Ember Miami

When Brad Kilgore opened Alter in Wynwood in 2015, Miami was smitten with the dishes that came from its open kitchen. Kilgore earned several James Beard Award nominations, and the restaurant continues to impress with an array of thoughtful and artistic dishes. At Ember, the chef returns to his Kansas City roots with a menu that's both accessible and intricate. Take, for example, the fried chicken he created with the restaurant's chef de cuisine, Nick Graves. It's brined for 24 hours and then cold-smoked, double-battered, and fried before being plated with either Kilgore's BKQ barbecue sauce or caviar butter. The same care can be seen in everything from the fire-roasted lasagna — which resembles a cheesy, savory mille-feuille — to the Yukon mashed potatoes oozing with butter. Insider tip: For dessert, order the crème brûlée "tableside." A cart is wheeled to your table, and the crème brûlée is branded with a hot iron, sometimes by Kilgore himself.