cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice, and café con leche for $6.25. For something light and portable, go for the house-made smoothies and shakes. No matter what, don't leave without a sip of café con leche ($2). Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

This cozy neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot is just what Broward locals need. You'll probably miss seeing the friendly, rugged-good-looking chef and co-owner, Keith Freiman, who is happiest flipping his homemade buttermilk pancakes in the back. After years of working as pastry chef in fancy Florida restaurants, Freiman, along with co-owner Emilio Freire, took a chance and opened up shop in unpretentious Dania Beach, where he makes simple and delicious food. Customers are greeted by an eye-catching display of doughnuts in flavors such as blackberry blintz, tres leches, and Nutella mousse ($1.45 to $2.25 each, $10.25 per half-dozen, and $19.25 per dozen). But regulars come for the Dough Boy ($5), a delectable combo of salty and sweet made with a mini cheese egg omelet and bacon, sausage, or ham nestled inside one of Freiman's signature airy, slightly sweet doughnut breads. They're so good you'll want to order two, so why not give your meal a bit of a health boost by adding avocado for an additional 75 cents?

The St. Regis is behind a brunch experience stocked with bottomless pink bubbly, unlimited trips to a buffet, and an unobstructed view of the Atlantic Ocean ($95 per adult and $45 per child). It's called Rosé Sunday Brunch. The resort's main waterfront dining room looks like the perfect spot for a bridal shower. Various shades of pink, from blush-colored tablecloths to coral-hued booze, dominate the space. Half of the area includes dining stations piled with sweet and savory items such as sea-salt-crusted fish, freshly shucked oysters, and a bakery section offering croissants filled with fruity jams. Then there's a large dessert table anchored by a five-foot-tall macaron display in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. Sparkly cake pops, key lime pie, chocolate mousse, and other sweets orbit the centerpiece of colorful meringue cookies. But what distinguishes the St. Regis' Sunday brunch from other experiences is its lengthy menu of bottomless rosé wines, champagnes, and the hotel's variation on the classic bloody mary and mimosa. For rosé alone, the menu includes nearly ten brands categorized by sparkling or flat. It's all served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

In Miami, brunch comes in many forms. There are reasonably priced experiences, indulgent buffets, and spirited parties with effervescent crowds. Myles Chefetz's Prime Fish in Miami Beach's South of Fifth neighborhood has struck the perfect balance. It has a full-service buffet serving both breakfast and lunch dishes, an entrée selection, and bottomless bubbly, all for $59. Standouts include the Egg Foo Yung, with rock shrimp, Chinese sausage, and shiitake; the Green Eggs & Ham, with Serrano ham, wilted spinach, and manchego cheese; and a warm popover stuffed with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, scallions, and cream cheese. For an additional price, order from the raw bar, stocked with oysters, lobster, and caviar. Then there's dessert, from chocolate-Oreo squares and cranberry scones to homemade s'mores and chocolate and peanut butter bites. Wash it all down with mimosas, bellinis, prosecco, or house-made bloody marys. Try brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Pembroke Pines' Gold Marquess Fine Chinese Cuisine is behind 1-800-Lucky's dim sum stall, Yip. There, you'll find a selection of dim sum served in small bamboo steamer baskets. Dumplings are made from scratch every morning and filled with ingredients such as shrimp and pork, carrots, mushrooms, and savory soup. There are also steamed buns packed with roast pork or chicken, as well as crunchy spring rolls stuffed with bean noodles. Don't skip dessert: Yip serves crisp steamed buns filled with dulce de leche, and hand-rolled sesame balls loaded with red bean paste. It's best to select a few sweet and savory items to share with the table. Try it from noon to midnight Sunday through Wednesday and noon to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

This bright, airy spot near Sunset Drive in South Miami has everything you could want offered in a way that makes it seem as if it emerged from someone's kitchen. Much of this is due to the spot-on sensibilities of co-owner Brendan Connor, who skillfully imparts culinary touches only a tried-and-true chef would think up into dishes that conjure happy memories of youth. Order a large iced tea and some pimento cheese spread with corn chips ($6.95) and follow them up with filet mignon salad ($17.95), deploying a rich onion confit that marries green beans, mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette, and a goat cheese fritter. That'll set you right for the rest of the day, or you can go for the open-faced chicken BLT ($14.95) and spend your afternoon in a delicious fog.

Next to Greynolds Park in North Miami Beach, find the charming coffee shop the Alchemist. Tucked inside a complex of unassuming houses on West Dixie Highway, the quiet retreat sits inside a barn-like structure, where the shop slings fresh-baked Belgian waffles and churns out 24-hour cold brew. Walking toward the entrance, you're greeted by a garden patio lined with trees and filled with intimate tables. Inside, a coffee bar is filled with laboratory-like flasks and beakers holding various teas and coffees. The baristas are called "coffee scientists." You'll spot the shop's syphon, a contraption used to brew coffee in-house. For the cold brew, beans are roasted onsite and cold-steeped for 24 hours. Then the coffee is mixed with brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk for a rich, creamy flavor. It's poured into a giant glass dispenser where it infuses further. Try one for yourself — a barista will hand-shake the brew inside a cocktail shaker and then pour it over fist-size ice cubes in a Mason jar. Order the café's signature menu item: an open-faced sandwich on Tuscan bread ($7.99). Choices range from savory to sweet, including turkey and Swiss, smoked salmon, melted Brie, caprese, and Nutella. Alchemist is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Kay Rico is a hip take on the Spanish phrase ¡Qué rico!, which translates to "How delicious!" And when you take one sip of the café con leche ($3.50) at Kay Rico, located at the Yellow Green Farmers Market in Hollywood, you're left proclaiming that phrase. At most places, the café con leche may be regarded as an inferior latte or a drip coffee upgrade. At Kay Rico, it's the highlight. The café con leche here is made with three kinds of bean — most recently from Honduras, Ethiopia, and Guatemala — that are hand-roasted weekly by the family-owned operation and then brewed to perfection each weekend (like the farmers' market where it's located, Kay Rico is open only Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The drink is finished with milk, sugar (optional), and a beautiful design.

Panther Coffee groupies, take note: There's a Broward kid on the block worth your sip. Switchbox Roasters, the cool, vintage-style coffeehouse in the revived Oakland Park's Culinary Arts District, is serious about serving responsibly sourced coffees from around the world. Aside from the standard espresso ($2.75 for a double shot), cappuccino ($3.85), and latte ($3.85 for six-ounce, $4.85 for a 12-ounce, and $4.85 for iced), there are hip baristas who look as if they organize protest marches in their spare time. They prepare a plethora of hot and cold brews. Try the cortado ($3.50) to experience java in its purest expression: sweet, chocolatey, and buttery, with Instagram-worthy designs made in the foam. They roast their own beans here, so if you have trouble finding the place, follow the intoxicatingly rich aroma. Purchase a 12-ounce retail bag ($15 to $18) to take home, or join the subscription-based service to have the socially responsible elixir mailed straight to your home. There are plenty of pastries and toasts offered to pair with your caffeine, including Zak the Baker croissants, cinnamon rolls, and breads ($3). Take Switchbox's classes for cupping (professional coffee evaluation process) and brewing basics to amp up your know-how.

Years ago, Miami Beach reigned as South Florida's deli capital. Places such as Wolfie Cohen's, Pumperniks, and Junior's served corned beef on rye and bowls of warm matzo ball soup to thousands of customers. But as Miami's Jewish population moved north, most establishments shuttered. The opening and speedy popularity of Hank & Harry's, a modern New York-style deli, marks a resurgence in Miami's long deli history (along with proof of hunger for a quality pastrami sandwich). Created by Miami-based restaurant group Sliderz MG, Hank & Harry's whips up breakfast, lunch, and dinner at three locations: Lincoln Road, Aventura Mall, and South Miami. Menu items include traditional Jewish deli plates such as corned beef and pastrami sandwiches ($12.95), knishes, house-made bagels and cream cheeses ($1.50 to $3), and black-and-white sugar cookies ($1.50). There are also Italian-influenced plates such as hot meatball subs ($5.95 for half and $9.95 for a whole).

When Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth opened Root & Bone, its fried chicken had but one flaw: You had to go to New York City to get some. Thankfully, Miami's cutest culinary couple brought their chicken to Miami Beach. Why all of this hoopla for fried chicken? Well, it starts with free-range birds brined in a sweet tea bath before being dusted with tart lemon powder and fried to a golden shade. The lemon tea gives the chicken an incredible fragrance and flavor — sweet and smoky with just a touch of citrus to tingle the tongue. A satisfying crunch leads to impossibly moist and tender meat beneath. The chicken, served with Tabasco-spiked honey, is available in a half bird for $19 and a whole for $36. As you chew in ecstasy, one thought will run through your head: Everything, truly, is better with a bird on it. Hours are 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

When it comes to chicken wings, options and customization separate the good from the mediocre. And both are offered at Mussaddiq "the King of Poultry" Muhammad's House of Wings. The chicken-wing master chose historic Overtown as home base for his counter-service eatery specializing in — as his nickname suggests — the most prized part of poultry. Since opening in 2003, the place has become a neighborhood institution. It offers more than 50 sauces that can be used on a choice of grilled, dry-rubbed, or deep-fried wings. Selections include everything from barbecue, sweet, or savory to spicy and homestyle. Popular choices include "Barack Obama" (a sweet blend whose ingredients are top secret) and "Ghetto" (a sweet-smoky mixture of four barbecue sauces). However, the jerk wings — flavored with a combination of fiery jerk seasonings and classic, vinegary Buffalo sauce — never disappoint. The selections don't stop there. You can order five wings with a combo meal that includes fries, onion rings, rice, or a side salad for $6.96 or up to 200 wings with four to eight sauces (call for pricing). And, yes, blue cheese and celery are included.

Mac 'n' cheese is one of those rare foods we love as kids and don't outgrow. Sure, there are four-star macs, and (heaven forbid) healthy and vegan versions made with nutritional yeast instead of cheddar, but you really want a big, heaping dish of gooey, sloppy, heart-stopping cheesy goodness. House of Mac brings out your inner child with its over-the-top mac and cheese. You want truffle in your mac ($10)? Check. How about a Philly cheesesteak mac ($15)? Yep. But if you've had a crappy day and need the food equivalent of a big hug from Grandma, go with the chicken parm mac 'n' cheese ($14). Hunks of fried and breaded chicken are mixed in and then graced with what seems like more cheese than can fit into the tin. Sure, it's big and you meant to share, but one bite leads to another and another and — whoops! — It's gone. Don't worry. It happens. Just order another. House of Mac isn't here to judge. It's here to comfort. Hours are noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Just call Sweet Dogs' owner, Victor Ruiz, Mr. Worldwide, hot-dog-style. The self-made chef and 305 native loves not only hot dogs but also his city and Florida sports teams. He brings both together for the perfect Miami-American fast food. And each of his dogs is an edible work of art. All-beef franks are prepared and served with a number of creative, locally themed toppings. Priced from $6.50 to $8.99, Magic City-inspired selections have names such as the Panther, the Dolphins, and the Miami Heat. The most colorful just might be the Marlins, a dog topped with a fried egg, sweet plantains, chopped onions, banana peppers, guava barbecue sauce, and potato sticks. If all of that sounds a little too much for one dog, try the Miami Vice. It's topped with beef chili, chopped onions, pickles, coleslaw, cheddar cheese, and crumbled corn chips. Feeling even more basic? The homemade mac 'n' cheese dog includes the classic comfort food smothered in Parmesan cheese sauce and crunchy garlic croutons. Definitely game over.

To say that Giovanni Gagliardi is obsessed with pizza is like saying Wynton Marsalis dabbles in the trumpet. The entire life of this stout, half-bearded pizzaiolo from Naples revolves around perfect pies. He was born into a family famous for a roving truck that dished out first-rate versions of the stuff. He's won multiple world championships, and an armory of awards litters his small South Beach spot. The world's famed Neapolitan flour companies, which produce the only flour acceptable for making true Neapolitan pies according to European Union standards, fly him around the globe to stretch, dress, and bake on their behalf. Still don't believe it? Go ahead and visit for yourself and watch Gagliardi closely. Every now and then you'll see him snip a pie's crust with a pair of scissors to ensure it's puffing up and crisping just right.

