Long considered a gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, Miami has diverse cultural roots that seep into the way locals eat and drink. In fact, it's easier to find a great pastelito than a slice of apple pie. That's a plus when you're hankering for something more enriching than a turkey club.

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Here are five restaurants to try when you're looking to expand your culinary horizons.
5. Trigo Café Brings Cuban Food With a Twist to Hialeah
Cuban restaurants in Miami are a dime a docena. In Hialeah, there are even more. Everything is the same — the same pork sandwich, the same rice and beans with plantains. Rarely does a restaurant do a fresh take on the classics. But Trigo Café does just that. And, most important, lo hace bien.
4. Jamrock Cuisine Cooks Chinese-Jamaican Favorites in Kendall
In Chinese-Jamaican families, the best recipes are kept under lock and key. Everything from how to dry-roast chicken to cooking greens is held close. Nothing is promised to any family member, even one who hopes to become a chef.
3. At Café Bastille, French and Spanish Flavors Mingle Romantically
At Café Bastille in downtown Miami, power couple Eloise Garcia and Christian Jouault serve traditional French and Spanish flavors side-by-side. Though the small space previously catered to those looking for a tasty breakfast or lunch, the redesigned and revamped restaurant now features a tempting dinner menu perfect for a romantic night out.
2. Phuc Yea Returns to Miami With Viet-Cajun Food in a Night-Market Setting
They say when one door closes, another one opens. That's certainly the case for Aniece Meinhold and Cesar Zapata, the co-owners of Phuc Yea, which opened this past September 1 at 7100 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami's trendy MiMo District.
1. Latin-Asian-Fusion Eatery 320 Gastrolounge Opens in the Shops at Merrick Park
The Shops at Merrick Park received a tasty addition with the opening of 320 Gastrolounge, a Latin-Asian-fusion eatery with late-night live music programming. The restaurant, tucked inside Coral Gables' outdoor shopping center, describes itself as "from Miami, for Miami," a concept this burgeoning culinary landscape has long needed, according to chef Juan Aguero, who prefers to go by chef John Joseph.

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