Eat & Drink

Chef Karla Hoyos might be best known as the first Latina chef de cuisine at the Bazaar by José Andrés. The chef had plans to open a restaurant that celebrated her Mexican roots when Andrés contacted her with a higher calling: Can you drop everything and help coordinate the on-ground efforts for World Central Kitchen, feeding Ukrainian refugees as they enter Poland? Without hesitation, Hoyos was on the first overseas flight she could find. The chef has been documenting the humanitarian efforts on her Instagram, giving the world a firsthand view of war’s shattering effects on everyday people. Hoyos has captured how, when she sees a family crossing the border, she and fellow volunteers first hand them cups of hot cocoa as a show of caring. For now, Miamians will have to wait to enjoy the talented chef’s food, but when she returns, you can be sure there’ll plenty of love to go around.

Chef Niven Patel is one of Miami’s finest chefs. The toque, who got his start working at the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada and Michael’s Genuine right here in the Magic City, came into his own when he opened Ghee. The Kendall restaurant, which serves Indian cuisine with produce fresh from Patel’s own farm, continues to be one of South Florida’s finest dining experiences. This past year, Patel opened Orno at the Thesis Hotel in Coral Gables, a stunning space complete with hanging vines and tasteful bookshelves. It is here that Patel lovingly works the line daily, stoking the wood-fired grill for pork chops, steaks, and branzino. But what makes Orno truly special is its founder’s care and respect for vegetables. Instead of being an afterthought for people to get their greens in, the chef elevates them to works of art: Grilled carrots are dressed with a zesty yogurt, farm corn gets a hit of Calabrian chili, and sunchokes are charred and topped with a tart and sweet vinaigrette. At Orno, Patel mixes his fine-dining roots with the literal roots he pulls from the ground with his own hands.

If all great stories are love stories, so is the tale behind Fort Lauderdale restaurant the Katherine. Named for Miami chef Timon Balloo’s wife, the restaurant is an ode to the dishes the two recall from their travels. While Balloo’s eponymous Miami restaurant taps into his Chinese-Indian-Trinidadian heritage, the Katherine gives fans a chance to explore Balloo’s personal hit list. Eating off mismatched china in a bistro-like ambiance, guests a variety of seafood, vegetables, and comfort foods flavored with Balloo’s signature touch. Take the clam chowder fries, a nod to Balloo’s childhood in the San Francisco Bay area plus part of his career working in Belgium, and sprinkled with his wife’s love of clams and French fries. A slow-braised duck orecchiette inspired by visits to Italy is kissed with the rich flavor of the chef’s favorite meat. And delicately spiced jerk chicken thighs — crisp on the outside and tender on the inside — pay homage to Balloo’s Caribbean roots. If it’s hard to choose which story to explore, don’t worry: You’re guaranteed to taste romance in each and every dish.

Every year, there’s an “it” restaurant so trendy that even if you could afford it, you wouldn’t be able to get a reservation. This is the year of Sexy Fish, the London-based restaurant that can best be described as what would happen if the Little Mermaid dropped acid and decided to eat all of her ocean friends. The restaurant is a fishy fantasy, yet somehow it isn’t tacky. The servers are dressed in shimmery, sea-life attire, sushi and fusion dishes are all prepared with precision by chef Bjorn Weissgerber. There are seafood towers, caviar service, and a dessert platter served in a giant clamshell. (But someone else is footing the bill, so why not order them all?) The pièce de résistance is a trip to the bathroom, where you’ll encounter a lifelike sculpture of a mermaid (in the ladies’ room) or one of Daniel Craig as James Bond (in the men’s). Sexy Fish is your answer when your friends ask, “Where do you want us to take you for your birthday?”

Shhh. Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay Campus holds a secret: a hidden bistro, where a three-course meal costs a mere $10. The lunches and dinners, held on Wednesdays while classes are in session, are part of the university’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Management and are designed to give students real-world experience in hosting paying customers in a fine-dining setting. The menu isn’t large — generally you’ll have two or three choices for each course — but the quality is tops. The students in charge are attentive and professional as they take your order, fill your glass, and explain each dish. Your ten bucks covers a nonalcoholic cocktail, and instead of a tip you’ll be asked to fill out a short survey designed to provide feedback to these future restaurateurs. And because this is educational, the $10 (requested in advance to hold the reservation) counts as a donation and is therefore deductible. Reservations fill up quickly; keep tabs on the website to snag the best dining deal in town.

You’re forgiven if you didn’t know about the hidden dining room in the back of Hachidori Ramen Bar in Little River. It was planned as a sake den, but owner Guillermo Paniza offered the space to Culinary Institute of America grads Pedro and Katherine Mederos during the pandemic. The spouses (Pedro handles the savory while Katherine sees to the pastry and manages the space) showcase their skills by way of a seasonal omakase menu (diners choose between a six- or ten-course version) that emphasizes local produce. Known in Japan as kaiseki, this cuisine is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. But there’s a catch: You’ll have to get in line. The restaurant has only ten seats. And now that the secret is out in a big way, well, all we can say is that it’s good thing the couple plans to open another restaurant nearby next year.

First dates are nerve-wracking, awkward experiences but choosing the where doesn’t have to be. We present to you Margot, an intimate natural wine bar inside the historic Ingraham Building downtown and a surefire way to impress your date (even if they fail to impress you). Besides wine and its inherent romance, Bar Lab founders Gabe Orta and Elad Zvi set the scene with a backdrop of warm pink tones, cozy seating, and vibey tunes from a vintage sound system. But back to the main draw: Margot’s natural, organic, and/or biodynamic wine list, which changes daily, and the knowledgeable staff that will steer you toward what you’ll enjoy. (There are plenty of local beers, too.) After ordering a drink to quell any first-date jitters, you and your date can turn your attention to Margot’s food menu. Brûléed figs paired with feta, prosciutto, perhaps? Maybe a light salmon crudo, as well. If the electricity isn’t flowing between the two of you, at least you’ll be set when it comes to a place to try out another first date — and another wine.

Embroidered linen napkins. Rose-gold silverware. Floral lighting fixtures. Walls dripping plants and flowers. Everything about this charming, out-of-the-way South Beach spot screams romance, right down to the the fair-trade, locally sourced Mediterranean fare that Argentine native chef Hernan Griccini prepares. Focusing on seasonal ingredients, Griccini produces shareable dishes from his open kitchen, ranging from roasted eggplant served with sun-dried tomatoes, maroquin lemon, stracciatella cheese, fresh herbs, and arugula salad to ricotta and pear fiocchi with balsamic glaze, truffle oil, fresh sage, basil butter, and tomatoes. Here’s a thought: Go for brunch, where Griccini routinely welcomes guest chefs from around Miami — proving that he, too, believes in partnerships.

For a city known for its coastal pleasures and crystal-clear waters, when it comes to casual waterfront restaurants, Miami is seriously lacking. Enter Shuckers Waterfront Bar & Grill, a sports bar with a view so gorgeous it’s impossible to keep your eye on the ballgame. As its name implies, Shuckers is also home to some of the best oysters in Miami. They’ve got steamed clams here, too, as well as peeled shrimp, a hardy burger, and outrageously tasty wings. Shuckers is the answer to “where should we go to eat?” no matter who’s asking the question.

At the southwestern edge of Las Olas Boulevard’s main drag, the legendary Fort Lauderdale diner known as “The Flo” continues to pack ’em in after 80-plus years. The dynamic charm and unpretentious vibe the Floridian boasts are like no other, particularly amid the endless influx of new and often bougie Fort Lauderdale offerings. There are floor-to-ceiling framed photos — historic snaps of the Las Vegas Strip, a wall of Marilyn Monroes — and decades-old newspaper articles posted throughout. There’s the central boardroom-like table with office chairs around it, and you just might catch owner Butch Samp perched at its head. And the food, available 24/7, ranging from massive three-egg omelets to a towering chicken-salad club sandwich to a ten-ounce New York strip steak. The Flo never skimps, so you may well leave with leftovers.

Though caffeine is a daily must for Miamians, we’ve traditionally sought out cafecitos when we want to perk up.Until Joel and Leticia Pollock decided to roast beans in Wynwood, that is. At first the couple distributed their beans wholesale, but they began introducing locals to the brand by selling cold brew from a tricked-out bicycle at food truck roundups. Panther was so well received that the Pollocks decided to open a brick-and-mortar shop in Wynwood. In doing so, they brought coffee culture to Miami. Now they pour their fragrant cups of goodness out of multiple locations, and you might spot their beans in shops as far-flung as New Jersey and Michigan. But their home will always be Miami.

Juice bars are a dime a dozen — you can find one in just about any strip mall — but Under the Mango Tree manages to stand out from the crowd. The South Beach hangout provides a chill hangout where juice enthusiasts can sip their liquefied nutrients in relative tranquility. Here you’ll find a wide selection of smoothies and juices, including the namesake “Mango Tree,” a refreshing combination of mangos, the berry of the day, orange juice, and coconut nectar. Superhero fans can fight over whether to order the “Hulk” (pineapples, spinach, kale, OJ, and coconut nectar) or the “Iron Man” (beets, mangos, and lemon). Empanadas, baked goods, and açai bowls are available in the event your teeth need a workout.

It’s a mantra we can all get behind, and it’s plastered on Mitch’s Downtown Bagel Cafe’s wall in big, bright neon: “Bagels Don’t Count as Carbs.” Since it opened in 2021, folks in Fort Lauderdale have quickly learned that Mitch Shidlofsky’s Flagler Village spot is about so much more than its poppin’ décor and bright, plant-filled space. The bagels have decades of Shidlofsky family love behind ’em. Staples include the rainbow bagels and “The Hangover” (two eggs, American cheese, thick-cut bacon, and hash browns on a bagel) for the Instagram crowd. And the Cafe is about more than bagels, serving up a mean challah French toast, a corned beef and pastrami sandwich (“The Big Papa”), and matzoh-ball soup. As Flagler Village becomes Fort Lauderdale’s bustling version of Wynwood, Mitch’s has established itself as a mainstay.

LNB Grovestand’s turmeric everything bagels are not some health gimmick that tastes like cardboard. Yet each ombré-hued bagel carries the health benefits of 5,000 mg of whole root turmeric, along with a soupçon of spice for flavor. Priced at $5, each bagel is served with LNB’s own scallion black pepper cream cheese for a scrumptious schmear whose texture pairs nicely with the bagel’s firm exterior and pillowy, subtly flavored interior. The little fruit stand on 135th Avenue in West Kendall churns out bagels on Sundays only, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The rest of the week they spend harvesting their homegrown turmeric from the family farm — duh. Also duh: The turmeric bagels are sold out well before closing time, so don’t sleep in.