There are secret weapons in the quest for umami, the so-called fifth flavor, which is a combination of savoriness and deep satisfaction. The wrongly maligned MSG is one of them. There's also tomato paste, anchovies, and the Japanese seaweed and fish broth called dashi. Chief among the ingredients, however, is mushrooms. Vegetarians for years have relied on fungi for meaty satisfaction. Jr's, the humble Miami Springs restaurant that in 2015 finally got some long-overdue recognition when it won the South Beach Wine & Food Festival's Burger Bash, deploys a panoply of everything from button mushrooms to shiitake, porcini, and oysters on its wild mushroom burger ($8.85/$9.99) to create an umami bomb tucked in a bun. Take in each bite with a pull of Swiss cheese and a few strands of sautéed onions, and you have all the makings of midday ecstasy.

How this long-standing Little Havana bakery turns out so many of these stubby little fingers of oceanic delight is a mystery. Arrive early on a weekday, and countless dozens of croquetas de bacalao emerge in a constant stream from the back of the compact space. What makes Pastelmania's salt cod croquetas ($1) so addictive is their creamy, unctuous core made of whipped codfish that boasts an almost cloud-like texture. Once it's encased in breading and fried until delightfully crisp, you might find yourself turning your car around on the way to work to fetch a dozen — no, two dozen — more.

Gilbert's began in 1962 after the family bakery in Camagüey was seized by the Castro government. Family members fled to Miami to rebuild, starting with a place on Douglas Road at SW 16th Street. Today the ship is steered by Gilberto Arriaza Jr., who oversees a vast production operation that keeps the streets flooded with croquetas and guava-packed pastries. Yet it's true strength, and Arriaza's passion, is keeping alive the culinary traditions of Cuba that have faded as the country has sunk into economic hardship and the exile community has built a new life. Case in point is the menesier de pollo ($1.25). A flaky pie-dough-style crust is folded around shredded chicken prepared like ropa vieja. Once out of the oven, it's cooled, and a quick slick of sugar syrup gives it a chrome-like shine. Its depth and complexity, combined with an addictive sweet-savory flavor combination, make it a pastry like no other.

Why, you ask, is the city's favorite arepa spot named for a misspelling of Canis lupus familiaris? In 2010, matriarch Yoleida Galiano and her sons Carlos and Giovanni Esteves purchased a small food cart and served wieners, sodas, and the famous papelón con limón, a traditional Venezuelan beverage made with sugarcane and lemon. After runaway success, the trio opened a restaurant on Coral Way with the same name. Today they dish out dozens of varieties of Venezuelan arepas from multiple locations, including a food truck in Wynwood (305-434-2241). Try the domino ($8.99), plumped up with black beans and rice, or the reina pepiada ($7.99), that oh-so-addictive combination of chicken salad and avocado. You might imagine this was what manna from Heaven looked and tasted like. The outside is freckled with char marks, hinting at the greatness to come: unparalleled crispness that gives way to a tender, hot, steamy, fluffy, almost biscuit-like interior of white cornmeal that's soft and delicate enough to serve as pillow stuffing. It's no wonder new locations are popping up across town.

The most Cuban sandwich of all isn't the eponymous one. It's the frita. And though Miamians will argue their favorite frita spots all day, there's one that does the frita like no one else. Sometimes you want it quick and cheap, and that's where Cuban Guys comes in. With four locations from Hialeah to Kendall (and one opening soon in Miramar), they know what makes this sandwich so sensational, perfecting it in fast-food form for $3.99 a pop (and for only $3 Tuesdays after 4 p.m.). Let's start with the bread: A fresh-baked Cuban bun displays the restaurant's logo stamped on top. The beef, seasoned to perfection, is never frozen. It's hand-shaped into patties each day. And those crisp potato sticks are cut and fried in-house, so they're never soggy. Make it a deluxe with mayo, tomato, and lettuce. And if one frita isn't enough, you can always go for the doble ($4.99). Piled high with double the ingredients, it's one of the sexiest — and cheapest — fritas in the 305.

It's easy to find a good bowl of pho, but to locate one that makes you feel as if you are sitting on a stool in Saigon is incredibly difficult. Atlantic Pho is one of the few places in South Florida that produces steaming bowls of Vietnamese excellence. Priced between $6.95 and $9.95, the stuff comes in standard varieties: chicken, beef, combination, seafood, veggie, or any mix of those. In each one, the family recipe, derived from Da Nang, Vietnam, and still in use there, separates the dish from the pack. The rice noodles are cooked just right, the bean sprouts and mint leaves are fresh, and the broth could be a standalone soup in most upscale restaurants. It's pho-tastic.

For decades, Miami has been a dominant force in the sandwich universe. Sure, New York and Chicago have claims, but the Magic City is one of few where the sandwich plays an integral part of life. Though Cuban sandwiches have long reigned supreme, a few years ago the intensely flavorful sandwiches of Peru appeared on the scene, and life has never been this same. The family-owned Mr. & Mrs. Bun in West Kendall specializes in what it calls panceta en caja china ($11.99). Pork belly is cooked in a special roasting box until the meat's absurdly tender fat and flesh are encased in a crisp crust. It's tucked inside a fluffy house-made bun with crisp sweet potato coins, crunchy lettuce, and a tangy mayonnaise. In Peru, these sandwiches are popular as drunk food, but there's no need for booze to make this version the best.

Since 2006, the Miami Lakes restaurant El Pimiento has offered a sprawling menu of small plates — the kind you'd see served on the streets of Madrid — for a fraction of the price you'd pay at an American tapas bar. Prices range from $6 to $17 for most small plates. If you're the type to be overwhelmed by too many options — there are more than 40 tapas and 60 dishes in all — the small staff that runs the 12-table restaurant is happy to help you navigate chef/owner Juan Carlos de la Cruz's offerings, which range from hot and cold selections to vegetable, meat, and seafood plates. There are traditional picks such as the Spanish anchovies marinated in vinegar and olive oil known as boquerones ($11) as well as tortilla española, a Spanish-style potato and onion omelet ($7). For a truly indulgent evening, imbibe with a bottle of wine. The walls here are lined with rows of options sourced from Spain, Chile, and Argentina. Don't feel bashful about perusing them yourself, although the staff can recommend favorites.

At Pincho Factory, you have to order the epic tostón burger: a beef patty, jack cheese, and a dollop of cilantro sauce presented between two crisp fried plantains. But every burger needs a companion, and Pincho Factory offers several. Try a batch of fried plantains ($3.49), or go for an order of the classic French fries, cooked to a golden brown for a nice outer crunch. Or take it up a notch with bacon cheddar ranch fries served with ranch dressing. There are also the Cajun fries, topped with grilled onions, seasoning, and Pincho's top-secret pink sauce. Or check out the bite-size sweet potato tots. They're all under five bucks each.

Taco and tequila veteran Anna Robbins' 222 Taco in North Bay Village is a Miami Vice-colored palace of tortillas and margaritas. It's also a comfortable place to partake of a well-priced meal. Tacos are categorized by land, sea, and jardin ($3 to $4 each). All — including traditional items such as carne asada and al pastor — are delicious, but it's the veggie tacos that will win you over. Cauliflower al pastor has the sweet and acidic flavor without the guilt, and hongo alambre has a lovely earthiness. The restaurant even offers vegan queso and crema so you won't miss a beat. Wash everything down with a 222 slushy margarita, a delightful frozen drink that's best described as a passionfruit piña colada with a liberal dose of tequila ($11).

Celebrating 20 years in the same bustling location, Sunrise Pita & Grill was the go-to place for fans of the Israeli fried chickpea pita sandwich long before it became a South Florida trend. The vegan treat is made to order and then placed inside either fluffy pita bread ($6.75); an extra-large lafa, the Middle Eastern equivalent to a wrap ($8.99); or a baguette ($8.49). And this is just the first step. Select from a colorful array of fresh salads and sauces, and the jovial staff will add your choices. There's fried eggplant, sweet onion, pickled cabbage, garlic carrots, hummus, and tahini (sesame seed paste) prepared daily in-house. Those in the know will ask for a drizzle of amba, a tangy pickled mango sauce to pump up the party in your mouth. If you're not afraid of heat, ask for a bit of schug, the Moroccan herb-based condiment not to be taken lightly. A falafel platter is available ($10.49) for those who prefer to be more civil and use a plastic fork and knife. You can sit and enjoy Israeli news or take your order to go. A second location across from Nova University is expected to open soon. Another plus: Everything is glatt kosher, so God is on your side.

Disney character Sebastian the Crab once said about the virtues of living under the sea (more or less): "Sure, it might be fun spending your life hiding in some coral rock, but you know what's more enjoyable? Devouring us." At Sugarcane, you can get the Little Mermaid's family together where they belong — on your plate. Sit at the lively bar and order a half-dozen oysters ($18, selection varies), a few shrimp, and a chilled lobster. Then go to town! Chef Timon Balloo serves meat from the robata grill, so you can happily sate any carnivorous desires.

Shuji Hiyakawa, former executive sushi chef of Kuro at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, brings Japan to Miami through his first solo venture, Wabi Sabi by Shuji. The Upper Eastside space serves basic, ingredient-based Japanese sushi bowls. The menu is small but packed with flavor. Four bowls ($11 to $18) are available, including the Wabi Sabi, filled with tuna, salmon, crab, tobiko, cucumber, avocado, seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms. There are three cold-pressed juices ($7), from the fruity blend Geisha to the strong and sharp mix Samurai. And there are daily specials, cooked fish, and six flavors of mochi ice cream, including matcha green tea and salted caramel. Hiyakawa offers high-end catering too. It's called shidashi, a Japanese word for "luxury sushi trunk," where he fills three-level boxes with an assortment of nigiri and rolls for $200. It feeds a few diners. Customers who bring their own bottle, bowl, or box receive $1 off their purchase. And those who bring back their shidashi box save $75 off their next order. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Created by Sunny Oh, chef and owner of popular spots such as Juvia and Sushi Garage, Sunny Poke churns out granola bowls in the morning and traditional poke mixed with vegetables, seasonings, and sauces in the afternoon. Located within Oh's Sushi Garage space in Sunset Harbour, the place operates during the main restaurant's off-hours. The concept allows Oh to keep busy before Sushi Garage opens for dinner. One of the most popular items is the spicy tuna bowl ($14), topped with tempura crumbs, avocado, and hiyashi wakame. Or swap rice for noodles in Oh's spicy noodle bowl, drizzled with a tangy chili sauce ($14). Or create your own option using various bases, fish, and more than 15 toppings and sauces ($13 and up). It's open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Chef/owner of Dr. Limón, Carlos Brescia, named his restaurant after the key ingredient in his quintessential dish: ceviche. Limón — "lime" in Spanish for you gringos — can be found in almost all of Brescia's dishes. The chef likes to say, "ceviche starts here," but what he should really be expressing is "your hangover ends here." Before moving to the States from Peru in the early 2000s, Brescia used to wake up early after long nights of partying to prepare hangover-curing meals for friends and family. Today his Miami-based Peruvian concept with four locations (and one on the way) offers one of South Florida's largest ceviche selections. Aside from its high vitamin C content and antioxidants, lime juice leaves everyone feeling better — precisely the same feeling everyone should have after visiting a doctor. With more than 20 variations of the raw-fish dish on the menu, this is one of the best places to go after a little too much liquor for some hangover-curing leche de tigre. The concoction is concentrated ceviche liquid that includes a combination of lime, fish stock, onions, garlic, ají limo, and cilantro. At Dr. Limón, try it as part of the Santo Remedio ($10), seven shot-size glasses of his most colorful leche de tigre offerings, each prepared using various peppers and ingredients. Halfway through, you'll be ready to party all over again.

Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts. Your flight to Florence via Capri, Sicily, and Roma is about to depart. That's what a visit to La Centrale, the three-level food hall celebrating all things Italian, simulates. On the first floor, choose from Italian pastries such as cannoli ($11) and torta della nonna ($9). Perhaps more to your liking is a wood-fired pizza ($13 to $22) that rivals the best in Napoli. On the second floor, have a negroni or an Aperol spritz at the apéritif bar before enjoying charcuterie or langoustines flown in from the Mediterranean. On the third floor, you'll find a wine cellar, where you can enjoy a red made from the fertile and volcanic soil of Sicily or a white that's as crisp and bright as a spring morning in Amalfi. What you won't find at La Centrale is inauthentic anything — don't come ready to order spaghetti and meatballs. Instead, eat like a true Italian, grazing from station to station while laughing boisterously with your friends. It's la dolce vita in Brickell. The food hall is open from 7 a.m. to midnight daily, but individual station hours vary.

Chef/restaurateur Richard Hales has long been known for his Asian-fusion restaurants. After a road trip through the Southern United States left him obsessed with Nashville hot chicken, country ham, and skillet cornbread, Hales opened Bird & Bone, a Miami Beach eatery serving his unique takes on those classics, inside the Confidante hotel. His hot chicken, for instance, is made with local birds that are brined for juiciness and then dry-aged for three days (much like a Peking duck). The fried pieces are drizzled with Chinese hot mustard and honey and served on Zak the Baker bread. Enjoy your meal on a beautiful patio with the gentle sound of the nearby waves crashing on the sand for one soulful evening meal. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Eating inexpensively is difficult in Miami, where a cheeseburger can set you back 20 bucks. Factor in eating healthy and delicious, and you have a dilemma. Ono Poke has got your back. This small Wynwood shop, resplendent in bright pinks and greens, serves a small menu of food that's delectable and well priced. Ono offers basically one thing — a poke bowl ($13 to $16). But that bowl, customized to your liking, is filled with only really good stuff. The fish — the prize ingredient of a good poke bowl — is made with high-quality sushi-grade fish that's never frozen. In fact, the shop closes when it runs out of seafood for the day. Customize your bowl with rice, greens, ginger, pickled cucumbers, or other delicious toppings until your container looks as colorful as a Hawaiian garden after a rain. The result is the most heavenly lunch that also happens to be nutritious. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but the shop closes early when it sells out of fish.

Michael Schwartz's latest restaurant is beautifully set on Biscayne Bay. Located in Miami's Edgewater neighborhood, the 4,500-square-foot dining room boasts indoor and outdoor seating, all with a waterfront view. The James Beard Award-winning chef, best known for his Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, calls Amara at Paraiso a "love letter to Miami." But the restaurant offers more than an exceptional location — the food is equally satisfying. The menu includes Latin American-influenced dishes cooked using a wood grill and a Josper charcoal oven. Standouts include crispy octopus with braised yucca ($21) and a parrillada of short rib, chorizo, sweet breads, and steak. Hours are 6 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Inside the Taco Stand in Wynwood, a small silver keypad hangs next to a bare copper wall. Enter a secret code, and the wall becomes a sliding door. It opens slowly and carefully, revealing a covert room fit for no more than ten people. This is Hiden, a mysterious omakase restaurant where $130 will get you 15 courses of fish flown in from Japan. Dining here requires reservations. Once you book a meal, you receive a four-digit code granting access to the private sushi den. Walk through the taco joint, blaring with mariachi music and steaming with the aroma of freshly fried tortillas, toward the back of the restaurant, where the copper door beckons. There are no menus. Your meal will be in the hands of Brazilian-Japanese executive chef Tadashi Shiraishi, who will decide what to serve only hours before your arrival. Traditionally, he offers two cold appetizers, a soup, seven to eight sushi courses, a hot item, and dessert. The two-hour experience is limited to eight diners, and seatings are at 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday through Sunday.

Before Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis were Miami restaurant royalty, they set sail on a fishing trip from South Beach late one sunny afternoon in fall 2013. The blond Barbie and Ken look-alikes motored west toward Stiltsville and kissed for the first time. Nearly five years later, McInnis and Booth are behind Sunset Harbour's Stiltsville Fish Bar, which opened in 2015. Housed inside a quaint 1940s structure, the warm, nautically inspired space is a lovely reminder of that fall afternoon. This is the place to bring your love, order the "big fish for two"($50 to $65), and gaze toward the Sunset Harbour dock. You might just find the same kind of luck Booth and McInnis found. Try Stiltsville Fish Bar from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, 5 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight Friday and Saturday. It is also open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

At Three, Mango Gang legend Norman Van Aken cooks his signature Florida fusion cuisine in a sleek and tropical space. The staff is disciplined, and the food is topnotch. But even more spectacular is the space. It's outfitted with midcentury modern furnishings such as royal-blue velvet chairs and gold-trimmed black tables. An impressive Frida Kahlo portrait hangs adjacent to a marble bar facing an open kitchen. Tables are streamlined and allow for diners to spread out while remaining close. Customers dining in pairs should opt for the three-course experience ($65 per person). Or leave it up to Van Aken and chef de cuisine Juan Garrido to choose the menu for a five-course tasting menu ($90 per person). Hours are 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, noon to 3 p.m. and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Thursday, noon to 3 p.m. and 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

On the eighth floor of the Sonesta resort in Coconut Grove, gaze out at Biscayne Bay while snacking on upscale Peruvian food. Nestled on a quiet street, the restaurant is as a retreat for locals and tourists alike from morning till night. The expansive patio is filled with low-slung lounge chairs and tables. Food varies throughout the day, from continental breakfast offerings in the morning to more sophisticated Latin American-influenced items in the evening. Panorama's ceviches are a crowd favorite. Try the tuna Nikkei with garlic marinade or the traditional with corvina and lime juice ($15 and up). Then just enjoy the view. It is spectacular. Panorama is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

If you like seafood, La Camaronera should be your new favorite fish spot. The entire menu is seafood, from the shrimp empanadas and grouper soup to breaded lobster and fried whole fresh fish of the day. It's all thanks to the Garcia brothers; 11 of them were born into a family of fishermen in the province of Las Villas, Cuba. As the story goes, they helped their father to learn the trade — everything from catching to cleaning — and support the family. Since 1966, that same tradition continues in Miami, when Garcia Brothers Seafood was established. Once operating a fish market and wholesaler, the Garcias grew their biz into a restaurant in 1976 with the addition of a few deep fryers and a U-shaped counter where customers would line up sans seats to enjoy Cuban fish fry at its best. Sure, there are plenty of places in the Magic City to get a fried-fish sandwich, but it probably won't taste as good as the original snapper pan con minuta (market price). Forty years later, come lunch time, the dining room is still standing room only, full of patrons hungry for the house specialty, camarones fritos, the restaurant's famous fried shrimp ($9.55).

Miami barbecue is an amorphous beast. While other cities and states are dedicated to one cut of meat, one sauce, or one style of smoking, the 305's fare is like the city's population, drawing influences from everywhere. Yet no one does barbecue like Greg La Rochelle. For years, he roamed the Florida Keys in a cop car running down bad guys. But back in 2015, he traded in his badge and uniform for piles of meat and a flame-belching smoker. Today he's one of South Florida's barbecue masters and spends weekends roving South Dade farmers markets, plying smoked ribs, salmon, and tender, hard-to-find smoked brisket that boasts a bright red smoke ring and unparalleled juiciness. It's long overdue that Texas-style slow smoke, which spends up to 14 hours in the smoker, has popped up in Miami. Now that it's here, you'll have a hard time ever looking back.

When it comes to soul food, Miami rarely gets as much attention as Southern cities such as Atlanta, Charleston, and Nashville, but that doesn't mean there aren't kitchens in the Magic City dishing out proper feel-good Southern fare. You just have to know where to find it. And if you're looking for serious soul food, you need to go to Flava's to get that good good. The shrimp and grits plate ($10.99) comes with a half-dozen tender crustaceans served on a bowl of grits that is neither too mealy nor too soupy and includes a bit of the oil and seasoning from cooking the shrimp. Make sure you also try the chicken and waffles ($9.99) — spicy poultry never tasted so good. Get there early, because Flava's is open only from 7 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, and it's never empty.

The chuck wagon might be the one good thing to emerge from Europeans' conquering of the land we now call home. Settlers traveled everywhere in these wooden wagons that acted as field kitchens to provide hearty meals to those crossing the treacherous plains and deserts. Miami-Dade's own Chuck Wagon doesn't move, unless you count its three locations in the western and southern reaches of the county. At each you'll find the hearty fare that could keep you going in the face of snakebites, measles, dysentery, and exhaustion. Start your day with fluffy homemade biscuits doused in a robust sausage gravy ($6.79), or if you're on the go, grab a fried egg sandwich ($5.89) crowned with every variety of sausage, from patties to smoked links. Lunchtime is hoagie heaven, or shove all care and concern aside and opt for the country fried steak ($11.99). No matter how many hundreds of miles may be left on your trail, this chuck wagon will get you there.

In transient South Beach, Red the Steakhouse has endured for almost a decade. This hot spot's allure are its perfectly charred steaks, wonderfully fresh seafood, and well-executed small plates such as truffle whipped potatoes, four-cheese macaroni and cheese, and Parmesan tater tots. The menu, created by executive chef Peter Vauthy, transcends season and trend with items that will never go out of style. Try the toothsome 40-day dry-aged prime rib eye ($64). Or cut into the Miyazaki Japanese Kobe A5. Hours are 5:30 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

At this quaint spot in Miami's fast-growing Little River neighborhood, well-known restaurateur Barclay Graebner's crew treats you like family. It starts when you take a seat and a server presents you with a massive wheel of Grana Padano, then encourages you to take a hunk. A stack of oversize, house-baked cookies sits nearby. They're perfect for dessert, but before you try them, a regiment of servers in hipster attire will tend to your every need and skillfully guide you toward the menu's best offerings. Dedicated carnivore? Go for bone marrow ($14). Vegan? Try the chief's bowl ($18) with sweet potato, coconut curry, brown rice, and lentils. The big winner, however, is the rabbit potpie ($18), boasting a buttery, flaky, crisp pastry crown and a rich gravy that could instantly transport the most harried office worker to a place of pure delight.

Five-time James Beard Award-nominated chef Jose Mendin is responsible for Habitat, a Spanish-influenced restaurant in the former Beachcraft space at the 1 Hotel South Beach. The indoor/outdoor property is stunning, exuding a strikingly warm glow through rustic wooden decor and gold and copper accents. But the real treat is the patio, where you'll find a canopy of trees draped in dangling lights. Its centerpiece is a small vintage camper stocked with cafecitos and cocktails. Sip Habitat's popular tequila cocktail, the Fifth Element ($15), made with avocado, agave, and tropical fruit and rimmed with citrus sea salt. As night falls, enjoy an order of the Skuna Bay salmon coated in crunchy everything-bagel seasoning ($24), octopus a la planxa ($21), or patatas arrubravas drizzled in a light aioli ($13). Though the patio borders Collins Avenue, the mixture of fine food, tasty cocktails, and a beautiful setting wipes away the chaos of South Beach. Try Habitat from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, 6 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Sure, it's fun to experiment with beers that taste like candy bars and gummy bears. But when you want a no-frills, locally made beer that's just damn good, go to Biscayne Bay Brewing. The brewery opened about three years ago in Doral, so why the name Biscayne Bay? Well, the beers are made with water from the Biscayne Aquifer. That's Miami AF, dude. Brewmaster Chris Gil's approach to beer is classic. That means when you pour one of the brewery's core beers — whether it be a saison, a pale ale, an IPA, a kolsch, or a porter — you'll get a fresh beer that tastes like beer and not a glass of liquefied Lucky Charms. Even the limited-edition and experimental beers aren't gimmicky; think a good ale aged in a whiskey barrel. Hang out at the brewery, where a pint costs about five bucks (or $2.50 from 3 to 7 p.m. daily), but you don't even have to drive out to Doral. Biscayne Bay's beers are sold at most Whole Foods, Publix, and Total Wine locations. The brewery's hours are noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, 3 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Miami's beer game is strong, with breweries popping up in unexpected places such as Opa-locka and the Upper Eastside, but let's not forget Miami's OG brewery — Wynwood Brewing. Because it was the first production brewery in the city of Miami, the father-and-son team of Luis and Luis Brignoni had to actually help write local laws. When it opened, the brewers strove to integrate themselves into Wynwood's artistic community. Indeed, that's happened, with the brewery hosting art shows and fashioning its tap handles to look like spray-paint cans. But what also happened is that the brewery was the catalyst that turned Wynwood into the heart of Miami's beer scene. Now the neighborhood boasts four breweries, with more on the way, and restaurants and bars in the area proudly serve craft beer made just a short walk away. Tourists and day-trippers from points north and west come to Wynwood for a beer crawl as much as for its famous murals. You could say beer imitates art, but, more accurately, beer is art. Wynwood Brewing is open from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday and noon to midnight Wednesday through Saturday.

