The usual complaints arise when you tell urban-core Miamians that they simply must try Platea Miami, located in the suburban enclave of Pinecrest. "Too far," they grumble. "Traffic is awful," they gripe. But once diners get a taste of this Peruvian steakhouse's innovative fried ceviche, appetizers like the aji amarillo-inflected "foie mosaic" with balsamic pearls, and main course meat and fish options that are surprisingly reasonable for the superiority of the product, those objections simply disappear like reservations do on "Tomahawk Tuesdays," when you can enjoy a three-course meal for two, featuring a 64-ounce USDA Prime tomahawk, for $150.

When you're craving fresh seafood, there's no better spot than Coconut Grove's Shore to Door. As the name implies, the fish is sourced directly from local fishermen, meaning the day's menu is dictated by the day's catch. While Shore to Door primarily operates as a fish market, the shop throws open its back patio on weekends and serves whatever's available. The nugget-like wahoo bites ($17) are a must for any visit, but the minimalist whole-fried snapper ($39) might be the star of the show. Drinks are serve yourself; grab a glass of wine from the fridge out back or a beer from the ice-filled cooler and keep tabs of your count on the daily blackboard. You'll want to call before heading out, as weather and other last-minute changes can affect hours. While you're at it, get the scoop on any live music that day. The band starts most Saturdays around 6 p.m., turning the small patio into a casually festive backyard party.

Naomi's Garden has been a community pillar of delicious and affordable Haitian food for three decades. The charming Little Haiti restaurant was founded by Yaron and Shula Yemini, initially serving Israeli foods. Eventually, it adapted its menu to the neighborhood. Amongst the usual Haitian eats like jerk chicken, oxtail, or curry goat, Naomi's offers an impressive and unique list of vegetarian options, including tofu stroganoff, okra or spinach stew, legumes, curry jackfruit, all with a side of rice or baked mac and cheese, plantains, and spicy pikliz. Take your vegetarian meal to-go, or enjoy it in the restaurant's lush garden.

If you never thought you'd be able to enjoy simple pleasures like a croissant, macaron, or even a croque monsieur again because you're conscious about animal welfare, the environment, or your health, then you clearly haven't been to L'Artisane, which claims to be the first full-fledged French vegan bakery-café in the nation. Thanks to chef-owner Caroline Molea, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu and at Michelin-starred restaurants, diners can nosh on astonishingly delicious French vegan (and often gluten-free) items to their bodies' content. Not vegan? We swear omnivorous taste buds can't tell the difference.

Franky's Deli Warehouse promises "the best six inches" you'll ever have. For more than 20 years, this Hialeah gem set among industrial warehouses steps from I-75 has been serving some of Miami's best sandos for breakfast, lunch, and possibly even dinner. Just ask South Florida famous locals like Billy Blue and Flo-Rida, both listed among the establishment's earliest steadfast patrons. Pass through the doors during a busy lunch rush, and you'll be instantly recognized as a frequent sandwich shopper or cheerfully greeted as a newcomer. If the list of 27 sandwiches is overwhelming, owner Frank Diaz and staff are happy to help. Their top-sellers include the #1, a straightforward Italian sub that marries fresh-sliced ham, capicola, salami, and provolone; the #16 tuna salad, prepared fresh daily using 20 pounds of tuna; or the #20 cheesesteak, chopped and seared ribeye that can be gussied up with onions and sweet peppers. A frequent-buyer VIP punch card lets you work your way to a free sando the more you eat — and lets the staff know you've become a regular. With just one bite, you know it won't be long before you've worked through all 20-plus menu options and a loyalty punch card or two.

Tourists might flock to La Sanguich and Versailles, but locals (and their abuelitos) are endeared to Bella Cuba, a longtime, family-owned establishment in South Beach. The first Bella Cuba opened in Ireland, but when owner Omar Jimenez's family relocated to Miami when he was a kid, they brought their restaurant with them and opened it a stone's throw from Lincoln Road and the Miami Beach Convention Center. Since 2005, the kitchen has consistently churned out some of the city's best Cuban fare, a perfect union of Afro-Caribbean and Spanish dishes from tender ropa vieja and indulgent crema de malanga soup to frita sliders and seafood paella. But you're here for their generously portioned Cuban sandwich. It starts with fresh-baked Cuban bread pressed to perfection and layered with slices of salty ham, a mountainous pile of fragrant house-roasted pork, and the requisite trio of Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. The result is a mouthwatering combination of savory, sweet, and tangy. If you're feeling adventurous, it's also available as a wrap that's equally loaded with all the ingredients and delivers a burrito-style Cubano experience with everything but the bread.