Key Biscayne bakery Flour & Weirdoughs lives up to its name. Here organic flours, milled and blended in-house daily, create a number of oddball creations. Take the cacio e pepe sourdough, replete with chunks of Pecorino cheese and toasted black pepper. Or the gray-toned Black Sabbath, which derives its essence from roasted black garlic and charcoal. Or a rosy “Beats on Repeat” that marries sweet beets and sesame. Or the “Irregardless 305,” stuffed with jamón and queso like a giant croqueta. Even the pastries are meal-worthy, from the “Brisket B*tch” croissant, filled with brisket, grain mustard, and provolone cheese to danishes shaped into platelike squares to neatly house a fried egg topped with chopped bacon and melty cheese.

Doughnuts can be complicated. From sourdough and yeast to cronuts and cake, a vast array of deep-fried baked goods comprise this beloved pastry category. With plenty of inspiration from his travels domestically and abroad, Argentinian transplant Diego Macedo began tinkering with simple recipes like pão de queijo and pound cake before his Pink Love Donuts dream took off. Today, the thriving family-run business is three locations strong, best known for its made-from-scratch croissants, Argentine-style empanadas, and — of course — gourmet doughnuts. At Pink Love, there’s no such thing as too many flavors. The bakery has more than 80 in rotation, from classics like a plain frosted or raspberry jelly-filled to gourmet doughnuts like a sriracha glazed flecked with bits of bacon. Macedo kicks it up a notch with a limited series of “ultimate” creations, a designation reserved for his most decadent flavors, including a line of “drunken” donuts. Outfitted with a miniature pipette aimed at the core of each pastry, these are filled with spirits like Baileys Irish Cream or Kahlúa, making for a buzzy morning treat.

In 2015, after relocating from Venezuela, husband-and-wife team Salomon and Cori Salama dreamed of opening a business stateside that would fill the void of the two restaurants and gourmet cracker factory they’d left behind. Their goal: to create a place where customers could enjoy the flavors of the world through a variety of massive, decadent milkshakes. With the help of childhood friend Gabriela Bergoderi, the duo dreamed up a menu of more than a dozen dessert creations. A recent cheesecake series brought a list of 15 shakes, each one delivered like a statuesque tower covered in candy, cookies, or baked goods. Among the cotton candy, brownie, and cake-topped treats, memories of a “Creamy Cookies” shake linger: a cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream milkshake delivered in a vanilla frosted glass adorned with crushed Oreos sporting a triple-stack of chocolate doughnuts layered with a rich Oreo cream filling and crowned with a giant Oreo cookie. When you’re finished, you might not be headed to Heaven or Hell, but you’ll definitely be in food-coma purgatory. (If you find yourself up north, there’s a Holy Shakes location in Boca Raton.)

If pie were a portal, a slice from Fookem’s Fabulous would transport you directly to Key West. The scrappy business — run out of an inconspicuous home in Coconut Grove — was born during the early days of the pandemic after Joshua Abril, an out-of-work TV producer, taught himself to make key lime pie by watching dozens of YouTube tutorials. The version Abril settled on — a creamy, tart delight with a salty graham-cracker crust — quickly rivaled those made by the best pastry chefs in Miami. Grab a pie outside Abril’s home daily from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., flag him down as he rides his bicycle cooler through the Grove, or place an order through DoorDash. Whole pies run $28, or try a mini pie for $6.

The best way to beat the heat is with a frozen treat. Bianco Gelato brings a taste of Italy by transporting a Milanese family recipe to South Florida, with locations in the heart of Coconut Grove and the Shops at Bal Harbour. What, you ask, is it that elevates Bianco Gelato from standard gelato and Ice cream shops? It’s their commitment to ingredients, freshly sourced and organic. The flavor profiles please children and adults alike, and in the event not everyone screams for gelato, Bianco also offers sorbets, popsicles, smoothies, baked goods, and (highly recommended!) granitas. Shunning artificial flavors and chemicals and embracing options for vegans and any dietary restrictions, Bianco Gelato is guilt-free. It’s the perfect treat for a passeggiata any day of the week.

There’s something exceptional about experiencing a South Florida sunset from a bird’s-eye view, and Terras is our pick to take it all in. Sequestered in a quiet-ish corner of Little Havana, this tropical hideaway perched atop the Life House Hotel offers vibrant cocktails and Latin-inspired street food. For the complete experience, indulge in views of Miami’s unrivaled cotton candy-hued sunsets equipped with a refreshing “Sandía Fresca” (concocted with vodka, watermelon, purple basil, and lime) and an order of Terras’ sumptuous crispy maitake (hen-of-the-woods) mushrooms.

There’s something whimsical about Barton G., the Magic City restaurant with a flair for the dramatic. It’s the type of place you go to impress your Tinder date or when you want to feel like every dish you order deserves its own photo shoot. Seriously, where else are you encouraged to pose for pics with a giant fork? That’s especially true for dessert, where you can order a Marie Antoinette cotton candy bust — a two-foot-high twist of pink cotton candy “hair” artfully arranged atop a mini-mannequin head that’s accompanied by a slice of vanilla cake. Or end it all on a giant note with The “Dolla Dolla Bill Y’all,” the most expensive dessert on the menu. A platter’s worth of chocolate and bling, it includes a brick-like s’mores-and-dulce-de-leche tart topped with toasted marshmallow meringue that’s torched tableside. It’s presented beside a giant faux gold brick and delivered by a sparkler-waving server along with a giant hundred-dollar bill for that Insta-worthy glam shot before you dig in.

A slew of contenders have rolled up for this award lately. Suddenly pasta makers — people, not machines — have appeared in restaurant windows and at highly visible perches all across the city. But we’re still fans of the original Via Emilia 9 on South Beach, and sibling restaurant Via Emilia Garden in Midtown, where we first encountered Emilia-Romagna-style fresh ravioli, tortellini, tagliatelle, and more, made right there in the dining room, on the spot. After a not-so-brief interruption courtesy of the pandemic, we’re happy to see them back rolling, stuffing, and pinching dough, just for us. Well, okay, for other guests, too — if you insist. After all, we can’t eat it all — or can we?

Pulling into the parking lot at Pinecrest Farmers Market, you know you’re in for a special morning. Located adjacent to Pinecrest Gardens park, PFM is nestled amid a lush, green near-wilderness setting. Cooled by the shade of banyans and oaks, stroll through the grounds and browse the wares of about five dozen vendors, offering tropical fruits freshly picked from nearby trees, homemade pastas, locally farmed veggies, hand-dipped candles, and much more.

Like you, we cringe at the notion of having to leave Miami-Dade County to shop for groceries. That said, we’ll do it in a heartbeat for a trip to Kim and Lee Oriental Market in Lauderhill. Known to many as simply “Oriental Market,” Kim and Lee is predominantly a Korean grocer, but it’s sure to meet your Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai needs as well. If you arrive early enough in the day, there’ll still be fresh-made kimbap and japchae, but a word to the wise: It sells out quickly. If you’re tardy, though, don’t fret. There’s also an entire wall of freshly made kimchi and banchan of all types, ranging from snack-size containers to full-on gallons. This place is the closest you’ll get to South Korea in South Florida.

Anyone on a dating app knows: Your dog is your best date. They’re great company, provide plenty of hugs and kisses, and when it comes time to pick a place for dinner, they don’t quibble with your choice. That’s why Sawa Restaurant & Lounge is the perfect place to treat yourself and your pampered pooch. Located in the Shops at Merrick Park, Sawa has a beautiful outdoor courtyard with bright yellow patio umbrellas that provide shade. You and your furry friend will each have your own dedicated menu. Your pup can start with tapas of gourmet baked biscuits or grain-free jerky strips before digging into the main course: chicken breast, steak kebab, or an Angus burger patty, all fresh off the grill. Add a side of rice (white or brown) and you’ve got a dish fit for a prince(ss). For dessert, there are frozen doggie cups for your best mate while enjoy ice cream, cake, house-made baklava, or another glass of roe.

During the pandemic, some of us learned new languages, taught ourselves to play a musical instrument, or picked up a hobby like, say, needlepoint. And the rest of us just became drunken couch potatoes (which, to be fair, sounds like a decent dish). The team behind Zuma got constructive, embarking on a redo to mark the restaurant’s tenth anniversary. The izakaya-style spot in the Kimpton Epic Hotel (also newly renovated) near the mouth of the Miami River downtown now features a host stand and DJ booth, both crafted from enormous planks of Indonesian trees. The bar’s suspended shelving and acid-etched glass wainscoting is echoed in the hanging bamboo poles and glass façade that leads to the patio. And if you want to sit on the waterfront terrace and relax — it’s all new furniture and greenery out there, too.

For more than three decades, Scully’s Tavern was a neighborhood restaurant for Kendallites looking to relax with a drink, eat some good grub, and hang with friends. Chris and Cassandra “Cass” Hirsh worked side by side every day. Over the years, customers became family. On Thanksgiving and Christmas, Chris and Cass would lay out a massive spread for employees, customers, and residents. Turkeys, hams, and all the fixings would be free to anyone who wanted to partake. The restaurant was known for its generous spirit — and for its scampi wings, which became somewhat of a local legend. But Chris died after a brief illness in December 2021 and Cass, who’d had a rough year herself, having suffered a spinal injury in late 2020, couldn’t face doing it all on her own. She closed Scully’s, though she did leave the door open to return in a consulting role if a new owner comes forward to carry on the Scully’s name.

The Little River might not be the first waterway that comes to mind when you think about Miami, but did you know it’s teeming with wildlife, from manatees to herons to cranes and iguanas? And that the nature show is accessible? Take a front-row seat at the inventive pan-Latin Tigre during happy hour, brunch, or dinner while you nosh on dishes like poached red prawn tiradito with compressed Asian pear, aji amarillo-lime vinaigrette, and trout roe; crispy skinned local red snapper with carrot-ginger bisque, grilled endive, and green mango herb slaw; and lightly smoked, sous-vided and grilled whole 36-hour short rib with demi-glace and “kim-chimi.” The only thing that could possibly interfere with this picturesque dining experience is the rainy season, which is why Tigre offers indoor seating. (With a view, natch.)

Celebrate Taco Tuesday or any day of the week at Uptown 66. At the outset of the pandemic, chef Nuno Grullon and business partner Akira Van Egmond opened a tiny taco ventanita in a former coffee stand in Miami’s Upper Eastside neighborhood, and they’ve flourished there ever since. Grullon and his crew don’t get bogged down with a multi-page menu, nor does Uptown 66 sport a salsa bar. What it does do: serve up delicious tacos that are made with care. They’re sold individually (with the exception of birria, which are sold in pairs) so you can — and should — order an assortment: the barbacoa (a blend of oxtail, beef cheek, and short rib), suckling pig carnitas, pollo asado, and earthy hongos (mushrooms, a vegetarian menu entry that comes with a garnish of chopped pear, of all things). Start with and order of fresh-fried chips and guac and nab a side of esquites (corn with crema) and a craft beer, and take your tacos out back to the newly minted Uptown Yard, an oasis of seats under a magical tree lit with purple lights.