After spending the day in the hot Wynwood sun posing for selfies with Trump, Yoda, and all the other wall paintings, you need shelter and a drink. Enter Rácket, two bars in one, where your thirst can be sated depending upon your mood. Feeling a little tiki? The atrium room has you covered with rum-and-tequila-based drinks such as the Pinky and the Bat, made with Bacardi Superior, St-Germain, guava, strawberry, and pink pepper. If your spirits are soaring, the sky-lit room offers a place where you can drink under the stars. Gin and vodka cocktails take center stage in this area. Try the Divine Oddities, a bubbly concoction made with Hendrick's gin, rose hips, and a hint of cayenne to tingle your lips. Cocktails cost about $14 each. Best of all: Rácket opens daily at 1 p.m., so you can day-drink whenever you want. Hours are 1 p.m. to 3 a.m. daily.

It's fitting to find a place like Abaco in the Design District. Part retail store and part tasting room, this swank, high-tech wine bar carries thousands of sparkling bottles, from well-known vintages to more experimental up-and-comers. Search through Abaco's stock using in-house iPads, which provide information about each varietal. The shop is equipped with a beer and wine license, allowing for intimate winetastings, classes, and events with local restaurants. Among the most popular of these events is one with famed sweets maker the Salty Donut, which offers evening dessert tastings paired with red, white, and rosé wines. Abaco is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

If you like a good story with your cocktail, just ask your bartender at City Hall Martini Bar about the permanent residents of Hotel Redland. You see, the original version of this vintage inn, known as the oldest building in Homestead, burned down in 1913, killing several guests in their sleep. Some say they still haunt the place — along with a few feline apparitions. The bartenders at the martini bar are more than happy to tell tales of what they've seen, and the stories get better as you consume more drinks. That's easy to do, because the bar's prices are far more reasonable than those Miamians are used to paying. Martinis and other cocktails cost about ten bucks and include retro favorites such as the Woo Woo (vodka, cranberry, and peach schnapps) and the Flamingo (rum and pineapple). The drinks are cheap, and the campfire stories are free, making City Hall the most interesting drinking experience you'll have in Miami-Dade. Hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday and 3 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Sometimes you're in the mood for a cocktail made in 20 minutes by a gregarious bartender. Other times you just want a beer and a shot with friends. Doral Billiards is the latter. The sports bar and lounge, going strong since 2006, has a good beer selection, 19 Brunswick pool tables, and a bar-food menu that's a blend of all-American favorites such as chicken wings (ten for $11.50) and rib tips (five for $11). There are also Latin American offerings like grilled churrasco ($14.95) and picadillo ($11). Wash them down with a traditional Moscow mule for about half the price of what you would pay on the Beach, because most cocktails here cost less than ten bucks. It's a win-win without having to schlep on the Dolphin Expressway.

Sports bars are plentiful around suburban Miami-Dade, but they're hard to come by in downtown. Sure, some central-city establishments occasionally broadcast games, but the atmosphere often lacks the je ne sais quoi of that at a local sports bar. Considering that point along with exorbitant drink prices, and you might as well have gone to a nightclub and ordered bottle service. Black Market Miami is different. It delivers a polished, sports-focused vibe but leaves the crazy drink prices for the club. The bar offers 13 beers on draft, 16 in bottles, and six in cans, averaging $6 to $8, while cocktails, including Moscow mules and caipirinhas, run about $10 to $15. Hungry? The food menu lists all the sports-bar staples. Twelve wings cost $13.50, and the cheeseburger made with grass-fed beef patty is $14. And because 30 4K TV screens are spread throughout the 5,000-square-foot space, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Don't worry if it isn't game day — Black Market stays open daily until 2 a.m.

Here's the scenario: You stumble upon a door and enter. Inside, you find a room with black walls. On the counter sits a display: ice picks, blow torches, and other tools. You might think you've walked onto the set of a Hostel movie, except for the friendly faces at the bar. These people don't want to torture you. They want to fix you a drink. The Scape Goat is like any neighborhood bar — if that neighborhood bar served an old-fashioned made with cedar plank smoke ($14). Of course, if you just want a beer and a shot, you can get that too; here, it's called a Happy Meal, so request the secret menu. On a budget? Check out the daily happy hour from 5 to 8 p.m., where select beers cost $4 and house cocktails run $8. Oh, and the Scape Goat has a policy of serving American-made spirits and beers, so you can drink like a patriot. Call it the SoBe version of MAGA. Hours are 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.

The Point Lounge has something in common with your friend's mom's three-alarm chili or hot wings. Yeah, every local knows and loves the place, but — holy hell — experiencing it will hurt later. Point Lounge is a proper dive bar: The booze is cheap, and the ambiance is free. It's one of the few places left in Miami-Dade where patrons can actually smoke indoors, and, man, do they take advantage of that fact. The Point has TVs, a jukebox, friendly bartenders with a rough charm, and the option of chatting it up or remaining invisible. It also boasts a ridiculous happy hour when you can buy two and get the third free from 2 to 7 Monday through Friday. Warning: Point Lounge is also a late-night bar that closes at the ass-crack of dawn. This is not a place to take selfies or artsy photos of cocktails. Point Lounge is for drinking, laughing, relaxing, and maybe making a hilarious mistake you can brag about to your bar buddies on your next visit.

Tap 42 checks all the boxes: great selection, good food, tasty specials, and comfortable atmosphere. If you're looking to make a double IPA disappear and want more than chicken fingers, try any one of the locations in this small chain, which has locations in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Coral Gables, midtown Miami, and Aventura. You can rely on 42-plus beers on draft, craft cocktails, delicious upscale food, and weekly specials. The Fort Lauderdale location is one of the most chill settings in all of Broward. From the bottomless brunch every weekend ($20 per person) to the daily happy hour ($2 off drinks from 4 to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close) to the weekly burger specials, there are plenty of opportunities to get topnotch craft suds for less money than you'd expect to pay for a domestic bottle most places in Miami. As far as the setting, the Fort Lauderdale location goes above and beyond, especially on the patio.

Broward folks know it's tough to find a swanky, sexy, stylish bar without having to endure the road rage on southbound I-95, but with the recent opening of the Wilder, they can stay local and park in the expansive back lot for free. There's no signage (that's part of the point), so simply follow the well-groomed millennial crowd. There are several spaces to enjoy, from the patio decked out in Spanish tiles and blooming bougainvillea, to the intimate central bar that has the feel of a classy hotel lobby, to the expansive space in the back (outfitted with its own bar) for larger crowds. The Wilder hits all the marks with topnotch cocktails explained with whimsical illustrations, drinks such as the We Want Prenup ($14), made with gin, sage-infused vermouth, lemon honey, and Greek yogurt, and the Don't Sleep on Me ($14), a combo of Afrohead rum, Giffard Vanille de Madagascar, and taro milk tea, are très chic. Happy your runs weekdays from 4 to 7 and offers $3 off all cocktails. If you get the munchies, small bites such as the short-rib poutine ($15), panko-crusted chicken breast sliders with jalapeño spread ($12), and grilled octopus ($15) are seamlessly swooped in from next door's Foxy Brown. Miamians might want to consider the trek north for this gem.

Yeah, yeah, Duffy's Sports Grill is a chain, but, hey, this is Florida's chain! And Duffy's in North Miami Beach is something special to behold. Not only is this 25,000-square-foot restaurant and bar massive, but also the huge covered deck overlooking the water is simply stunning. Let's talk sports. Duffy's has every major sports package and about 150 flat-screens. It's almost impossible not to get a seat with your own TV to watch whatever sporting event you desire. Let's talk booze. Duffy's offers one of the greatest drink specials available: Buy one, get one free for almost every beer and mixed drink. This deal isn't just for happy hour. It's all day every day. That's right: BOGO booze as soon as you step in the door. Last but not least, let's talk food. Essentials at every sports bar are the chicken wings, and Duffy's does not disappoint. Its best wings are breaded with a signature firecracker sauce ($12.99). They're crisp on the outside and moist and tender on the inside and come tossed in that spicy yet slightly sweet firecracker sauce. This place caters to almost every palate. There's even a gluten-sensitive menu. Stop by Duffy's in North Miami Beach for a wonderful sporting experience — whether you sit inside or out, you'll leave with a smile on your face, especially if your team wins. Hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Here's a reason to visit the Rusty Pelican for something other than Mother's Day and your birthday: happy hour. Every Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., the lounge at the Pelican offers some of the top deals in Miami with arguably the most striking view in South Florida. Grab a seat at an outdoor table near the flaming fire pit. Sip $6 beers; $7 well drinks such as martinis, mojitos, and margaritas; and $6 house wines. Chow down on small bites such as corvina ceviche ($8) and Serrano ham croquettes ($10). After all these years, it's fair to say the Pelican's swank atmosphere remains a culinary example and a Miami landmark.

Her given name may be Courtney, but like many badasses — Madonna, Cher, Beyoncé — this 26-year-old bartender is simply known as Lane. Starting out, as most drink slingers do, Lane did her share of working at dance clubs and socials in Gainesville, where she opened cans of Bud Light and poured rum and Cokes made with cheap well liquor. The petite blonde decided there's more to life behind the stick, and from there it's been accolade after accolade. In 2015, Lane got her big break working the artist and media bar at III Points. From there, it's been an uphill trajectory, with Lane working at what are arguably Miami Beach's finest cocktail bars — Employees Only and Broken Shaker. At the bar, she's a whirling dervish of shaking, mixing, and pouring. Recently, she and her Employees Only partner won top prize at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival's Art of Tiki competition for a drink they created. Lane is someone whom young girls should strive to be and everyone wants to know — a talented, driven woman who will fix you the best cocktail of your life.

Once upon a time, two men named Gabe Ora and Elad Zvi decided to open a pop-up bar at a Miami Beach hostel. This was way back when dinosaurs walked the Earth, pop-ups were rare, and a well-made cocktail on the Beach was even rarer. That didn't stop these intrepid heroes, who made crafted drinks using freshly grown herbs, premium spirits, and house-made bitters. Pretty soon, Miami Beach imbibers learned there was a world beyond vodka Red Bulls and frozen piña coladas made with grain alcohol. The local cocktail movement grew, and quality bars opened. Meanwhile, the little pop-up, which was named the Broken Shaker, became a permanent fixture at the Freehand on Indian Creek Drive. It began winning national and international awards, and celebrities were seen hanging out and drinking its delicious creations. The little bar expanded to Los Angeles and Chicago, and there are plans to open soon in New York City. Despite its popularity and accolades from across the nation, the bar remains a fun place to chill. Though success and fame haven't gone to its founder's heads, a few cocktails ($12 to $13) just might.

Behold man's greatest invention: the bloody mary. This elixir of the gods does what no other libation can hope to do — revive the dead. But not all bloodys are the same. In order for this magical potion to work its spell, it must have the correct amount of spice and a substantial amount of booze. The perfect bloody must always be served with a wedge of citrus and olives (because the citrus and brine are additional hangover helpers). Berries in the Grove's bloody checks all the boxes. Take a sip of this tall drink and feel the blood rush back into your body and the steady thumping of both head and heart slow to a controllable pace. Take another sip as your hands steady themselves and relax in the beautiful indoor/outdoor setting. Settle in for a spell. They cost only seven bucks each, so make a day of it. The restaurant opens at 7 a.m. daily and closes at 10 p.m. Sunday, 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The mojito is a mingling of ingredients found everywhere in Cuba — rum, limes, mint, and sugarcane — plus soda water because the weather is so damn hot. In Miami, the drink is equally loved by locals and tourists. And because a good mojito requires an extreme amount of muddling, it is despised by busy bartenders. These days, what separates a good mojito from a watery, oversweetened one is pretty obvious: quality rum and fresh ingredients. That means a good white rum for its smooth, clean flavor; lime juice so fresh it will turn your drink opaque; and fresh, not processed, cane sugar. And don't forget the fresh mint leaves. That's the way Gloria and Emilio Estefan's restaurant Larios on the Beach makes its mojitos. Plus, each is served with a slice of real sugarcane in the glass. The traditional costs $15; for a dollar more, try flavors such as watermelon, passionfruit, strawberry, and mango. Or go all-out with a giant pitcher to share with friends for $55.