With a name like Le Chick, this Wynwood eatery has essentially declared itself the reigning ruler of Miami poultry. Fortunately, the restaurant's chicken sandwich is as close to perfection as you can get for golden-fried goodness. There's nothing fancy about this sandwich, and it starts with the basics: The buttermilk fried chicken breast is crunchy on the outside, and plump, juicy, and flavorful on the inside. It's topped with homemade ranch, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles and rests on a brioche bun that won't deflate into a soggy mess during the meal. The sandwich can be gussied up with add-ons like applewood smoked bacon, avocado, and truffle aioli. (A fried egg on the sandwich is divisive but ultimately rewarding for those who love a runny yolk.) Le Chick also has a great cocktail program and a robust selection of wines by the glass. Dine on the garden patio for an elevated chicken sammie experience.

Miami-born chef Jeremiah Bullfrog has an impressive culinary resume. He's worked in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world, towed one of Miami's first food trucks with Gastropod, and created two popular food events with Duck Duck Goose and P.I.G. He even starred in the Complex Networks reality series Jeremiah Bullfrog Forks It!, eating and cooking his way through U.S. cities. These days, however, Bullfrog has discovered a new passion for pizza, channeling his own riff on one of Detroit's most iconic foodstuffs, the deep-dish square pie. Earlier this year, his pop-up turned permanent restaurant opened in the Design District, where pizza lovers can find Bullfrog's most popular red and white pies with the option for vegan or gluten-free substitutes. Prepared using the chef's 72-hour, double-fermented dough, the thick base is first topped with cheese before it's smothered in a layer of sauce and baked to form the style's quintessential crispy edges. You can't go wrong with the "Classix," a combination of mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan beneath a layer of Bullfrog's proprietary marinara "dat sauce." If you like it spicy, go for the "Red in the Head, Fire in the Bed," which gets its heat from the chef's Calabrian chili-infused oil. Thin crust pies are a new addition to the menu, available during dinner service and sold as whole pies for dine-in or takeout. They're made using a malt-kissed, low-hydration dough that cooks into a flavorful, crispy crust thanks to the high temperature of the in-house wood-burning oven and are a must for any thin-crust lover. But the best part of Square Pie City might be the ambiance, with its casual slice shop vibe and walk-up counter, making it easy to grab and go with some of the area's best slices for lunch or dinner.

FatBoy's Wings & Tings founder Sean Burke began cooking out of his home in 2012, and more than a decade later, his frying prowess has made his brick-and-mortar North Miami Beach establishment (opened in 2018) a fixture on the South Florida chicken-wing map. The secret is a unique blend of spices, seasonings, and cooked-to-order freshness, making these wings perfectly crisp and succulent with tender meat that falls from the bone. More than 20 exclusive FatBoy sauces are available, including the usual barbecue, teriyaki, and garlic Parmesan. But it's the Caribbean-flavored sauces that harken back to Burke's native Jamaican roots, with top sellers like the pineapple jerk, honey orange, and mango habanero. But it's the lemon pepper you can't miss — a butter-infused sauce that combines creamy, tangy, and sweet with each bite.

Coney Burger's recent ascent from a humble pop-up tent at Smorgasburg Miami to a standalone brick-and-mortar restaurant is a testament to the brand's burger prowess. The powerhouse couple behind this culinary sensation, Pedro and Vanessa Lara, emerged from the pandemic eager to showcase their combined culinary creativity in a way that could satisfy both omnivorous and plant-based patrons alike. While the menu has expanded to include a smash burger, their pride and joy remains the two top sellers: the eponymous "Coney" burger, a made-from-scratch, mushroom-based patty that combines Japanese maitake and oyster varieties with sweet potato, black beans, carrot, and a special seasoning blend before it's outfitted with vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato, vegan cilantro aioli and Coney sauce, and "magic" fried onions. The "Champ" is the go-to for the meat-eating crowd, a beyond-juicy Wagyu patty procured from a local, family-run ranch in Homestead. Each seven-ounce, hand-shaped patty is seared to perfection, oozing with fatty goodness before it's topped with a thick-cut slice of tarragon-seasoned, pickled green heirloom tomato, a schmear of the chef's egg yolk-based "happy sauce" (a tangy-sweet housemade yuzu mayo), and a sprinkling of chopped chives. While both burgers offer different flavor profiles, they share a vegan brioche bun that's made from scratch and comes from a recipe fashioned after Japanese milk bread that's squishy and buttery, like a brioche bao, creating the perfect carby bookends to contain an unforgettable juicy patty.