Doggi’s is your basic hot-dog-cart-to-arepa-powerhouse success story. Launched in 2010 as Doggi’s & More, the since-rebranded Doggi’s Arepa Bar expanded its Venezuelan menu in 2011 with the opening of its first brick-and-mortar location at Coral Way’s eastern terminus. Today it stands as ground zero for arepa consumption, with outposts on Biscayne Boulevard in MiMo as well as in Wynwood (food truck) and Hallandale Beach. Go-tos include the “Santa Bárbara” (marinated churrasco, avocado, tomato, and white shredded cheese) and the “Pulpo” (octopus with vinaigrette and red pepper). And there’s more here than arepas, including a cheesy-beyond-belief cachapa — a traditional, semisweet corn pancake folded over queso de mano and topped with cream and shredded cheese — that’s a (very filling) must-try. There’s claiming to serve the “best” arepas in Miami, and there’s Doggi’s, which has established itself as the one to beat.

After more than four decades and 20 million croquetas sold, Sergio’s homespun success story boils down to two substantial bites of crisp perfection: the mighty croqueta. Each croqueta is fried with precision: the breading on the outside crisp but not too crisp, the minced ham and bechamel within so silky it makes you swoon. This is a croqueta so exceptional that Emilio Estefan produced a 16-minute film in its honor (see: croquetanation.com). All the croquetas are assembled at a central location, then frozen and delivered to Sergio’s 14 South Florida outposts. They’re offered in five varieties: ham, chicken, chorizo, spinach, and bacalao (cod). But don’t expect to find duck confit, mushroom risotto, or dessert croquetas here. Truth be told, at Sergio’s, the story really begins and ends with ham. No bells, no whistles. Only the humble croqueta, just as God intended, beloved by Miamians for 40-plus years. One croqueta will lighten your wallet by a buck and a quarter (crackers and lime included, of course).

Does the perfect burger exist? La Birra Bar certainly comes close. Cofounders and family members Daniel, Roxana, and Renzo Cocchia will tell you La Birra Bar was conceived as an extension of Daniel’s parents’ rotisserie deli in Buenos Aires. Today, fans of the brand call it “the temple,” a nod to La Birra’s myriad menu options and the family’s admitted obsession with the “perfect burger.” The latter starts with the patty, a proprietary blend that’s hand-chopped from various cuts of beef. Next, the bun: hand-kneaded and baked fresh daily for a light and fluffy texture. And the toppings, everything made from scratch — pickles, crispy onion, sauces, you name it. Keep it simple with the “Clásica,” a six-ounce patty topped with Emmental cheese, lettuce, and the house tomato-based secret sauce. Go savory with the “Umami,” topped with aioli, spicy ketchup, confit tomatoes, and Milanese mozzarella. Or test your endurance with the massive “Burger 532,” alternating layers of beef, cheddar, and bacon stacked five patties high that arrives like a teetering Jenga tower of meat and cheese.

Finding good barbecue in Miami just got easier thanks to Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse chef/owner Sruli “Izzy” Eidelman. The Brooklyn-born pit boss recently opened his third location — and the first in Florida — in Aventura. In 2015, Eidelman opened a kosher barbecue restaurant in New York City, offering high-quality, slow-cooked meats (sans pork) to the city’s flesh-loving masses. Described as Texas-style with a Brooklyn-Jewish twist, the menu is 100 percent kosher. It matters not whether you keep kosher. Any carnivore will appreciate Eidelman’s star menu item: an 18-hour smoked brisket seasoned with salt, pepper, and a touch of paprika. The newly renovated space serves top-quality meats smoked on the premises in an all-wood smoker and finished on a live-fire wood-oven pit, with the finished product sold by the half-pound or as part of rice-based bowls, tacos, atop nachos, or part of super-sized sandwiches. You won’t miss the pork, what with all the brisket, beef ribs, turkey, and chicken — including specialties like the house “dino” beef short ribs, a two-week brined pastrami, smoked lamb ribs, and the popular fried smoked chicken sandwich, finished with house hot sauce and a zippy horseradish mayo.

Designed as a sister establishment to Huso in Manhattan, Marky’s Caviar Lounge at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers the same elegant attractions as its Madison Avenue sibling — fine wine, handcrafted cocktails, and a highly curated menu. The magic of this menu is all thanks to Buddha Lo, an Eleven Madison Park and Gordon Ramsay London alum who applies contemporary techniques to execute opulent dishes, each punctuated with Marky’s own line of locally sourced caviar. Filed under “signature dishes” is Lo’s upmarket take on a plebeian meal: the “Huso Dog.” It reigns supreme as the area’s most gussied-up hot dog — a plump king crab leg topped with chunks of ripe avocado, pickled mustard seed, and a heaping portion of caviar. The roe lends a buttery-rich flavor that pairs perfectly with the seafood, which arrives nestled in a toasted, Kewpie mayo-slathered brioche bun.

Greg Tetzner and his girlfriend, Jackie Richie, started Old Greg’s as a pandemic pop-up and have now opened a brick-and-mortar shop. In the world of pizza, loyalty may fall to the classic New York slice, the doughy Neapolitan, the oil-slicked Detroit — even the Chicago deep dish or its alter ego, thin-and-crispy “pub” pizza. No matter the predilection, Miamians flock to Old Greg’s for a taste of Tetzner’s famous sourdough pies and slices that sport a crust nearly an inch thick yet is notably light, boasting a well-toasted bottom. While it’s never a bad idea to order the plain pie, don’t overlook the “O.G. Roni.” One bite and you can truly appreciate the bright tang of the house tomato sauce, the even smothering of melted mozzarella, the fragrance of whole-leaf basil, the sweet heat of the hot honey drizzle, and, most crucial, a ton of pepperoni. And not just a random sprinkling, but rather a blanket of the cured meat, each slice baked into crisp-edged cups, pools of meat fat glistening at their centers. The list of side dishes includes breadsticks with garlic-hollandaise dipping sauce, meatballs, and massive breaded chicken wings. Those, and desserts like the olive oil-based lemon poppyseed tres leches kicked up with Sicilian pistachio, fennel pollen, and stracciatella-rich cream, make this far more than your run-of-the-mill pizza pit stop.

You cannot get a better burrata panini with roasted peppers and pesto — anywhere. Or Italian panini, made with mozzarella, mortadella, ham, salami, tomato and pesto. Or the signature Brunito’s panini, with stracciatella, bresaola, tomato and olive pâté, and Mimmo’s panini, with mozzarella, prosciutto, tomato and olive pâté. Why? Because all those cheeses are made right here, on the premises of Mimmo’s Mozzarella Italian Market, daily. “Cheese Factory” is right there in the name. Fair warning: These crunchy panini with their creamy and fragrant homemade insides are addictive. So whether you order to eat there, order to go, or order for delivery, you’re going to want another one the next day. Our advice: While you’re ordering, stock up on cheese, too, to ward off cravings until next time.

Sandwiches are up for debate. OGs who know how to make a great sandwich need only three ingredients: high-quality meat, fresh bread, and a slathering of spicy mustard. The corned beef and pastrami sandwiches at Kush Hialeah (formerly Stephen’s Deli and after that, Kush by Stephen’s) are the real deal. The pastrami is boiled for three and a half hours, the corned beef for five hours. To prepare enough meat daily, owner Matt Kuscher’s kitchen team starts working the night before. If you visit during the week, the king of pastrami, Henderson “Junior” Biggers, will carve your meat personally before placing it onto two slices of chewy Jewish rye, just as he has done since 1957. Other sandwiches are available, including a tuna melt and a spicy chicken, and burgers (yes, a burger is a sandwich), but with us it always seems to be a tossup between the pastrami and the corned beef.

The cubano is one of the city’s most iconic contributions to the national food scene. While there are literally dozens of renditions, riffs, and upmarket ways Miamians have devised to dress up what amounts to a gussied-up ham and cheese sammie, nothing beats the traditional take at Karla Cuban Bakery, a three-generations-strong institution whose OG location still stands on West Flagler Street. The tender roasted pork and housemade pickles can leave a lasting impression, but what truly makes one Cuban sandwich stand out from another is the bread, and Karla’s uses a recipe straight from the motherland, baked in-house daily. It’s equal parts light, airy, toasty, and flaky, with the perfect ratio of chew to crunch, yet it’s strong enough to handle the requisite layers of meats, cheese, pickles, and mustard. Served toasty and warm, wrapped in the required white paper, this is the consummate rendition of Miami’s finest sandwich.

An outer shell toasted to perfection that encapsulates the ideal combination of flavors within: slices of ham, mojo roasted pork, Gouda cheese, pickles, and a mustard mayo. Six simple ingredients (counting the bread), but any Miamian knows what they signify: a Cuban sandwich. No need to wait at a bakery or sit down at a café; Pollo Tropical whips up these delicious bad boys and hands them to you out of the drive-thru window. One bite of this unimpeachably prepared sandwich as soon as you pull into a parking space (we’re not judging), you might find your shoulders shaking and your hips moving to an Afro-Cuban beat in your head. It’s that good. And only eight bucks!

Off Site, a modest-size collaboration between Adam Darnell of Boxelder and Steve Santana of Taquiza, isn’t fancy, but it’s golden — as in the hue of the perfectly fried chicken thighs wedged between two slices of bread. The sandwich itself has really no frills — it’s just…perfect. Santana starts with plump Bell & Evans poultry that he breads and fries to that gorgeous, glowing shade. then he tops it with lettuce, garlic mayo, and housemade pickles. That’s it. Bite into that baby with caution, though; the chicken is still so hot from the fryer that it actually steams. Cool yourself down with a glass of Off Site’s Super Good lager, the sandwich’s best friend.

Chicken wings have become such a staple of American snacking that it’s practically a travesty to watch a game or drink a beer without them. Although you can find wings almost everywhere, they are not created equal. Cluckin’ Right Chicken’s Mathieu Saint-Louis brines his wings, then dredges them in flour and spices and fries them to order. The result is a juicy, meaty wing that requires no slathering or masking, to the point where Saint-Louis prefers them with no sauce — the better to show off their inherent flavors. That’s not to say he doesn’t offer sauces (on the side!), including buffalo, barbecue, honey mustard, and a sweet and spicy “Frankenstein” version. Taste them for yourself Thursday through Sunday at Wynwood Brewing Co. — where you can avail yourself of freshly brewed local beer to pair with them.