Question: What happens when a world-class chef adds his own twist to a classic cocktail? Answer: Bar Centro's Clean 'n Dirty martini ($16). Instead of using the olive-juice dregs poured into the usual dirty martini, this beauty is made with olive brine "air" — a delicate wisp of salty foam that tastes like a mermaid's kiss. The brine air is the genius of chef José Andrés, whose culinary influence at his neighboring restaurant, the Bazaar, extends to this bar. The cocktail, made with vodka (ask for gin for a more complex drink, or stick with vodka if you want that mermaid's kiss to linger), is topped with an olive spherification instead of an olive. Again, the chef is at work, gently encapsulating the essence of an olive into a delicate swirling dome of perfection that you can pop in your mouth. This drink is the ultimate marriage of classic flavors and modern technique. Hours are 6 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Breakfast is served from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and lunch is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Rosa Mexicano's first Florida location opened in downtown Miami in 2007, but the restaurant's roots date back much further. In 1984 in Manhattan, the eatery opened the doors to its first location. The idea was to show New Yorkers that authentic Mexican didn't mean bean-and-beef burritos — and a proper margarita didn't have to be neon green and made from a mix. Three decades later, Rosa Mexicano boasts outposts from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. At the Brickell restaurant, a 15-foot water wall and Acapulco cliff-diver figurines welcome you. It's fitting, because after a few of the bar's many agave cocktails — there are 14 varieties, priced from $12.50 to $16 — you'll be brave enough to take such a plunge yourself. Flavors range from strawberry and grapefruit to spicy cucumber and mango chili, but the house specialty remains the frozen pomegranate margarita, also the bar's signature cocktail since the early '80s. Two giant slushy machines behind the bar mean your refill is ready in seconds. Each one is prepared with a simple blend of blanco tequila, house triple sec, lime juice, and a ruby-hued pomegranate concentrate. If you take yours with salt, you won't get the cheap stuff — your margarita will arrive with a rim of delicate shavings of flor de sal that melt on your tongue. And, at $12.50 apiece, they're downright addictive.

Walk into a bar anywhere in the United States, and the menu will likely list burgers, wings, and such. But did you ever wonder what kinds of bites a bar in, say, Greece or Southern Italy would serve? Bar Meli answers that nagging question: stuffed grape leaves ($4), warm pita with spicy feta spread ($6), and prosciutto-wrapped dates ($4). This MiMo District wine bar is the next best thing to booking a ticket to a waterfront European destination. Sidle up to the bar and order a wine from Israel or a beer from Greece while you're waiting for your food. If by chance your neighbor orders the saganaki ($14) — which arrives in flames to the delight and applause of the room — order one too before your FOMOC (fear of missing out on cheese) flares up. Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday.

It's as time-honored a Miami tradition as they come: After stumbling out of the bar at an ungodly hour of the morning, you and your friends loudly debate where you'll go to sate your alcohol-soaked bellies. Fortunately for patrons of South Beach's storied Mac's Club Deuce, La Sandwicherie is right across the street. Since 1988, this gem has been serving French cuisine that's delicious any time of day; it just so happens it's particularly tasty after pounding a few. Open until 5 a.m., the eatery offers a wealth of delights, including the Alaskan sandwich ($9.70), a sumptuous but simple combination of smoked salmon and mozzarella. For customers who prefer their sandwiches hearty and meaty, there's the Terminator ($10.90), a ham, turkey, salami, and provolone combo perfect for late-night indulgence. For savvy drinkers who'd like to feel marginally less shitty in the morning, La Sandwicherie is kind enough to also provide smoothies, shakes, and veggie juices such as the Green Planet ($6.10), a refreshing blend of cucumber, celery, apple, and lime. Whether you're trying to eat as decadently as possible or ward off a hangover, La Sandwicherie truly has something for you.

You should definitely start your meal at Ofa Restaurant with the pão de queijo ($7). A handful of these hot, doughy cheese balls arrives on a wooden board in a small brown bag beside a jar of requeijão, a creamy dairy spread that's sweet like cream cheese yet far more spreadable. It's a satisfyingly simple start to any traditional Brazilian meal, but even if tradition isn't your thing, you'll be happy here. The best part about Ofa is the ambiance. This isn't the been-there-done-that Brazilian steakhouse touting massive skewers of meat that bop from table to table. And it's not a nostalgic mom-and-pop that focuses on hearty, homestyle dishes served family-style. Instead, Ofa specializes in contemporary takes on South American dishes via progressive menu items, many of which are gluten-free and vegan. Try the farofa, a nutty-flavored, toasted, buttered cassava-flour dish. It's often served with meats, beans, and stews, but here it's a shareable bowl in a rainbow of flavors, from garlic to bacon to lemon-ginger to banana ($5). Or try bobo de vegetais, a dish that often contains shrimp in a purée of cassava meal with coconut milk but here is made vegetarian with peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and plantains ($22). Brazilian sweets include brigadeiros — traditional chocolate truffles made with dark or milk chocolate and condensed milk. The drink menu, created by Brazilian bartender Jean Ponce, lists the usual caipirinhas, but try his riffs on South American classics such as the Abacaxi, a tropical libation that fuses fresh pineapple purée with artisanal white cachaça ($12).

More than 30 years have passed since Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal, which gave Argentina a 2-1 lead over the English in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals. To this day, soccer fans remain incensed by the fact that the brash Argentine used his hand to drive a ball into the back of the net. And while the five-foot, five-inch footballer's mug graces the walls of this Little Haiti hideaway, the dishes brothers Maximiliano and Cristian Alvarez put out could make you forgive even the greatest sins. For their choripán, creamy roasted sweetbreads are veneered with a gorgeous smoky crust highlighted by a fragrant leek chimichurri ($9). The way they make a steak Milanesa ($11) so tender and juicy inside with such a shatteringly crisp crust defies all logic. It's akin to the referee's refusal to blow a whistle when Maradona hand-balled that goal home. Amazing.

If you have a hankering for gallo pinto or carne asada, there's no better spot than Yambo. It's open round-the-clock every day. Since 1983, late-night partiers, lunch-time munchers, and families out for a casual dinner have been lining up at this restaurant with an outdoor patio and indoor space to get their fill of Central American delicacies. Noted favorites are the savory gallo pinto, the sweet maduros, and the rich queso frito (fried cheese). Though prices are sometimes a little murky at this cash-only spot (but credit cards are OK for large orders), for less than $10 you will be blown away by the quality and quantity of food scooped into your Styrofoam container or onto your plate. Take the time to absorb the only-in-Managua decor, the coin-operated pony ride, and the impressive monument to Rubén Darío, the great Nicaraguan poet. Be sure to ask for the complementary homemade salsa and ensalada de repollo (shredded cabbage salad) to accompany your meal.

Many critics say one of the Miami culinary ecosystem's shortfalls is its lack of diners. Objection! What is a diner? It's a neighborhood place with humble decor, friendly service, and food to fit any appetite or taste — all at reasonable prices. The Cuban cafeterias sprawled across Miami-Dade fit the bill well. Even better is the long-standing Peruvian seafood joint Sabor a Perú. It regularly draws such large crowds that hungry hopefuls happily wait outside and choke on traffic fumes. They do it for the jalea ($15.99), a neck-high mound of seafood that includes shrimp, squid, and whatever fresh fish is on hand. Speaking of fish, the mountainous ceviches are enough to feed a family of four, and whether it's the mixed seafood ($15.99) or the shrimp ($14.99), it's punchy and tangy enough to cool you on even the hottest August day.

It's hard for a Cuban restaurant to stand out in a town with more Cuban restaurants than any city off the island. This cuisine should be simple, unpretentious, and delicious. You should be able to taste the garlic before your meal even hits the table, and nothing should be served without a slice of lime on the plate. Puerto Sagua checks those boxes, but that's not what makes it stand out. It's the kind of place you'd expect to find in Little Havana or Hialeah, but this no-frills joint is on the corner of Seventh Street and Collins Avenue in South Beach, where glitz and glamour reign supreme — and most of the old school has been bought up and buried under the new. From 7 a.m. till 2 p.m. seven days a week, Puerto Sagua serves Cuban standards such as masitas de puerco con arroz moros y yuca ($15.25) and ropa vieja con maduros ($11.95) that are as good as you'll find anywhere — including your abuela's dinner table.

Do you really want your next Colombian meal to come from a fake-arepa cart at a gringo-filled festival? There's a much better choice. Make the drive to Las Orquideas in Fort Lauderdale for a truly authentic experience. This South Florida mainstay has everything you need at virtually any time (hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday). Not starving? Grab a perfectly fried empanada ($1 for small, $1.60 for large) and drown it in some ridiculously spicy homemade ají sauce. Need to detox? Go for the natural juices — lulo, mora, maracuya, and others — blended with milk ($4) or water ($3.50). Ready for an amazingly delicious dish? Try the bandeja montañera ($13) — with red beans, rice, grilled steak, pork skin, egg, sweet plantains, and an arepa — or the sweet and succulent pollo en salsa de Maracuya ($13). Las Orquideas also hosts live music Fridays and Saturdays and shows an amazing number of Colombian soccer games. ¡Vamos!

A former fish market, the glamorous Greek restaurant Kiki on the River transports diners to the Mediterranean. The food, executed by veteran chef Steve Rhee, includes tender seasoned octopus ($18), lightly fried saganaki cheese ($16), grilled then baked sea bass (MP), and fried potatoes with lemon and oregano ($9). Find a table around sunset on the restaurant's charming patio overlooking the Miami River. The view, along with the rustic furnishings, whitewashed walls, and lush greenery, is enchanting. You might even forget you're in Miami. Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, noon to 11 p.m. Thursday, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to midnight Sunday.

Xixón Spanish Restaurant opened in 2001 as a market and today has grown to include a fine-dining restaurant. Consider the Asturian fabada, a rich bean stew that's the signature dish of Spain's Asturian region. The traditional version served here is so labor-intensive it's offered only Saturday ($16). It's rife with white fava beans, blood sausage, chorizo, and a salty Jabugo ham, all simmered for four hours in a hearty saffron-flavored broth. The steak tartare ($18) uses ingredients so fresh the dish is available only Wednesday. Of course, you might want to visit just for the rice dishes. The menu touts four kinds of paella, such as con bogavante, which includes shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, and Maine lobster. If you still have room for postre, a serious dessert menu lists more than a dozen delectables you won't find anywhere else, including a carpaccio de piña, which includes a house-made mint ice cream ($7).

Escargots can go two ways. When dining out, you'll either get pitifully small mollusks smothered in so much butter it just might instantly clog your arteries. Or, if you're lucky, you'll get the real thing: giant burgundy snails sautéed with a hint of butter, minced shallots, and garlic. That's exactly how you'll find this dish at Otentic Fresh Food Restaurant in South Beach. A dozen escargots are seasoned to taste, finished with fresh-chopped parsley, and arrive plump and tender for $13. It's just one of the well-executed French specialities you'll find at this 40-seat bistro offering an intimate, unpretentious setting for traditional French fare. That includes the country's quintessential dishes, served from 11 a.m. to late into the night. Try it all, from those colossal escargots to custardy quiche Lorraine to Nutella-stuffed crêpes. Prices encourage sampling too: Appetizers start at $7, crêpes run $12 to $14, and entrées cost $15 to $31.

When it comes to Neapolitan pizzerias in Miami, there is only one that can claim to be the first and best: Fratelli La Bufala. But this hidden gem isn't just known for phenomenal pizzas; it's the pastas, salads, and fresh bufala mozzarella that's made this Italian restaurant a staple in South Beach for more than ten years. Buffalo mozzarella is much sweeter than the cow's-milk version; it's also juicier and creamier. If you haven't tried fresh bufala mozzarella, do it ASAP. Fratelli La Bufala (FLB) is one of the few establishments in Miami to have fresh bufala mozzarella delivered almost daily. Whether placed on the restaurant's wood-oven pizzas or the fresh house-made pastas, this rare and exotic cheese is a game changer. FLB's signature appetizer, La Bufalata ($23), is a beautiful platter of bufala mozzarella served with cured Italian meats and fresh vegetables. The way the fresh mozzarella oozes over the meats and vegetables is out of this world. Another highlight is the cost. This underrated spot is not only extremely authentic but also reasonably priced, making it a favorite for Italians visiting Miami. If you're looking for some of the most delicious pizza and pasta in Miami, run, don't walk, to Fratelli La Bufala. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday through Sunday.

Haiti is about 700 miles away, but you don't have to go that far for some seriously authentic Haitian food. The best of the island's cuisine — a colorful blend of African- and Caribbean-influenced fare with a hint of creole — can be found at La Belle Jacmelienne. Step inside the tiny eatery and you'll feel as though you've made the trek. There's a tiki-inspired order counter and colorful wall murals, all meant to spirit you off to an island retreat — even if it's just for lunch. Here, root vegetables, ridiculously hot peppers, meats such as oxtail, and a unique blend of spices work together to form basic, zippy dishes that sing with a soupçon of French complexity. Friendly staff will gladly explain the basic offerings, such as hearty portions of legim stew, a complex dish with plenty of spices, eggplant, cabbage, carrots, peppers, and spinach. It also includes braised meats such as pork or oxtail and sometimes even seafood like conch or crab ($14 to $19). Or go for the griot (fried pork), prepared with an orange-based marinade that walks a fine line between sour and salty. The dish is served with pikliz, Haiti's official condiment — a spicy pickled-vegetable slaw made with white-vinegar-soaked Scotch bonnet peppers, carrots, and cabbage. Be sure to wash it all down with some Couronne fruit champagne, the island's popular soda, and your trip to Haiti will be complete.

Why try Kebab Indian Restaurant? How about warm naan baked in a tandoor and seasoned with garlic butter ($3.95); crisp vegetable samosas stuffed with potatoes, peas, and Indian spices ($4); and a plate of chicken biryani, in which tender pieces of poultry are cooked and simmered with rice, nuts, and korma sauce ($13.95). Those are just three of the more than 150 items served at this traditional Indian restaurant tucked away on NE 167th Street in North Miami Beach. The unassuming space allows Kebab's blend of aromatic spices, basmati rice, vegetables, and meat to shine. And if you visit during lunch, take advantage of the all-you-can-eat buffet for less than $10. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

The moment you step into this North Miami Beach hideaway, your senses are overcome by the overwhelming perfume of rendered beef fat and chili oil. Though Sichuan-style restaurants are popping up across Miami, none holds truer to the fiery cuisine of the Chinese province than this first U.S. project by Chongqing native and chef Yang Xian Guang. That beef fat is the central ingredient of Yang's hot pot. That rich, savory aroma is the yardstick by which most Chinese folks judge hot pot, he explains. The recipes include three or more kinds of chilies, a mountain of Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, garlic, ginger, star anise, fermented black beans, and a litany of secrets he refuses to share. A simple chicken broth, made by simmering carcasses with ginger and garlic for three hours, is poured on top just before the dish is sent out to the dining room. So whether you opt for the Chinese yam, the fatty beef, the pork blood, or just a tousle of vegetables, you're guaranteed an experience like no other.

A Michelin-starred concept from New York City, Miami's Sushi Azabu is as swanky as they come. In addition to a large main dining room, you'll find a snazzy cocktail bar and "The Den," a hidden sushi counter behind the kitchen. Prepared by Tokyo-trained chef Masatsugu "Masa" Kubo, Azabu's fare ($6 to $130) is largely cooked on a robata, a Japanese charcoal grill. It's served izakaya-style, where guests order a variety of small, sharable items served when ready. The menu includes yakitori, grilled chicken on a skewer; fried rice served tableside on a sizzling toban-yaki (ceramic) plate; sukiyaki, fried meat with vegetables and sauce; and a variety of udon noodles. The secluded sushi bar provides a more intimate experience. The 11-seat bar, accessible only through the kitchen, offers omakase-style dining featuring local and imported seafood flown directly from Japan ($120 to $150). Then, at the restaurant's cocktail bar, find a selection of international whiskeys and sakes. Try Azabu from 6 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday. The bar is open till 1 a.m. daily.

Vietnamese cuisine continues to grow across the region as more South Floridians discover pho, bánh mì, and bún thit nuong. But if you want to go beyond the popular classics, head to Huong's Bistro, where you'll find grab-and-go dishes like the ones on the streets of Vietnam. Try the fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth bánh bao stuffed with ground pork and boiled egg ($3.50). Or check out the steamed banana cake (bánh chuoi, $3.99). After you've sampled all the street food and desserts, order a bánh mì, made while you stand in line.

It's bold to name a dish "the perfect bite," but Atchana Capellini has done just that. The miang kham ($15) is a delight handed down through the generations. A plate holds wrinkly pale-pink dried shrimp, toasted coconut flakes, and tiny slices of ginger. Even the leaves look different. Rather than the ruffled bright-green fronds of butter lettuce, these betel leaves are deep green and spade-shaped, with an almost unnoticeable flavor. Combine all of this with a few bits of crushed peanuts, a squeeze of lime, and a dash of spicy-sweet tamarind sauce, and you'll soon be reaching for a napkin to dab the tears of joy cascading down your cheeks. See, Atchana's family has been cooking these dishes at home for years while also dishing out coconut curries in some of the city's best-known Thai spots. Only recently has she had the confidence to give Miami all of this, and we can only be grateful it happened.

Miami is rife with Mexican joints. But Brickell City Centre's Tacology stands out. Run by chef Santiago Gomez, known for his work at upscale Mexican restaurant Cantina La Veinte, Tacology offers variations and regional styles of popular street food. His tacos are delicious, fairly priced, and eclectic. You'll find a Baja-style lobster taco with black beans, yellow rice, and creamy chipotle sauce ($14) and an Asian-influenced tuna taco stuffed with tuna tataki, seaweed, avocado, and crisp malanga ($10). There's also a lineup of tostadas, guacamole, chilaquiles, and Mexican nachos. For dessert, Gomez gets creative with a guava cheesecake ($9.50) and a selection of flavored paletas such as lime, chocolate, tamarind, mango, and strawberries and cream ($6). Tacology is open from noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday.

Appropriately named "Canvas" in Spanish, this oceanside Fort Lauderdale newcomer paints a pretty picture of modern Mexican cuisine. Pablo Salas is already well known to specialists, but Lona Cocina Tequileria is his first eatery in the United States, and thankfully, it's a far cry from the mediocre beans-and-cheese mush that is so common in Broward. Try guacamole with crab ($15) or huitlacoche quesadillas ($10), made with a prized fungus that grows on corn (it's way better than it sounds). Or check out the mole ($24), the traditional chocolate-based sauce often associated with chicken that here is served with salmon instead. This popular spot offers several areas — outside for alfresco drinking and people-watching, inside for a hopping bar scene (go for the margarita or the Paloma Brava, each $11, because anything that translates to "mad dove" must be good). Deep in the heart of the restaurant, find an intimate space featuring tequila lockers. Lona is a tequileria as well, so be sure to try some of the more than 270 kinds of tequila and its agave cousin, mezcal, with 100 selections offered.

Chef Maurice Chang's Chinese father and Jamaican mother taught him to make magic when he was growing up in Manchester Parish, near Jamaica's southern coast. One of his signatures is an egg roll that's unlike any you find folded in wax paper. It starts with a thin yellow egg batter on a griddle, and as it firms, he lays down a slick of ground pork fortified with garlic and ginger. It's rolled, cooled, and sliced to reveal umami-packed disks adorned with pinwheel patterns. It comes on the choy fan ($10.50) — which is filled out with roast chicken, char sui (Chinese barbecued pork), and white or fried rice — as well as on the tousle of yellow egg noodles, protein, and bok choy called sui mein ($11.50). Next time you think about take-out, think again.

It's not hyperbole to say Alter has changed Miami's culinary game forever. When Brad Kilgore opened his Wynwood restaurant, naysayers said it might not last. Sure, the food was impeccable. Kilgore impressed guests with his intricate dishes that combined molecular gastronomy, traditional culinary techniques, and an artistic worldview. But there was more. The food was not only delicious but also lovely. Dishes such as soft egg white sea scallop espuma and caviar ($20) might sound twee, but one taste will leave you groaning in delight. The restaurant offers tasting menus starting at $75. It's no wonder Kilgore has won dozens of accolades, including being named one of Food & Wine's best new chefs of 2016. Alter is open from 7 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and bar hours are 5 p.m. to midnight those days.

On a cool Friday evening, stylishly dressed crowds scurry up an escalator toward the recently opened St. Roch Market. The 10,000-square-foot food hall holds 12 distinct food and drink concepts. You can sample house-made Italian ravioli, wolf down a bowl of spicy ceviche, and slurp a few oysters on the half-shell. The idea is based on the successful flagship of the same name in New Orleans. Start with a drink before dinner at the Mayhaw, which serves tiki cocktails made with fresh juices and mixers. Then try gnocchi-like spinach dumplings called gnudi toscani at Dal Plin ($15) or 25-hour-brined fried chicken served on a cheddar-chive waffle at Coop ($18). Finish with a slate of vegan desserts such as sprinkle doughnut holes and frozen matcha at Chef Chloe and the Vegan Cafe ($2 to $6.50). The market is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.

In an idyllic setting overlooking the bay and Peacock Park, you can find celebrated chef Giorgio Rapicavoli's creativity throughout a menu that changes constantly. Sometimes his dishes are inspired by a single color. Other times they're stoner-friendly dishes such as carbonara fries. Sometimes he'll toy with an unusual ingredient like bison and follow it with instant classics such as homemade semolina pasta tossed in a green-pea pesto with pistachios and lemony breadcrumbs. Call it ingenious, call it Rapicavoli growing up, but whatever you do, be sure to call in your reservation.

As gastronomy has become cultural currency, France's lauded cuisine has been forced to share the stage with the other great cultures of the world. La Petite Maison, a French concept in the stable of restaurateur and Zuma founder Arjun Waney, shows why we shouldn't forget the primacy of les Français. The bayside spot exudes the vibe of an art gallery in Le Marais, a seaside beach shack near Nice, and a grand extravagant dining room in Paris. Here, you'll find fresh and light French-Mediterranean and Niçoise-inspired cuisine. The carpaccio de coquilles St. Jacques ($25) features raw scallops expertly sliced into impossibly thin coins with a scattering of toasted almonds and dried cranberry flecks that add delicate licks of salt and sweetness to each bite. A thick, bone-in section of turbot ($44.50) is prepared with artichoke, chorizo, white wine, and fragrant olive oil. The combination of chorizo and the fish's soft, buttery flesh makes you forget — at least for a moment — the staggering price. No regrets.

Ghee is what Indians call clarified butter, and across the subcontinent, it is far more than an ingredient. Candles are fueled by it, and when the dead are taken to the banks of the Ganges River in the ancient, holy city of Varanasi, relatives coat the shrouds with ghee before setting the corpses ablaze. At this Western Indian spot in Dadeland, chef Niven Patel and his crew have opened Miami's eyes to a cuisine that consists of so much more than tandoori chicken and lamb rogan josh. Here you'll find the simple street snack of puffed rice called bhel ($12), juiced up with sweet Florida avocado and meaty hunks of raw tuna. And though the restaurant offers chicken tikka masala ($14) for patrons who insist on the classic, be sure not to miss the sizable vegetable section, much of which is culled from Patel's own backyard garden.