Want to eat like the Boss, Rick Ross? Eat at Chick’N Jones. Amaris Jones has served as personal chef for Ross and a host of other celebrities. Her fried chicken was a draw at her Motown-inspired restaurant South Street in the Design District. It closed in 2013, but Jones vowed to return. It took a while, but she made good on her promise in the summer of 2021 when she opened Chick’N Jones at Time Out Market in Miami Beach. Here, Jones brines her poultry for 24 hours with mustard and herbs, then fries it to a golden brown. Feeling spicy? Opt for the hot honey chicken, a Nashville-inspired classic that tingles the tongue. Pair your pick with a kale salad for a healthy balance or go all out by ordering a side of loaded fries. (Seriously, you’re not here to count calories, are you?)

Mac ‘n’ cheese may be the world’s most perfect food: it’s cheesy, full of carbs, and offers the kind of pleasure only your love partner can offer. Batch Gastropub’s “Mac Attack” stands out like a perfect match on your Tinder app. “Gnocchi mac” is tossed with aged Gruyère, which coats the pasta like Spandex on a butt-lift recipient. For a final kick, the dish is sprinkled with Doritos dust. You can customize your Attack with any number of add-ons, including grilled chicken, pulled pork, steak, shrimp, herb fries, pecan-whiskey candied bacon, an egg, and/or truffle oil (the list of options is both exhaustingly long and exceedingly hedonistic). In fact, there are so many options, you’d wonder if Willy Wonka switched career paths. (In addition to the Miami restaurant, Batch wields its “Mac Attack” at its Delray Beach gastropub and at its two Batch Southern Kitchen & Tap locations, in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.)

Choices, choices. That’s what we have at this poke restaurant tucked into the Citadel food hall in Little River, and it makes all the difference. Can’t decide whether you want to start your bowl with rice or greens? They’ll let you do both. Want to add salmon or tuna? They’ll let you do both. Want to add all the veg or none? Sauces and/or seasonings? It’s totally up to you. Everything is fresh and cool as air-conditioning in South Florida. (With the exception of that avocado half, which is always so perfectly ripe and soft you’ll be tempted to rest your head on it instead of your chopsticks.)

Ceviche belongs in the same category as tacos and sushi: foods that our city excels at. But they’re not all great. At Ceviches by Divino, brothers Christian and Frank Encalada create addictive variations that combine hot and cold with dazzlingly fresh flavors. A short menu offers several authentic renditions: fat cubes of corvina marinated in fresh-squeezed lime juice and seasoned with Peruvian limo chili, fresh cilantro, and onion and served with slabs of sweet potato and choclo (Peruvian giant corn). Try the trio de ceviches — smaller portions of the tracidional, an ají amarillo-spiked take, and the “Divino,” with tips toward tropical with a mango-and-avocado-kissed leche de tigre.

When the pandemic hit, Miami native Jeffrey Budnechky’s work as a freelance marketer came to a halt. A self-described backyard barbecue enthusiast, he took his ten years’ worth of grilling experience and said, “F the apocalypse, let’s just make barbecue.” What began as a handful of orders and a 22-inch Weber Smokey Mountain has since turned into one of Miami’s favorite pop-ups, serving a variety of meats that now emerge from the chef’s professional smoker. Along the way — with a feature at the 2021 South Beach Wine and Food Festival under his belt — a promise was made to help define South Florida barbecue. To do so, Budnechky marries the flavors of his Brazilian-Argentinian roots with his wife Lara’s Cuban heritage. That means pulled pork smothered in a colada-infused barbecue sauce dubbed “oro negro”; massive dino beef ribs dusted in a homemade coffee rub and finished with a lacquering of the chef’s own Bustelo-infused cafecito sauce; and a four-hour, slow-smoked pork-belly burnt ends braised and glazed in his “Guava Lava.” Sides are Lara’s and her mother’s specialty: a simple choice of homemade mac ‘n’ cheese or cornbread. Find them every Sunday from 2 p.m. till sold out at Unseen Creatures in Miami.

Eduardo Lara started the Wolf of Tacos much the same way kids sell lemonade: He set up a stand in front of his house. A couple of years later, his tacos are the toast of the town at pop-ups around Miami, including Tuesdays at J. Wakefield Brewing Co. and Fridays at Dante’s HiFi (both in Wynwood). The key to Lara’s success is that he lets his ingredients speak for themselves. And boy, do they sing. Beef, pork, chicken, and oyster mushrooms are grilled, placed on fresh tortillas, and finished with homemade salsas. The result is the most satisfying of meals, deceptively simple until you pause to savor how the smoky, rich meat, wrapped in the freshest of tortillas, is foiled by tangy salsa. A masterpiece that fits in your fist, priced well under ten bucks.

Most hotels have a restaurant, but only the SLS South Beach has one by a world-class chef. José Andrés is one of the most well-respected names in the culinary world, and for good reason. His dishes are as precise as they are whimsical. At the Bazaar, he takes ordinary-sounding concepts like lox and bagels or conch fritters and artfully turns them on their heads. Meals here are thought-provoking and adventurous. The dining rooms, indoor and out-, manage to be simultaneously convivial and electric, as if a theater performance could break out at any moment. Just don’t expect giant sparklers on your birthday.

Most museum restaurants are located within the actual confines of their walls. Not this one, which embraces the great outdoors where the Rubell Museum maintains a lush tropical garden, as well as a Josper grill where much of its stunning Basque cuisine is cooked. But regardless of where it’s positioned, Leku draws inspiration from the museum. Quite directly, in fact, including a cocktail, the “Allison,” named for Allison Zuckerman’s painting Eternal Recurrence, which hangs over the bar. The drink, made with brandy, Asturian ice-cider, amontillado, uchuva (gooseberry), and demerara sugar and topped with a floating disk of edible rice paper imprinted with a section of the artwork, is representative of the way executive chef Mikel Goikolea and the team at Leku present all of their offerings: with creativity, skill, and no small amount of art. Order à la carte or choose the 11-course tasting menu, which can be accompanied by optional wine pairings.

A glass (or bottle) of wine with dinner is a surefire way to elevate your meal. At Luca Osteria, chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s Italian culinary paradise in the heart of Coral Gables, the wine list isn’t a 20-pound doorstop, but it presents a fine selection of Italian wines. There are wines from other parts of the world, too — from California and Oregon, from France and Argentina, even one bottle from the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. As for us, we’ll stick with the Italian offerings — say, a pet-nat from Emilia-Romagna with our patate fritte. We’ll definitely pair the light and refreshing vermentino with our pasta al limone before treating our palate to a smooth, easy-drinking rosso di Montalcino as we slice into a plate of double lamb chops with their accompanying anchovy- and garlic-rich bagna càuda. But hey, you do you. And if you’re on the fence or feel overmatched, don’t hesitate to ask the staff for a recommendation (or request guidance from the chef himself). The restaurant’s tagline is “Good Pasta, Good People,” but they might consider completing the trifecta by adding “Good Wine.”

Fifteen years ago, dining in Southwest Miami-Dade consisted of evenings at chain restaurants. Chef Adrianne Calvo saw the need for a high-quality establishment and set up shop in a suburban shopping center. The Johnson & Wales graduate quickly made a reputation for herself by offering fine-dining plates like New Zealand lamb, Black Angus reserve steaks, and fresh burrata. The restaurant became popular with local diners who no longer needed to drive for miles to access fine dining. Today Calvo owns several restaurants, including the revamped Redfish by Adrianne at Matheson Hammock Park, but Chef Adrianne’s remains her flagship.

Sadelle’s started in New York City as Major Food Group’s (the folks behind Carbone) version of a brunch palace. Here in Miami, it quickly became the buzziest place in town to get a bagel. This Coconut Grove stunner is a fever dream of breakfast and lunch classics that take you back to your gluttonous childhood, from pigs-in-a-blanket to tuna melts (try one on a salt-and-pepper bagel), triple-decker sandwiches, and salads so huge you’ll wonder whether you’ve started a lettuce shortage by ordering one. For pure nostalgia, the restaurant offers New York breakfast favorites like smoked salmon, whitefish, sable, or salmon salad platters served with tomatoes, capers, and a bagel of your choice. Going with friends? Splurge on the “Sadelle’s Tower,” an assortment of bagels, fish spreads, and veggies on an Instagrammable tower.

Even as too many schmancy restaurants keep popping up in Brickell, Stanzione 87 manages to continue to deliver on its promise of a top-quality meal, in this case, pizza. The wood-fired Neapolitan-style pies arrive with their crusts perfectly blistered, their centers impossibly molten. Opt for classic Margherita if youre a purist, or top it with sausage and peppers for a flavor bomb. Those who are feeling more adventurous might opt for the decadent truffle white pizza. (More of a subs and wings type? Stanzione’s fine if you skip the pizza altogether. But whatever you do, leave room for the Nutella calzone.

When All Day closed amid the pandemic, Miami lost one of its great coffee shops and restaurants. Then, as if by magic, partners Chris MacLeod and Camilla Ramos reopened the downtown Miami jewel this past March. From 8 a.m. till 3 p.m. each and every day, the restaurant serves eggs, pastries, drinks, mimosas, and more. At least as important, though, is the fact that All Day, like all great coffee shops, serves as a gathering place (and in some cases an office) for remote workers looking to escape their bedrooms. The little café also pledges to give workers fair wages, to source its food responsibly, and to give back to the neighborhood where it resides through donations and events — and providing a safe, welcoming space to linger with a fine cup of coffee.

Hip and modern, Kyu offers a diverse menu of shareable plates, wines, and cocktails that are perfect for a night out or celebratory dinner. The Asian-fusion presentations are simple yet elegant and delicious, and the generous portions check the always crucial value box. A number of dishes on the menu are creations you likely won’t see anywhere else, like hamachi crispy rice, charred summer corn, and a wood-fired Thai fried rice stone pot. Speaking of wood-fired, for every tree burned to fuel Kyu’s grill, they replant five.

Fifteen years ago, when Michael Schwartz opened a bistro in the Design District, the neighborhood was still a leap of faith for the chef. There were no Dior and Gucci stores, no public art on the streets, no pop-up installations. Schwartz earned a reputation for creating dishes with well-sourced ingredients. He termed his food “genuine” for the way he treated it: without any tricks — only respect. That philosophy earned the chef a James Beard Award for Best Chef: South in 2010. Now, more than a decade later, Michael’s has a fresh, new look to match its uber-chic neighbors. And while the neighborhood surrounding the restaurant has turned decidedly exclusive, Michael’s continues to welcome everyone. So, whether you’re dripping in a diamond Rolex or sporting a Fitbit, stop in for a genuinely superb meal.