'O Munaciello isn't your regular pizza shop. The Neapolitan-style restaurant on Miami's Upper Eastside makes a slate of unique pies. Some are infused with activated charcoal, creating a black-hued dough. Most are topped with traditional fixings such as mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. The eatery offers other fare from Italy's Campania region as well, including homemade tagliatelle pomodorini, made with tomatoes, fried eggplant, and buffalo cheese ($20), and a seafood scialatiello, a pasta platter for two prepared with clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and Piennolo cherry tomatoes ($20). But the star of this Biscayne Boulevard spot is the pizza ($12 to $25), made by chef Carmine Candito, who grew up working at his family's pizza shop in Naples, Italy. Hours are noon to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 6 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 6 to 11:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

When Miss Saigon opened in Coral Gables in 1997, most South Floridians were more familiar with the Broadway musical of the same name than Southeast Asian cuisine. In the past two decades, though, Miss Saigon has helped familiarize Coral Gables. Pho might not yet be as ubiquitous as foreign foods such as hummus or sushi, but Miss Saigon's six varieties of the northern Vietnamese beef soup have helped right that wrong one order at a time. The dinner menu lists a wide range of dishes, including an inspired vegetarian section with a $21.95 seitan watercress that's worth a drive. The weekday lunch special from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. is more economical, offering 23 items — from bun (rice noodle bowls) to pad thai — for $9.95 to $12.95.

Although Little Havana is named for the capital of Cuba, the beauty of the neighborhood is its vast array of cultures and nationalities. For example, Miami boasts a large Mexican community, and Taquerias El Mexicano is easily one of the best culinary contributions to the area. The menu is vast, and the question "Do you have...?" will inevitably be answered with a resounding, "Sí." For the most part, the dishes are old-school, but Taquerias El Mexicano is under new ownership that is modernizing the restaurant. The colorful decorations inside and out are still traditional and proudly celebrate all things Mexican. The service is friendly and the food deliciosa. And the prices are relatively low. For the best value, try a combo platter, such as the one that brings a flauta, an enchilada suiza, and a picadillo taco for a mere $11.50. If that trio isn't appetizing enough, go for the bistec ranchero ($17) or carne asada ($16). Taquerias El Mexicano is open from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, to midnight Thursday, and to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The ventanita opens at 8 a.m. daily.

In 2016, Federico Genovese, his brother Claudio, and partner Luna Bertolotti opened this charming Mediterranean-style spot tucked into one of the narrow courtyards hidden between downtown buildings. At Alloy Bistro Gourmet, you can find a survey of cuisine that always includes a house-smoked fish and tender octopus ($20), as well as simple salads such as one composed of whipped goat cheese and watercress with a watercress dressing. The best part is that the short menu changes almost monthly, and the owners are often the ones to guide you through a meal. Most recently, they served a duck prosciutto ($17) and black pasta infused with coconut charcoal tossed with soy and portobello mushrooms ($22). If any of that sounds enticing, don't delay.

If you decide to pay this Uzbek hideaway a visit, be sure to go on a Friday or Saturday, when a resident belly dancer does her thing across the room all night long while music blares and an oversize flat-screen TV loops video of a fireplace. Secure a bottle of vodka — this could be a long night. Luckily, Chayhana Oasis serves plenty of deeply satisfying food representative of not only Uzbekistan but also the entire central Eurasian region where the former Soviet republic today traces its borders. Hence, a meal might begin with the tender stuffed Turkish-style grape leaves called doma ($12) and proceed to kovurma lagman ($15) — fried, house-made egg noodles flecked with chewy bits of beef and bell peppers topped with an impossibly thin shredded egg crepe. Later comes another western-Chinese-style salad: chopped cucumbers and minced meat tossed with soy and garlic, then sprinkled with a flurry of sesame seeds. Of course, there's no shortage of lamb and tender, chewy fresh-baked bread to soak up that waterfall of vodka. It's going to be a good night.

Do you want a wine that goes best with roast duck and pickled vegetables? Or maybe you would like to know which varietals pair well with dumplings and steamed buns. Fret not. No Name Chinese has the perfect bottle to go with thoughtfully sourced and executed Chinese cuisine that turns what was once familiar into something that honors Chinese traditions with a South Florida twist. The turnip cake ($12) is a dim sum classic with sweet soy, Japanese mayo, katsuobushi flakes, lap cheong sausage, and shiitake mushrooms. Many of the dumplings here were picked up from Asian masters when the kitchen crew traveled around looking to fill out the menu and the classic take-out dishes. Among them are beef and broccoli ($20), which deploys grass-fed tenderloin and gai lan to create something that's guilt-free even if you devour the entire plate.

Miami Beach's South of Fifth neighborhood is known for many things: multimillion-dollar condos, celebrities, Lamborghinis, and boob jobs. Though the neighborhood is replete with solid and beloved restaurants, it wasn't considered a hub of culinary innovation. That changed when Jeremy Ford — the Florida-born, smooth-scalped winner of the 13th season of Bravo's reality cooking show, Top Chef — set up shop. At Stubborn Seed, Ford is building on his widely publicized win and pumping out dishes the likes of which Miami has rarely seen. There is nai ragi on homemade buttermilk dressing. A puck of warm celery root ($17), braised with lemon juice and olive oil, is treated like meat and paired with slivers of maitake mushrooms — crisped in tempura batter and served with a frothy mustard sauce. Multiple carrot preparations, including foamed, puréed, powdered, pickled, or roasted, accompany a succulent hunk of umami short rib and show off the kitchen's deep skills and dedication. If he keeps this up, Ford is destined to become an icon like some of his long-standing neighbors.

Since opening in Hallandale Beach in 1973, Sage Bagel & Deli has expanded the menu to include dozens of items. But first, order a bagel. Any list of best bagels in South Florida includes Sage. Most meals come with them. Breakfast highlights include the $8.49 challah French toast and the $9.89 matzo brie (matzo fried with eggs). For lunch, sandwiches range in price from $6.49 for a grilled cheese to $16.50 for a massive Reuben. Though Sage is open only till 5 p.m., the generous portions will sate you until bedtime. Just be sure you have a sandwich on a bagel. It's guaranteed to make you a repeat customer.

Tired of boring takes on traditional Jewish food? Ditch those spots and try a place so amazing it would make your bubbe's head spin. Nestled in an anonymous strip mall, Sara's Kosher Restaurant adds a vegetarian twist to many of your favorite Jewish delicacies. The 17-page menu can be intimidating to newcomers. There are even vegetarian takes on Italian, Cuban, and Mexican food. One highlight is the $14.95 stuffed cabbage — a Hungarian dish of cabbage filled with rice and a vegan faux-beef simmered in a sweet-and-sour sauce — served with a freshly baked challah roll or pita bread for vegans. Also not to be missed is the $11.95 falafel platter served with Israeli salad and French fries, and two pitas.

Step inside Kuro, the crown jewel of Hard Rock's restaurants, and you'll think you've been transported to a swanky restaurant in L.A. It's tough to choose just one dish to highlight here. Main courses are broken up into land and sea. There are variations of both (sushi, nigiri), but the undeniable headliner of the show is the Wagyu beef ($24 per ounce), which diners can either cook themselves on a hot stone tableside or have charcoal-grilled in the kitchen. Kuro's rib-eye miso ($43) could also be considered a costar. The dish comes covered in succulent pine-nut miso and shiso dressing with a side of perfectly grilled asparagus. Kuro not only is the best restaurant in Hollywood but also offers the best experience. It's a show wrapped up in a meal that's inside the greatest casino this side of the Mississippi.

The Maghreb is the region of Northern Africa that includes Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania. Not going there soon? That's OK, because a new restaurant in Plantation serves authentic Moroccan fare. Dar Tajine boasts an in-house boutique that peddles everything from rugs to hookahs. The menu includes the region's best comfort foods, from tagine and kebabs to massive communal platters of steaming couscous ($9.99 to $18.99). Don't miss house specialities such as chicken bastilla — a savory pie with so many flavors and textures you could spend a lifetime identifying each one. In this fragrant dish, spices such as saffron, ginger, and cinnamon meld perfectly with an herb-laden omelet layered within crisp warqa pastry and topped with crunchy fried almonds sweetened with orange-flower water ($6.99). Moroccans heartily season ground beef and lamb with cumin and paprika, and that's how you'll find the meat in the kafta tagine ($11.99), baked in a clay pot with poached eggs. Plus, Dar Tajine is 100 percent halal.

About a block from Lincoln Road, an array of Italian breads, pastries, and picture-perfect desserts attracts a steady stream of customers. Inspired by Milan café culture, Rosetta Bakery makes small batches of baked goods ($2 to $10) numerous times throughout the day. Flaky croissants, berry tarts, Nutella-filled bombolones, and large panettones are prepared by Italian chefs who have been specifically recruited to work at Rosetta. The bakery recently opened three other locations, two in Miami Beach and one in Aventura. Outposts in North Beach and Brickell are expected to open within the next year.

Soraya Kilgore's palace of sweets adds a sparkle to the Design District. Surrounded by tony shops such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, the former Alter and Brava pastry chef's MadLab Creamery entices young and old via edible glitter, swirls of pink cotton candy, golden-sheet sprinkles, and unique flavors of ice cream and chocolate. Try a blend of green matcha and rich chocolate soft-serve topped with hand-spun cotton candy and a whiff of glitter ($6 and up). Or savor a 100-gram piece of dark chocolate and cereal bark ($7.50) along with a slice of fluffy Japanese cheesecake ($7.50). Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

On the edge of Miami Beach's Sunset Harbour, Bio Bio serves made-from-scratch Italian gelato. Among two dozen unique flavors are the sweet and salty, the ricotta and figs, and the yogurt honey and walnut. Each blend is served in a cup or cone, and some can be made into frozen slushies ($5.50 and up). Flavors are 100 percent organic and use fresh and seasonal ingredients. Beyond the shop's creamy blends, find cases of frozen desserts, from chocolate-covered ice pops and gelato cakes to fruit sorbet pops and mini gelato cones. Products, including all gelato flavors, are made daily in the shop's kitchen. Bio Bio is deeply rooted in Europe. The first location was founded nearly 60 years ago by an Italian family-owned company called MO.CA in Northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region. The Miami Beach shop is the first in the United States. Try it from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Behind a wooden bar, a wall of bottles glows at Aubi + Ramsa. But this is no ordinary bar. Your choice of spirit will come in the form of an icy scoop, not a liquid pour. The space, for patrons aged 21 or older, offers frozen treats fused with various spirits, from tequila and rosé to vodka, gin, and red wine. Try Macallan 12-year single-malt Scotch blended with a creamy Belgian chocolate cream ($7 to $10), or a serving of Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut balanced with a light tangerine sorbet. Then there's the Kentucky Crème Brûlée, an organic vanilla-pudding ice cream made with Four Roses single-barrel bourbon and caramelized sugar sprinkles. A 3.7-ounce serving contains about 4.9 percent ABV and will set you back about $9. Consider it dessert and a significantly cheaper option than a cocktail at a nearby bar. Aubi + Ramsa is open from noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

A slice of key lime pie at the Dutch is distinctive. Maybe that's because executive pastry chef Josh Gripper takes the classic recipe up a notch by sprinkling it with sea salt, adding a smudge of passionfruit sorbet, and serving a light raspberry sorbet alongside. Garnished with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, his salted lime pie ($12) is a sweet, succulent, and citrusy explosion. Check it out from 7 to 11:30 a.m. and noon to 4 p.m. daily, 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 6:30 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday

It's 2 a.m. and you're in the mood for a fresh-baked cookie oozing with chocolate and sprinkles. Cue the cleverly spelled Phenomenom. You might be familiar with the South Beach shop's owner, 26-year-old Chuck Woodard, who created Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream and opened the brand's first location in Pinecrest in 2012. He sold his ownership in 2014 to pursue Phenomenom. Visit the shop for cookies the size of doughnuts, weighing about six ounces each ($4). With a moist and gooey texture and a soft center, flavors include chocolate chip, M&M's and Oreo, s'mores, half-and-half, and sugar sprinkles. Opt for the milk and cookies, which pairs a cookie with a large cup of milk. Try it noon to midnight Sunday through Thursday and noon to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Contenti Cupcakes churns out more than two dozen uniquely flavored cupcakes. All are made from scratch. Favorites from this South Miami operation include a key lime cupcake topped with graham cracker crust and key lime buttercream; a sundae garnished with chocolate ganache, sprinkles, and a cherry; and a guava-infused cupcake crowned with a dollop of cream cheese frosting. Orders for mini or standard-size cupcakes, which must be placed three days in advance, cost around $30 for a dozen or more. There's also an option to turn a cupcake into a large cake. Or go for a pie, such as key lime, strawberry, or salted caramel apple.