Yaron Yemini opened Naomi’s Place in honor of his mother, but the Israeli restaurant has become a community place of belonging and love. Three decades ago when Yemini and his wife, Shula, opened Naomi’s Garden on a shoestring, the restaurant was little more than a shack with a tiny kitchen, but the Yeminis set about making it their own. They started out serving Israeli food, but the menu turned to Haitian and Creole cuisine when the local ladies they hired commenced cooking the food they grew up with. Today Naomi’s Garden serves some of the best Haitian food in Miami in an idyllic garden setting. The format is simple: You choose a meat or main vegetable dish (oxtail, fried chicken, fried snapper, goat stew, and spinach stew are some of the options), then add sides (rice and peas, fried plantains, steamed vegetables, and macaroni, to name but a few). Finally, you can up the heat level with house-made pickles or condiments. Then, choose a seat in the lush garden and enjoy. It’s one of Miami’s best bargains, set in one of the most charming settings.

Sure, we know. Miami is home to a zillion sushi restaurants. What makes this Brazilian-based one any better than the rest? And better than all of the other restaurants in Miami Beach? It’s not merely executive chef Edwin Delgado’s Asian fusion dishes and the craft of his sushi chefs — although there is that. It’s not merely the intriguing cocktail list constructed by Brazilian mixologist Márcio Silva. (Though there’s that, too.) It’s not merely the stunning interior design, a spiraling wood effect created by Brazilian architect Arthur Casas, although there is that, too. It’s not even the impressive Michelin star awarded to its original location in São Paulo, Brazil. It’s all of those things together that make this place, whose name translates to “number one,” our choice.

When most of us think of malls, we think of grabbing an Auntie Anne’s to stave off hunger pangs before shoe shopping. But Aventura Mall is home to a plethora of delicious, locally based restaurants. One of the most delightful of those is Motek Café, where you can enjoy brunch all day. The menu is so tempting that it’s hard to choose — creamy hummus, kebabs, an Israeli salad, avocado toast — but the “don’t miss” is Motek’s shakshuka, a tangy dish of baked eggs, tomatoes, and peppers served in its skillet with an oversize Jerusalem bagel. Fuel up on hibiscus tea or a mimosa and you’ll leave all fueled up for your shopping. (Note: Motek operates a location in downtown Miami and a third is on the way in Miami Beach.)

Sasa Café Italiano is less a restaurant and more an invitation to a home-cooked dinner. Salvatore “Sasá” Savarese and his wife Loiris opened the café, which occupies a little house just off downtown Hollywood’s main dining and shopping strip, in 2016. This little gem serves a modest menu of Italian dishes based on Sasa’s own recipes from his birthplace of Meta di Sorrento on the Gulf of Naples. All the pasta dishes are molto bene: a rich fettuccine with a meaty ragú, gnocchi with butter and sage, and lobster ravioli with pomodoro. For dessert, order an espresso and a slice of “Sasa” cake (chocolate cake with orange and amaretto) while you soak in the rustic old-country surroundings, including tin toys, Sasa’s own artwork, and oldies spinning on the restaurant’s jukebox.

When eyeing spots for a new location, Laurent Tourondel — best known for BLT Steak and BLT Fish in NYC — was intent on dishing out a feast for the eyes. So when Dune became available, elevated atop actual dunes just steps from the Atlantic, boasting one of South Florida’s best panoramic waterfront views, it felt as though fate had found him. Today, Tourondel’s signature international influences at Dune are reminiscent of his LT Steak & Seafood and the Alley (both at the Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach), where Asian and Mediterranean-inspired seafood dishes pair well with Italian favorites. Take the grilled Spanish octopus, impeccably seared and curled atop a bed of chickpea and chorizo. Or the flatbread sauced with a key lime ponzu alongside slivers of ahi tuna, avocado, and purple shiso. And a seafood ravioli, mascarpone-filled pockets rife with tender shrimp and scallop. If the views fade with the nighttime horizon, soak up the sun over the newly launched brunch. Dishes take a tropical — if hedonistic — turn from the caviar and blue crab served over an open-face croissant with a spicy citrus mousse to the rich and decadent buttermilk-coconut pancakes topped with flambéed banana and a creamy pina colada sauce.

There is certainly a time and place for an on-the-fly Colombian empanada with spicy ají. Then there is experiencing the South American nation’s cuisine elevated to the max with an experiential menu that changes every season. No one is elevating Colombian food in Miami (or anywhere, for that matter) to greater heights than chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, AKA Juanma, a veritable molecular gastronaut. After opening Elcielo hotspots in Medellín and Bogotá, Barrientos brought the restaurant to Brickell in 2015. An Elcielo has since opened in Washington, D.C., earning Juanma a Michelin star — the first-ever for a Colombian restaurant — in 2021. Take one step inside Elcielo’s space in Miami and you’ll begin to understant the praise. To make the most of an Elcielo experience, book “The Experience” and arrive hungry: It’s a 21-course affair, with sensory moments throughout. If you’re aiming for a little more moderation, opt for “The Journey,” a more modest, 13-course affair. In this context, of course, modest is a relative term; on a given night, you might wash your hands in chocolate or inhale an osmotized watermelon.

From its humble beginnings as a food truck boasting “the original Cuban taco” to its more elaborate brick-and-mortar present day, chef/owner Monica Leon’s Caja Caliente has been a celebration of Cuban heritage with a contemporary twist. The restaurant’s pink-and-aqua décor radiates an island feel that complements the zesty, fresh flavors of the menu. It’s casual, unpretentious dining, but this fare demands a three-course meal (at the very least). To start, try the croquetas — the classic ham, or perhaps a spicy goat cheese version. Empanadas come bite-size, so make sure everyone at the table orders a different filling and share. You can move on to Leon’s Cuban takes on burritos and tacos, though we find it hard to resist her pan con lechón (add avocado and a fried egg!) and her ropa vieja. End your meal with something sweet, like a traditional flan de leche or empanadas de guayaba y queso — a playful take on pastelitos. Leon has created a special space informed by past generations and reimagined for modern palates. It’s fusion. It’s Miami. It’s delicious.

When the spice is right, expand. Proprietor Christian Dominique’s Manjay began as a stall in fhe Citadel food hall in Miami’s up-and-coming Little River neighborhood. As of January 2022, it’s also a brick-and-mortar fast-casual eatery in Wynwood, where you can enjoy the same delicious pan-Caribbean fare in open-air seating. Whether you go for the jerk chicken, the Caribbean conch fritters, the “Mofongo My Way,” the vegan roti, or a rice bowl with banan payzay and pikliz, you’re sure to be treated to bite after bite of zesty flavor. With its roots in Haiti and its influences ranging from Jamaica to Cuba, Manjay is an all-around mouth-pleaser.

The food community makes a lot of noise about heritage and honoring lost Indigenous pathways. But Los Félix actually does something about it. Dedicated to the Mexican-born Milpa agriculture — a system in which heirloom corn is interplanted with other crops, such as squash and beans, in order to share resources — Los Félix uses those ingredients to construct recipes. That’s why the housemade totopos (tortilla chips), made with nixtamalized corn masa, are so damn good (especially when served with guacamole spiked with serranos). Everything on the menu reads as an authentic homage to Mesoamerica; that includes the biodynamic natural wines, cocktail ingredients, and craft beers sourced from small family farms, artisanal producers, and breweries. Salud!

Not strictly Peruvian, you say? Stipulated. We appreciate a good classic Peruvian place as much as the next paper does. But there’s plenty of room in our ink-stained heart for a renegade of culinary culture like native Italian chef Matteo Gritti, who calls his kitchen “experimental” and “borderless” with “traditional Andean elements.” That translates into dishes like ceviche with green gazpacho “de tigre” and pickles; rainbow trout with Andean succotash, creamy cauliflower and cilantro gremolata; and charred prime rib-eye steak with crushed Parmesan potato and dry chimichurri Peruvian asparagus. It’s way cool. (Say it fast, you’ll get it.)

We howl with happiness at this stunning, stylish Design District restaurant, whose restaurant name means “great wolf” and whose lounge name means “moon.” The artfully designed Japanese-Peruvian dishes are best consumed in the open-air dining room with double-story ceilings or on the hidden outdoor terrace, located next to Prada and across from Chanel. It’s like eating fashion while being surrounded by it. Just don’t wear your tightest designer jeans, because — fair warning — while the fare seems light, you won’t be able to resist finishing everything on your plate and then ordering more.

Where will you watch the World Cup this year? If you’re a Brazil fan, or if you’re of a mind to sip some really good caipirinhas and graze on feijoada buffet-style while you watch the weekend matches, you’ll be at Boteco Miami with us. Of course, fútbol is only part of what makes Boteco such a dandy place to chill. We’ve been coming here for more than a decade for the beef milanesa topped with fried eggs, the moqueca made with mahi-mahi and shrimp, the linquiça slider, the endless orders of pão de queijo — and samba, among other pleasures.

In a city filled with sumptuous Italian restaurants run by talented Italian chefs and singular Italian restaurateurs, it seems almost unfair to single out just one. That is, it would seem unfair if you haven’t dined on Forte dei Marmi’s pata negra with green tomatoes bruschettone, followed by its sepia tagliatelle with caviar and agrume gel, then its magnificent Fiorentina-style 48-ounce T-bone to share. The fare ranges from wildly creative to traditional, all of it prepared with out-of-this-world execution. In accordance with the slow-food movement, chef Fabrizio Piga and owner Andrea Reitano rely on craft, simplicity, and high-quality organic ingredients to bind it all together, and in a jewel-box of a garden designed by Oppenheim and Milan-based Henry Timi, they 100 percent succeed.

It’s only right that this historic location offers award-winning Spanish fare. After all, the National Hotel is an exemplar of Miami Beach; its food should be as well. And it is, from tapas like the endive and boquerones with toasted breadcrumbs, manchego, and orange sherry vinaigrette to the appetizer of Spanish octopus with potato cream, smoked paprika, and arbequina olive oil to the rice dishes to share. Among those last, we suggest the black paella with seared scallops, shrimp, and aioli. Of course, there’s much more on Mareva 1939’s extensive dinner menu, and a superior Sunday brunch — with high-quality entertainment and bottomless cocktails to boost it even higher — to explore. But we’ll leave that for you to discover for yourself the next time you feel like experiencing an adventure in South Beach.

Le Bouchon Du Grove has been a hidden gem in the Cocowalk area since 1994. In an ever-changing city, this establishment has remained dedicated to challenging the misconceptions of French cuisine. Unfussy and devoid of attitude, this quaint bistro, inspired by the city of Lyon, serves food that’s hearty, authentic, and deeply flavorful. At once rustic and refined, the menu captures the flavors of France, whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Mornings bring takes on French omelets and raspberry pancakes, evenings feature traditional starters like escargot and French onion soup and entrées like the exquisite moules mainières pommes frites. For dessert any time of the day, try crème brûlée or chocolate mousse.

Few moments in life are more fulfilling than ending a day at the beach with a falafel sandwich from Safron Grill. The low-key restaurant with sidewalk seating on Washington Avenue and a scattering of tables inside offers a sizable and affordable menu of Mediterranean fare, from lentil soup to gyros to Greek salads and baklava. Its claim to fame, however, lies in the perfection of the deep-fried balls of mashed, spiced chickpeas known as falafel. Whether served with rice, salad, and pita in a $17 platter, stuffed into a pita sandwich for $11, or folded into a monster-size wrap for $13, Safron’s savory rendition of this Middle Eastern staple will satisfy at least two of your five senses. (Pro tip: Request some of Safron’s house-made tabbouleh on your sandwich — there’s no extra charge.)

Some people say there’s no good, reasonably priced Indian food in Miami. Those people haven’t dined at Ashoka, a family-owned local treasure tucked inside Flagler Park Plaza in West Miami-Dade. Sliding doors open to a spacious dining room, complete with ornate trim along the walls, and the scents of spices wafting in the air. A daily lunch buffet offers a variety of dishes, from simmering curries to glistening grilled meats cooked in a tandoori oven. When you’re seated, you’ll find a basket of fresh naan bread at the center of the table looking as if it’s been waiting for you its whole life. In addition to the buffet, a comprehensive menu is available at both lunch and dinner, featuring “Chef Specials,” Indo-Chinese fusion dishes, and ample selections of vegetarian and vegan plates.

Head to Calle Ocho for great…Thai food? Yep, it’s a thing, thanks to chef Bas Trisransi and what started as his passion project in 2015: Lung Yai Thai Tapas. Inspired by his Bangkok roots and the memory of his grandfather, the dishes here are as savory as they are beautiful. The space is cozy — there’s a wraparound wooden bar where you can watch the Thai staples (pad thai, pad see ew, curries galore) get spiced to the max. Standouts on the menu — and in Miami, for that matter — include khao soi (egg noodles in a golden curry topped with crispy noodles, onion, and your protein of choice) and nam prik ong (ground pork in a house curry with crunchy pork rinds). If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting Thailand, you can experience a culinary journey at Lung Yai without leaving Miami.

A good bánh mì isn’t hard to find. By nature, the Vietnamese specialty sandwich is hard to mess up. It’s the details that set a great bánh mì sandwich apart from lesser versions. Baguettes that are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, crisp pickled veggies, and fresh proteins are the what you need to perfect. Bánh Mì 2020 in Sunrise nails all these things and then some, improving upon the greatness that is the location’s sister restaurant, Huong’s Bistro, located seven miles to the west in Lauderale Lakes.Bánh Mì 2020 offers a half-dozen other Vietnamese sandwiches, including a vegan version, and you’d be hard-pressed to find better in all of South Florida.

At Duck ‘N Sum in Coconut Grove, Cantonese-inspired dishes reach a new level of satisfaction. Don’t let the name fool you — there’s no dim sum here, just really good Asian fusion. That’s especially true of chef/owner Raymond Kasprzak’s sublime interpretation of duck fried rice. The rice is light and fluffy, whisked in a hot wok with just a hint of sesame oil before it’s topped with still-crisp vegetables, a Chinese tea egg, and a heaping pile of fragrant roast duck. Kasprzak loves duck, as evidencedby the 48-hour process it takes to roast two styles — Cantonese (marinated with star anise, Szechuan pepper, and licorice root) and Peking (tender, juicy meat beneath crisp, crackly skin). Both create the base for most of his dishes, which range from riffs on bao buns and spring rolls to noodles and sides made with spicy veggies.

The family behind Su-Shin Izakaya has been treating Miami’s sushi-loving masses to an authentic izakaya experience for decades. When the restaurant opened in the late 1970s, the utilitarian space was one of the few spots to offer Japanese cuisine — a time when the notion of eating raw fish was still considered an exotic indulgence. Over the years, Su-Shin became known for its unique specialties and gastropub-like ambiance, presenting adventurous diners with Japanese foods they’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, served alongside plenty of beer and sake. Today, that philosophy persists, with a menu that offers a dizzying array of authentic dishes best enjoyed in a tapas-like fashion — and all of it still affordably priced. Ten sections in all, the list covers everything from maguro natto (sliced raw tuna atop fermented soybeans) and tosazu vinegar-marinated fish to the familiar grilled or tempura-fried items, hot pots, noodles, and katsu. If that doesn’t float your boat, a list of daily specials — typically fresh seafood sourced directly from Japan and served as sushi or sashimi — is always filled with surprises.

The Magic City is showing an impressive penchant for sushi, attracting world-renowned chefs and a growing number of elite omakase experiences. In Miami, a standout is Omakai, founded by three friends who lamented the area’s dearth of reasonably priced sushi. To offer a more affordable omakase experience, you have a choice of three multicourse options that begin with seasonal-themed appetizers and sashimi followed by an assortment of sushi and hand rolls. We suggest you go with the “Oma Deluxe” — a ten-course progression that goes down even better when paired with one of the restaurant’s four seasonal sake flights. A vestige of those pandemic days, there’s even the brand’s own “Home-akase” offering, a specialty to-go menu box that brings the Omakai chef-curated experience to you.

Walking into Tony and Jenny Chan’s restaurant, Chang’s Chinese, feels like you’re being transported to a hole-in-the-wall Cantonese eatery in Hong Kong. Instantly, you’re met with a sea of fresh fish to choose from, hand-drawn menus of daily selections on the wall, and the unforgettable sound of ingredients being tossed in a wok. Everything is made for the purpose of encapsulating the smokiness of the “wok hei” flavor profile, a key element in traditional Cantonese dishes. Menu highlights include salt-and-pepper tofu, stewed eggplant with minced pork, steamed fish, and beef hor fun. One meal at Chang’s will change your perceptions of Chinese food forever.

For years, Miami chef Peter Vauthy has blessed the Magic City with Red South Beach, his take on the steakhouse experience. Since opening in 2008, the restaurant has become known as the place to go for high-end meat and impeccable service. Eager to offer guests a new and improved location with outdoor dining, Vauthy’s new SoFi space sports an impressive wine wall and a glass-enclosed VIP room. One thing that hasn’t changed: the chef’s signature menu, filled with twists on classic steakhouse dishes. While you can find familiarity with an iceberg wedge salad and steak tartare, it’s Vauthy’s offbeat offerings — like the meat-and seafood-stuffed pasta dishes (think lobster fra diavolo or meatballs atop bucatini and smothered in his signature “Red Lead” sauce) — that truly shine. But the real lure is reserved for the carnivores –– Kansas City strips, cuts of Miyazaki wagyu, a foie gras-stuffed veal chop, hearty racks of lamb. Each can be paired with Florida creamed corn or house-made Parmesan-crusted tater tots. The bar boasts an award-winning wine list and signature handcrafted cocktails for the perfect marriage of food and drink.

Because brunch’s bottomless bubbles

Will wash away all your troubles

Because the Florida fish fry

Is local and caught on the fly

Because you just can’t be sour

During happy oyster hour.

It’s one thing to go to a food hall for stone crabs and a dozen oysters. Any decent raw bar, no matter where it’s located in South Florida, should stock plenty of those. But the Shores Miami goes above and beyond, filling the case in its fish market with delicacies that range from live Japanese softshell crabs to Hokkaido scallops to Florida rock shrimp. There’s always whole local fish fillets ready to be cooked for you as well — or to take home to your own grill. And no joke: Its New England clam chowder rivals anything you can find up north. (The best part is that you don’t have to be cold and miserable to enjoy it.)

Say you’re presented with a whole, turmeric-infused roasted cauliflower head dressed with tahini and cilantro sauce with a large knife sticking out of it. You might suspect then you’re not in for the typical Glatt kosher experience and you’d be correct. Chef Yaniv Cohen, also known as the Spice Detective, opened his first Jaffa in Mia Market, then followed it with a full-scale operation just over the county line in Hallandale. Named after a port district in Tel Aviv, Jaffa offers Cohen’s Israeli-influenced intriguing takes on mezze, stuffed pitas, tagines, kebabs and chops, fish dishes, and more. Vegetable-forward and dairy-free, with items like labneh made from coconut, the fare here is both impressive and inventive, and heralds the Israeli food trend coming our way.

Open since 2015 in Miami’s Little River neighborhood, the Plantisserie remains one of the best-kept secrets in Miami. The Little River vegan deli and market offers delicious organic plant-based fare, from tuna salad to lasagna to shepherd’s pie, all made without meat (and you’ll never miss it). The charming, plant-filled space also offers wine and beer, enhancing this hidden jewel.

Out in West Miami-Dade County lies an oasis where vegetarians, animal lovers, and friends of the Earth gather to reconnect with the planet. Aguacate Sanctuary of Love is a nature retreat meets livestock farm meets juice bar, where, while they wait to dine, visitors can take time to meditate amid the zen gardens a few paces away from the free-range chickens. At the juice bar, clean-living patrons order from a wide variety of blends and smoothies packed with natural ingredients — like fresh avocado, pineapple, carrots, and red beets. If you’re looking for something more chewable, the bar offers vegetarian and vegan entrés like the “Aguacate Burger,” formed out of sprouted lentils, mung and adzuki beans, quinoa, beets, flax, hemp, and chia seeds. Those with a sweet tooth can munch vegan pancakes and berries or Nutella toast with berries or bananas without feeling (too) bad about their diet. The outdoor dining area provides serene seating under a canopy of trees and colorful décor.

This Miami Beach poolside bar at the Freehand Hotel gets most of its acclaim for its cocktail menu, but don’t sleep on its eclectic menu of edible offerings, which feels like a gastronomical trip around the world. Middle Eastern flavors are represented with items like labneh (strained yogurt) served with za’atar and pita, a falafel burger, and shawarma fries. An assortment of Latin selections includes guacamole with tostones or chicharrones, as well as street tacos. Or you can be an all-American and choose the double-patty “Shaker Burger,” topped with bacon, Cheddar, onions, pickle, and special sauce. Worldlier carnivores can explore the kimchi fried chicken sandwich or the “Griot & Pickliz” — crisp pork shoulder with a spicy Haitian slaw — while the meat-averse might indulge in an all-vegan oyster mushroom pita packed with tahini sauce, pickled cabbage, cucumbers, and harissa that oozes out of the bread pocket.