Big things are happening for Mojo Donuts & Fried Chicken in West Miami-Dade. The shop appeared on celebrity restaurateur Guy Fieri's Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Also, owners announced plans to double the size of the store and open two additional locations in Miami-Dade. Mojo's success can be credited to the doughnuts, which have made the shop a raging success since it debuted in December 2016. More than three dozen varieties are lightly fried and then garnished with sprinkles, creams, or chocolate. Flavors include Nutella bacon, banana cream pie, and salted caramel cheesecake ($1.49 to $3.95). Don't leave without a bite of the chicken brûlée sandwich — a hand-rolled, caramelized bun stuffed with a tender piece of fried chicken and cheddar cheese. Doors are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Across much of the Western Hemisphere, corn is life. And in few places is it more vital than in Venezuela, where corn-based cachapas and arepas are staples of many meals. For Edukos' chef Manuel Cabeza, corn is just as important at the end of the meal as it is throughout. Today, in this Little Havana gastropub, Cabeza dishes out a corn-infused flan called quesillo ($6). The genius here is in how he shucks and carves fresh corn, then steeps the kernels in the milk that ultimately becomes this silky-smooth, caramel-coated delight. The process yields subtle, nutty notes that make it tops in town.

Everything at midtown's GLAM Vegan is — well — glam. Though the name is actually an acronym (Green Living Animals Matter), the word applies to everything at this cozy, chic spot, from the glitzy gold flatware to the periwinkle-hued swag for sale. Everything has the touch of Janette Miller, cofounder and designer extraordinaire. From snacks and soups to flatbreads and bowls, the menu is omnivore-friendly and impossibly fresh. Cofounder/chef Todd Erickson sources locally, and almost everything is made from scratch, including the "meat" for the jackfruit tacos, which undergoes a lengthy marinating, roasting, and simmering process. On the sweet side, GLAM's signature dish is its rich and creamy ube pie ($7). Just like GLAM's gorgeous decor, the ube pie is gold-tinted and plum-colored and almost too lovely for its own good. The unique sweet treat is made with purple sweet potato, gingersnap crust, and allspice and comes topped with glittery gold-flake blackberries. The dish is entirely Instagrammable — and, honestly, who couldn't use a little more GLAM in their lives? It's open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Try finding a better lunchtime view than the brilliant blues you'll see from the patio at Plnthouse, chef Matthew Kenney's indoor/outdoor snack spot in 1 Hotel South Beach. The airy, sun-drenched eatery is all things bright and beautiful, from the sustainable wood decor to the lush hanging greenery. Once you're done gawking at the gorgeous surroundings and turn your attention to the menu, you'll find an array of whole foods, plant-based dishes, and raw items — so everything is colorful, fresh, and as good for you as it gets. Highlights include an iconic avocado toast with shaved veggies and chili oil ($14); a rich French lentil pâté with cashew-dill sour cream and rice crisps ($12); a crisp zucchini noodle bowl with pistachio pesto, cashew ricotta, and slow roasted tomato ($15); flavorful Thai paper wraps with red pepper, mango, red cabbage, chili almond butter, carrots, herbs, and tamarind dipping sauce ($12); and the lavish Golden One smoothie, packed with mango, pineapple, coconut meat, turmeric, aloe vera, MCT oil, camu camu, cinnamon, and pine pollen ($20). At Plnthouse, eating your veggies has never been so enjoyable. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Vegans don't get enough protein from plants? Cue the epic eye roll. Such talk is nonsense in 2018, particularly given that Americans' addiction to animal protein is causing all kinds of issues, from chronic diseases to environmental devastation. Luckily, protein actually comes from plants (where do you think the animals get it?), and getting enough to grow big and strong isn't an issue, as evidenced by gorillas, bulls, and rhinos — all vegan, all muscle. At Coconut Grove's Juicense, the Get Strong smoothie ($11) is the perfect protein power punch to combat those silly myths. It's a mashup of almond butter, banana, dates, cacao, vegan protein, and almond milk. So you can pound one and hit the gym for some serious vegainz. Juicense also offers juices, healthy eats (such as superfood toasts), nut milks, and more if you need some extra fuel. Flex those plant-powered muscles! Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Patriots superstar Rob Gronkowski (AKA Gronk) and Hollywood hottie Mark Wahlberg flexing together in a rooftop garden? Yes, please. That's Planta for you. David Grutman of LIV fame is the man behind SoFi's hottest new spot — a plant-based paradise for celebrities, influencers, and Miami's sexiest so-and-so's. Cousin to Planta Toronto, the alluring, tropical-inspired restaurant is already drawing a hell of a following. The menu is extensive and on the culinary cutting edge, offering impressively creative dishes such as ahi watermelon nigiri ($3.50 per piece); melt-in-your-mouth cauliflower tots ($11.25); an omnivore-inspired meat lover's pizza ($19.25); and a trofie pasta with truffled mushroom bolognese and almond parmesan ($25.50). Many ingredients are sourced from the aforementioned rooftop garden — and it shows in freshness and flavor. At Planta, dress your best and raise a glass to the power of plants — vegan eating doesn't get sexier than this. Hours are 5:30 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

One hundred percent organic isn't a phrase you see often these days. After all, chemical-free doesn't come cheap. But Edgewater's GreenG Juice Bar is 100 percent committed to clean eating. The colorful spot serves everything you need for bod goals, from açai bowls to alkaline waters to GreenG's specialty: cold-pressed juices. Try an Anti Ox live shot with ginger, açai, maca, and pineapple ($3.75) or a GreenG Lifestyle special, with kale, spinach, pineapple, lemon, spirulina, pink Himalayan sea salt, and cayenne ($11). If you're really feeling the bloat (from one too many Miami Vices or croquetas), juice cleanses are where it's at. GreenG offers one-, three-, and five-day options so you can flush those toxins and tighten up for swimsuit season (which, in Miami, is every season). Hours are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

In Miami's concrete urban core, you can find greenery Saturdays at Brickell City Centre farmers' market. The weekly event is hosted along a landscaped pathway between Sixth and Seventh streets beneath Miami's Metromover track. There you'll peruse a curated selection of cheeses, breads, local honey, orchids, vegetables, and fruits, as well as prepared foods like Argentine empanadas and fruit smoothies. Get a head start on your grocery shopping, or stop by for an afternoon lunch. Check it out Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tucked away in the laid-back South of Fifth neighborhood is Europa Delicatessen, a delightful market and deli full of authentic Eastern European food and groceries. Culinary cultures from Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, and Russia have influenced this delicious hole-in-the-wall that's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you crave legitimate European deli-style grub, Europa is the place. One of its most popular and delicious sandwiches is the Hunter schnitzel ($12.90), made with a choice of breaded chicken or pork, marinated mushrooms, caramelized onions, herb butter, and lettuce on fresh-baked bread. Since Europa Deli opened more than four years ago, demand for the unique cuisine has skyrocketed. In fact, the place will soon undergo major renovations to install a new kitchen, a bar, and a larger dining area. But don't worry — Europa will still offer its full deli and grocery store offering hard-to-find meats, cheeses, wines, and other edible staples from across Europe. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Supermarket meat departments just aren't the same as real butcher shops. Sadly, Miami is kind of a desert when it comes to quality purveyors of all things meaty. But if you're willing to make the trek to Fort Lauderdale, you'll find a carnivore's Shangri-la — Smitty's Old Fashioned Butcher Shop, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. This place will make you wonder why you ever settled for less. Smitty's has it all, from wet-aged American Kobe tomahawk steaks for $38 per pound to Wagyu beef cheeks for $14.99 per pound to veal brains for $10.99 per pound. They have a freezer full of beef bones for making stock, frozen demi-glace, whole pheasants, guinea hens, and filleted alligator tails. They sell baby-back ribs — Danish and Canadian — black grouper fillets, sausages made in-house, and obscenely delicious pies baked by Chessa, who also works behind the counter and gives some of the warmest customer service in South Florida. And the place boasts not only an impressive variety of meats, but also quality that's as good as it gets. There's a reason Smitty's has been open since 1962 and has always had a loyal fan base of happy carnivores.

Samantha Schnur is a not just any Instagrammer, but a member of an elite club of food photographers who can earn thousands of dollars for posting a single picture of a soufflé or branzino. In 2015, Cosmopolitan published the online list "15 Food Instagram Accounts You Need to Follow Immediately." Schnur was number eight. The Florida State University dropout (and University of Miami grad) has more than 660,000 followers on her Instagram page — the Naughty Fork — and about 200,000 likes on a Facebook account under the same name. At least one of her Instagram videos (showing the preparation of waffled mozzarella-stick pizza) has been viewed 14 million times. She has earned as much as $4,000 for a single post, and she recently scored deals with major corporations such as Oreo, Amazon, and Arby's. She also works with local businesses such as Pincho Factory, El Patio, and Honeybee Doughnuts.

Miami nightlife king David Grutman knows how to stay busy. He's best known for owning the nightclubs LIV at the Fontainebleau and Story in South Beach, along with restaurants OTL in the Design District, Komodo in Brickell, and Planta in Miami Beach. And later this year, he'll open Swan and Bar Bevy. It's only fitting that Grutman launch Groot Hospitality, gathering all of his venues under one umbrella and promoting his places to the city's hungry populace.

Niven Patel is the kind of chef all cooks should aspire to become: tenacious, humble, and expressive — one who tells you what's important in life with each of his plates. He has turned the sprawling backyard of his house in Homestead into a farm that now feeds two locations of his Ghee Indian Kitchen, which specializes in the Western Indian cuisine on which he was raised. Moreover, he has trained and maintained a crack team of cooks who help him set a new standard for dining in Miami, all while opening two of the area's favorite restaurants within the span of a year without business partners, a public relations firm, or any of the bells, whistles, and shenanigans most places use to get you and your wallet through the door. Finally, Patel carefully balances serving refined, elevated versions of familiar Indian dishes with offering the country's vast array of cuisines that rarely see the light of day in the West. Hear that, James Beard Award people?

Pastry chefs begin and end a meal. They bake bread that's usually customers' first taste of a restaurant and create a lasting impression with dessert. Devin Braddock, the 27-year-old corporate executive pastry chef at Blue Collar and Mignonette, two of Miami's most intimate and popular eateries, has worked her way up to Miami pastry royalty. Her grandmother, a former executive pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton in New York, taught her at the age of 6 to mold almond paste into the shape of an orchid. After a stint at Johnson & Wales, Braddock dove headfirst into Miami restaurants, where she scored gigs at hot spots such as Wynwood Kitchen & Bar, Michael's Genuine, and Alter. Today find her at Danny Serfer's string of restaurants. Her sea salt and chocolate chip cookies are toothsome, with just the right balance of sweet, salty, and gooey. Then there's her chocolate cake, comparable to a pillowy slice of heaven. Oh, and her pies. They, too, are a delight.

Mr. Bing's technicolor food truck rolls around Miami peddling a frozen treat like no other. It's called shaved ice cream. Paper-thin ribbons of sweetened frozen cream are shaved off a huge cylindrical block at superhigh speeds. The consistency is comparable to frozen cotton candy, while the appearance is similar to a carnation. Here, the Taiwanese-inspired dessert comes in a variety of flavors, such as coconut and green tea — an homage to the treat's Asian roots — as well as chocolate and original sweet milk. Then come toppings such as Pocky sticks, mini marshmallows, and crushed Oreos. There's no guilt involved either. A standard 3.5-ounce serving of Mr. Bing contains about 100 calories.