In search of a sophisticated respite from South Beach? Take a chill pill at Water Lion. This intimate wine bar, tucked inside the Sagamore Hotel, feels more like a members-only club without the lame humans. Partners Filip Trajkovic and Abbe Diaz have created an inviting space to enjoy two of life’s greatest pleasures, i.e., sipping wine and slurping. Diaz curates the wine selection, changing things up frequently on a list of naturals, classics, and rarities. Can’t decide? Diaz and her staff will prepare a custom wine flight for you. What’s with the “alchemy” in the title? Well, there’s a bit of magic in the air for sure. Diaz has nicknamed this tiny ten-seater “the marriage bar” for the number of proposals that have transpired there. Regardless of whether you subscribe to this ostensibly sacred institution (marriage, not Water Lion), you can be sure to feel the vibe once you’re inside.

The old adage rings true: “Things in life worth having don’t come easy.” Finding the Cleat takes a little perseverance. You need to get to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne and walk a few meters past the nearest parking lot, at Boater’s Grill. But the trek is worth it. The Cleat is a quaint oceanside bar located at a virtual oasis near the tip of Cape Florida. The views of Biscayne Bay alone are enough to sell the experience, with beach-style lounge chairs and picnic tables in the sand set up to provide you with a relaxing, resort-style setting while you sip your cocktails. Speaking of which, the mojitos here are among the tastiest (and strongest) you’ll find in the Magic City — or anywhere, for that matter.

A dive bar isn’t merely a place to drink in the middle of the day. You should also get a story — and maybe even a bit of history — with your glass. You’ll find all of that and more at Mac’s Club Deuce. The bar opened in 1926, many decades before South Beach became a haven for craft cocktails and frozen blender drinks. Of course, you still can’t get a smoked rosemary old-fashioned or a pink flamingo surprise (or whatever it is they’re pouring these days on Ocean Drive) at Mac’s Club Deuce. The Deuce serves up unadorned drinks in a low-key setting. Two of the bar’s most famous characters, owner Mac Klein and former frequenter Anthony Bourdain, have since gone to the last call in the sky, and South Beach continues to overdevelop, but the Deuce endures.

Opening a bar in the midst of a global pandemic is a risky move — but it’s one that has paid off for Nathan Paul Smith. Part of Smith’s decision to open Nathan’s bar emerged from a desire for community after a period of isolation; the other part stems from Nathan’s delightfully kitschy concept. A veteran of Twist, Miami’s longest-lived gay bar, Smith infused Nathan’s with his love of popular culture, like seating sections devoted to TV programs like Friends, The Brady Bunch, and The Real Housewives of Atlanta. That kind of shared nostalgia and sense of fun creates the perfect party atmosphere. In a nightlife scene fueled by spectacle and grandeur, Nathan’s homey, casual feel is a welcome addition to Miami Beach — and all of South Florida, for that matter. As it nears its second anniversary, Nathan’s Bar is a testament to the uniting power of pop culture, and it’s a home away from home for Miami’s queer community.

If you thought a rooftop experience on a Lincoln Road side street, where you have to take an elevator up, would go unnoticed — well, you’d be wrong. Going on its second year, Mila offers stunning views of South Beach from an outdoor deck that’s popular with the newbie tech crowd and longtime locals alike. Interior designer Olya Volkova’s minimalist Japanese-inspired aesthetic combines “imperfect” materials like natural stones and reclaimed woods with handmade fabrics and ceramics, accented by lush tropical plantings. It’s a lovely and calm space, made lively by the folks who enjoy sipping expertly mixed cocktails en plein air — even when said plein air is our sticky, humid summertime stuff.

The Taurus opened in 1926 as a neighborhood bar serving basic drinks and grub. It closed in the early 2000s, but thank the boozy angels that hover above our Magic City for reviving it in ’09. The 21st-century version of the Taurus is a laid-back bar with a great whiskey selection, 50 or so beer selections, and great eats concocted by Ariete’s Michael Beltran and Taurus chef Justin Flit. The food menu isn’t long, but it’s exactly what you want: pizza, wood-fired wings, and a burger to die for. Don’t sleep on the daily happy hour from 5 till 8 p.m., which offers $8 cocktails in a dog-friendly environment.

South Beach is chock-full of bars, but you’ll rarely catch locals in most of them. Sweet Liberty is one of the few exceptions, and it’s no surprise given its pedigree: Founder John Lermayer was a legendary bartender and a pioneer of the Miami cocktail scene. Along with Miami veteran restaurateur David Martinez and veteran bar owner Dan Binkiewicz, Lermayer opened Sweet Liberty in 2015 to immediate acclaim, offering innovative cocktails and a food menu by James Beard-winning chef Michelle Bernstein that can’t be ignored. Lermayer died suddenly in 2018, and the bar remains a testament to his creativity and positivity. Inside, a giant, pink neon sign reminds us to Pursue Happiness. That has become the motto of the bar and a reminder that, while life is short, enjoying cocktails with friends can last all night.

Every bar requires three things, minimum: booze, enough finger food to soak up said booze, and good music to set the mood. Holding it down in Fort Lauderdale’s Himmarshee Village since 2003, Original Fat Cats has stood the test of time for a reason. Its dark, Americana-littered walls and deep, dim space offer respite for those who seek something other than the suits-and-heels scene on Las Olas. Locals flock here for the eclectic mix of live music that draws a late-night crowd. And behind the bar, a formidable, constantly rotating selection of about two dozen craft beers. The best part just might be the solid menu of eats, available until 3 a.m. — everything from cheesesteak egg rolls to a Cuban sandwich to cheese-topped smash burgers to a grilled PB&J sandwich or a chicken and arugula salad. All of it, made just for you, well into the wee hours of the morning. If that’s not your idea of bar goals, we cannot fathom what is.

A sports bar requires two things: plenty of large-screen TVs and an endless supply of beer. But a great sports bar takes that basic concept and runs with it. That’s what sets Grails apart from your dad’s favorite dive. Yes, there are more than 60 TV screens, allowing you to catch everything from NFL to Premier League matches. But don’t sleep on the menu. On the cocktail front, try the “Grails Juice,” a souvenir squeeze bottle filled with whiskey, fresh ginger, ginger beer, and lime juice. Perhaps “Miami’s Best Piña Colada” — their words, not ours — is more your speed; it’s made from scratch. Counter the alcohol with cheeseburger dumplings, beer-brined wings, and/or poke nachos.

When Tripping Animals Brewing Co. came on the scene in 2018, no one could have guessed the Doral-based brewery — known nationwide for its whimsical animal-themed can art and fanciful fruited sours — would also become the steward of Miami’s growing craft beer community. Over the past few years, the Venezualan-born and -reared team of brewers and owners (Daniel Chocron, Ignacio Montenegro, Iker Elorriaga, and Juan Manuel Torres) have banded together to become a living embodiment of all things South Florida beer. They host annual beer festivals like Irie Jungle that attract guest breweries from across the nation and they’re the official sponsors of Miami’s first official craft beer week, and they’re ground zero for some of South Florida’s best brews. The bustling taproom is typically packed with thirsty patrons ready to throw back a few lagers or sample their latest in a continual experimentation of hazy, hop-infused IPAs, boldly fruited sours, and dessert-themed stouts. It’s easy to spend hours in Tripping Animals’ cozy, lounge-like spaces, or the in-house restaurant from Meat & Bone, or the a large game room in the back of the brewhouse where you can shoot pool or hoops, throw darts, or even play video games.

North Miami’s newest nanobrewery, Época Brewing, isn’t your average beer bar. Instead, think of a visit here as a way to escape to another place and time. The ethos: Take people on a journey to a different era — or epoch — telling stories of the past through the lens of craft beer. While most South Florida breweries have hopped on the local hype train delivering smoothie-inspired fruited ales and dessert-infused stouts, Época cofounders Danny Gutierrez, Jeffrey Delonny, and JC Otero chart a different course. A large bar overlooking the brewhouse presents 12 taps that feature the brewery’s take on small-batch IPAs, lagers, and wild-fermentation ales — among them a signature house beer known as Zenith, a fruited and dry-hopped double IPA treated with strawberry and guava. Sip it in the chic, open-air taproom or the zen-like outdoor beer garden, a cozy, space with intimate lighting that has become the focal point of the Época experience.

Invasive Species is, without a doubt, South Florida’s most “Florida” brewery. Maybe it’s the one-of-a-kind museum of natural history-meets-urban warehouse taproom, decorated floor to ceiling with a rather large array of taxidermy. Maybe it’s the equally impressive beer selection, a menu that covers everything from easy-drinking lagers and hop-bombed IPAs to fruit-infused sours and tropical drink-inspired hard seltzers. Or maybe it’s the hardcore local crowd (many of them members of the brewery’s Carouser Club mug club) that bellies up to the bar week after week, the cacophony of their conversation as loud as the eclectic list of tunes the staff is known to blast from the speakers. While the name is a nod to our state’s non-indigenous flora and fauna, it’s also an invitation to potential patrons, be they natives or transplants. For all of this we can thank South Floridians and brewers Phil Gillis and Josh Levitt, who teamed up with nearby Laser Wolf cofounders Chris and Jordan Bellus to offer a craft-beer experience that speaks purely to our Sunshine State. Twenty tap lines pour a constantly rotating selection of brews, but you’d be remiss if you didn’t try repeat offerings like Ninja Juice, an ale brewed using almost 50 percent rice in place of traditional grains and fermented with sake yeast.

After Davy Martin moved to South Florida in 2011, the self-described hop head was hard-pressed to find a solid local IPA to his liking. To remedy the dearth of options, he began home brewing. When people told him he had a knack for turning grain into primo liquid, he took it one step further when he and his wife Jaime opened Orchestrated Minds. Today, the nanobrewery stands as a grassroots effort where the couple — alongside a small but dedicated staff — delivers a curated selection of small-batch beers. With hip-hop blasting from the speakers, the open-air ambiance is akin to sharing a cold one with your friends in the backyard, only here you do it with the owners and brewers themselves. It’s the ideal spot to sip some of Davy’s most well-received beers, recipes he’s been perfecting using a one-barrel system. The brewer focuses on delivering true-to-style IPAs, simple sours, and roasty stouts that don’t rely on the use of lactose or artificial extracts. That includes Touch of Grey, an easy-drinking, low-ABV blond ale accented with Earl Grey tea that presents notes of orange and lime, inspired from the couple’s trips to craft beer mecca Hill Farmstead. For those hot summer days, try Surfer’s Tan, a refreshing take on an unfiltered German-style pilsner. A trip to Orchestrated Minds isn’t complete without a taste of the latest stout to hit the draft lines, each new beer a riff on Baseline, Davy’s base stout recipe, which he uses to create the brewery’s popular barrel-aged or adjunct-flavored stout series.

Miami-born Carlos Carreras and Nayra Serrano are the dish-dealing duo behind Masa Craft, the taproom restaurant operating out of M.I.A. Beer Company in Doral. The operation has its roots as a pop-up serving the local craft beer since 2018. Post-pandemic, the duo stepped in to feed the masses at M.I.A.’s busy taproom and hasn’t looked back since. Carreras and Serrano fuse their roots for a unique mashup of their combined heritage that mixes Cuban, Spanish, and Filipino influences. They roll with a small and dedicated crew that consistently pumps out some of the area’s best burgers and croquetas. Carreras, a longtime bartender and taproom manager, is behind the burgers, a specialty blend of brisket, chuck, and hanger that forms the base for dozens of sandwiches, from patty melts to the popular “Smackdown” smash burger topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and his own remoulade-style “Woo” sauce. Serrano, whose family owns Los Gallegos on Bird Road, comes in hot with her award-winning croqueta game. The three-day process behind each handcrafted ball of goodness requires topnotch ingredients — think chorizo and cheese sourced directly from Spain — hand-rolled just the way abuela used to make.

At Union Beer Store on Calle Ocho, you’ll find coolers upon coolers filled with beers to please every taste bud. Owned by husband and wife David and Cici Rodriguez, the little brew bar and bottle shop has a well-earned reputation for its extensive collection of whales — rare suds and small releases from local and out-of-state breweries. Whether you seek a flavor reminiscent of açai sorbet or the beach-perfect lager, Union Beer not only sells bottles and cans to-go (you can mix and match to your heart’s content) but also more than a dozen brands on tap. And growler fills! If drinking isn’t enough for you, UBS is also home to munchies-quenching pop-up food vendors, including Peacock Ramen, Panolo’s, and Haochi.

Yes, we live in an expensive city. But you don’t have to be rich to enjoy the finer things. Take for instance the daily happy hour at Jaguar Sun. From 5 to 7 p.m., this intimate bar in downtown Miami serves classy drinks — and classy bites — at wallet-friendly prices. Co-owner and bar manager Will Thompson is known for his skills with spirits. During happy hour, he’ll make you an eight-dollar Manhattan so perfect it’s called the “Perfect Manhattan.” Other standards include a martini and a Tom Collins (also $8). If you don’t like cocktails, there are special prices for beer and wine. The noshes are sophisticated and inexpensive: dollar oysters, three-dollar chilled crab claws, country ham, and a cheese and almond plate. Everything is of the highest quality and nothing costs more than ten dollars.

When a purely Miami cocktail bar comes along — one without any lame gimmicks — we take note. That’s what happened with Tipsy Flamingo, which recently landed downtown. The space combines the fun atmosphere of a bar with the trendy and intimate feel of a lounge. Dripping in tropical ambiance and illuminated by a rainbow of pastel-hued neon, it’s the intimate venue that co-owner Juan Marcos Rancano says was missing in the city’s cocktail scene. Here, the drinks stand as a liquid ode to Miami, each designed to showcase its many sides, from the “Downtown Mentirita” (the TF’s version of the classic Cuba Libre) to the popular “My English Is Not Very Good Looking” (the most Miami of drinks created to taste like a pastelito de guayaba in a glass). Go during the daily happy hour from 5 till 9 p.m. or the monthly “No Flocks Given” party, when you can sip specially priced cocktails and dance to funk, hip-hop, and reggaeton.

Never mind that he’s a fictional character invented by novelist Ian Fleming. James Bond is the coolest person who ever lived. The British 007 agent is famously known for his ability to neutralize supervillains, drive gorgeous cars, win at casino tables, and bed beautiful women (many of whom also seek to kill him) — all while not wrinkling his tuxedo. Bond is also known for his love of martinis — you’ll never to see this most interesting man in the world cradling a Dos Equis in his flawlessly manicured hand. Not just any martini, however. In the first Bond novel, Casino Royale, Fleming has Bond ordering a “Vesper,” named after femme fatale Vesper Lynd (for whom — spoiler alert — things end badly). While most martini drinkers are either Team Gin or Team Vodka, the “Vesper” is a blend of both, with a hint of Lillet and a twist of lemon as a garnish. The real-lfie combination of the alcohol with the touch of sweetness and a citrus kiss makes for a perfectly nuanced cocktail. Find a proper version at Cote in the Design District — a place 007 would surely dine if his hazardous work transported him to 2022 Miami.

Few drinks are as classic, quirky, and recognizable as the bloody mary. In fact, half the fun is in the bloody presentation. At Greenstreet Cafe in Coconut Grove, you’re guaranteed not only a deliciously crafted drink but a fierce presentation fit for the ‘Gram. The bloody mary is served in one of Greenstreet’s trademark soup cans, spice-rimmed, towering out of which is a full stalk of celery and a bamboo toothpick skewering a chunk of cheese, a cherry tomato, and an olive. Whether you’re in search of the perfect hangover cure or a cocktail to precede your omelet, Greenstreet is sure to deliver.

Who doesn’t love a well-made margarita? If you want the best one, though, head to Tequiztlan Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar, the restaurant from Miami Beach’s venerable Ortiz family (El Rancho Grande), which serves a variety of unique signature margaritas you won’t find anywhere else, such as the “Flaca From Oaxaca,” made with mezcal verde, and the “Hija de la Guayaba,” with Herradura silver tequila, guava, and jalapeños. If straight-up tequilas and mezcals are your thing but margs aren’t, try one of Tequiztlan’s flights. (Pro tip: They don’t stint on the food menu, either.) Sign up for their mailing list to keep abreast of private tastings, which are bound to return in force when we finally crawl out from under this pandemic.

The famed rum-and-fresh-mint cocktail known as the mojito is served at many locations in and around Miami, and many a bartender muddles up a dandy one. But this year we’re giving the nod to R House Wynwood, whose “Mojito Coqueto” offers a tropically tweaked take on the Cuban classic with the addition of coconut water and coconut flakes. Throughout the week, R House is a lovely spot for brunch. Weekends bring the stunning and uber-popular Drag Brunch — if you’re aming for that slot, be sure to reserve a table ahead of time.

If you want to spend a leisurely morning at a Parisian café, you can book a flight to France — or drive to North Miami. Café Creme is a quaint bistro next door to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami. The large covered patio is a friendly hive of activity around the breakfast table, a gathering spot where you might find everyone from local politicians to parents with strollers to randos popping in for a caffeine fix. The café offers housemade quiches, benedicts, fluffy omelets, and delicious pastries. Don’t sleep on the croissants — especially the ones filled with almond custard.

For Miamians, brunch has become the most important meal of the weekend — and, if done right, the most fun. While there are plenty of low-key spots to snag a decent meal on a relaxing late morning or early afternoon, nothing says “Magic City by day” better than a good boozy brunch. At Honey Uninhibited, founder Carlos Dunlap offers precisely that from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. Dunlap’s establishment delivers a menu of Southern staples that speak to the owner’s travels and roots. Signature dishes like the “Gullah Shrimp ‘n Grits” hail from the famed foodie city of Charleston, South Carolina, while the “Sweet Chick Benny,” a breaded chicken thigh-topped waffle, is inspired by an entrée that left a lasting impression during a visit to Atlanta. If you’re living your life meat-free, a number of vegan dishes are regionally inspired, from the egg-free scramble and banana bread toast to a vegan burger. Quench your thirst with an “uninhibited” mimosa kit, which pairs sparkling wine (Moët if you’re splurging) with a choice of two juices, plus strawberries.

There’s nothing better than an alfresco lunch, and the outdoor patio at Peacock Garden Resto + Bar is a lush, secret oasis that feels like you’ve stepped into an exotic fantasy. The greenery serves as a natural cooling system, making the patio seem like a chill respite. To start, order some oysters (grilled or on the half-shell) and a glass of roe, then follow up with a salad, a burger, or a seafood risotto. Because every lunch is better when enjoyed with your furry friend, Peacock Garden offers a Tail Wagger menu, from which your pup can choose between salmon crudo or beef tartare as an entrée, and a blueberry puppyccino for dessert, along with free-flowing Evian water to ensure Fido stays well hydrated.

Strip-mall eating isn’t for everyone. But Kon Chau is the exception that proves the rule. Nothing beats spending a Saturday morning hearing the clacking of ceramic dishes and cackling of conversation while stuffing your pie hole with freshly made dim sum. Make sure to arrive hungry, because you need to try at least one of everything. Classics include sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf, turnip cakes, shrimp dumplings, and wonton soup. Feel adventurous? Try the chicken feet with black bean sauce ($4.65), or the beef tripe ($4.65). No matter what you taste at Kon Chau, you’ll leave satiated and happy.

You know the old proverb: “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If turn him on to a great deli, you feed him for a lifetime.” True, finding a good deli can be a lifelong win for some but it may take a lifetime to find that special meatery. Which brings us to this year’s unconventional “Best Deli” pick. Buena Vista Deli in downtown Miami isn’t a deli, per se; it’s more of a casual French bistro. The pastries are divine, from the croissants to the tarts to the éclairs. Their sandwiches, many offered on Buena Vista’s flaky croissants, are likewise spectacular. Croque monsieur? Mais oui! We’re also fans of the quiche Lorraine the salade niçoise, and, believe it or not, the escargots. Don’t be a snail yourself, though — grouille-toi to Buena Vista and taste for yourself.

It’s South Beach, you’ve been out drinking with friends and you’re hangry. You’re also too dressed up in club attire for fast food. So you ask yourself a vital question: What would Beyoncé do? Well, she’d whisper to Jay-Z, who’d ask the driver to stop at Cheeseburger Baby. This Washington Avenue staple has been serving Miamians and visitors a steady diet of burgers and fries since 2001. And, yes — the Queen Bey and Jay did eat here, and so have dozens of celebrities in need of a little late-night nourishment, including Kanye, Mario Wynans, Star Jones, Dwayne Wade, and David Beckham (who went back for seconds on the same day). That’s a lot of star power for a tiny burger joint. But don’t just go for the celebrity sightings. Go for the juicy burgers and crisp fries (there are vegan options, too) served daily until 4 a.m.

Here’s a riddle: Where in Miami can you make a vegan, a carnivore, a sweet tooth, and a seafood lover all happy at once? The answer is: Smorgasburg. The Wynwood-based open-air food market, open only on Saturdays, offers almost anything your heart (and stomach) desires. Freshly shucked oysters? Check! Raclette dripping with cheese? Check! Barbecue, burgers, and pillowy dumplings? Check, check, and check! This outdoor food hall originated in New York City before popping up around the world in cities like Osaka and São Paulo. It gets pretty busy — you’ll want to ask a friend to save a spot for you at one of the picnic tables while you peruse the 60-plus vendors and their offerings.