Thousands of years ago, the Silk Road connected trade between the East and West with an exciting exchange of spices and flavors. Fast forward a millennia or two, and increased globalization has produced a great culinary gift: the Asian Market. The unfamiliar may be overwhelmed by the possibilities, but that is the thrill. The market supplies the key ingredients to mastering the tastes of Asia. From an array of soy, oyster, and fish sauces, a range of kimchi, and the golden condiment Kewpie mayonnaise, Hanna & Tiger is a beacon for anyone interested in the intricacy and scope of Asian cooking. If you don't fancy yourself a home chef, there is a dizzying selection of snacks. Be sure to peruse the frozen meal section and noodles. One of the greatest pleasures is exploring Western brands — like Lay's, Kit Kats, and Fanta — to see the specialty flavor variations they offer. With its exhaustive selection, knowledgeable staff, and three locations, Hanna & Tiger Asian Market is a convenient way to explore the wide cuisine of Asia.

There's a Publix a few blocks away and a Whole Foods not too much further, but longtime South Beach-ers know there's no substitute for Meridian Market. The small space is crammed with all kinds of produce, from local avocados, papayas, tamarinds, and ginger root to staples like dried beans, freshly baked baguettes, Cuban bread, and beer. If you're on the way to roast in the sun and splash in the waves, swing by and load up on rations. The café is affordable and presents an array of Latin dishes. Empanadas are only two bucks, pastelitos go for less than that at $1.50, and you can get a Honduran breakfast with steak for only $6.50. They're open 365 days a year from 7 a.m. to midnight.

Is there room for gourmet groceries in a time of rising food costs and, well, apocalyptic storms? We'd like to argue that, yes, there is actually no better time to indulge in the finer things in life. That's why we suggest you head to Joanna's Marketplace. It's served South Miami gourmands with quality artisanal bread, fancy olive oils, fun beverages, and wines for more than 25 years. The family-led team provides area workers with great lunch options, like all sorts of salads and massive mouth-watering sandwiches, including the best tuna melt in the city. And they cater! So, don't forget Joanna's when planning your next graduation or New Year's party.

Pinecrest Wayside Market is not only home to Miami's best shakes and local produce, but it's also the second home for so many children growing up in Pinecrest and South Miami. Owner Eli Tako sells everything from novelty ice creams and local produce to baked goods from local bakers to fresh green juices. Wayside is famous for its sweet strawberry shakes, but it also sells prepared foods like a signature curry chicken salad. You have to order the tropical shakes like mamey and guava or creative ones that kids gravitate toward, like the "Elvis," a mix of banana and peanut butter, or the cookies and cream. Wayside is the perfect pitstop on a long bike ride or the perfect after-school treat.

Boba tea is everywhere right now. Just about every Asian restaurant or grocery in South Florida suddenly offers the Taiwanese treat. It's a refreshing iced tea mixed with chewy, sweet tapioca balls that you suck through a comically large straw. Bubba Tea N Smoothies, located in the heart of Wynwood, makes 'em better than the rest. It offers ten milk tea varieties, and for the lactose intolerant and vegan among us, a septet of fruit teas, each more delicious than the next. But if you're not content with their Miami melon, melon and black tea infused with black pearls, or their coco jelly, coconut-milk tea fused with coconut jelly, you can Dr. Frankenstein your own concoction with ten different fruit flavors and ten different types of boba.

While this coffeehouse is a truck exclusively stationed at the University of Miami on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we're sure it'll become a traveling staple offering pick-me-ups all over town. Anniel Chapel and Nathalie Moreno, a Hialeah couple, converted a newspaper delivery truck into the blue, vintage-inspired mobile unit we're blessed with today. Ricky's knows how to treat its customers right, offering regular coupons and combo deals, like a $3 croissant with any coffee purchase. And you definitely do want to pair a guava and cheese croissant, artfully prepared in house, with a cup of joe. With plans to expand, Ricky's is set to spread its mobile magic beyond the UM campus, but until then it remains this city's best-kept coffeehouse secret.

Fort Lauderdale's Flagler Village continues to rise in a graffiti art-draped, hip fashion. At its undeniable epicenter with a true community vibe is Wells Coffee. On a given day, there's a line for the likes of its pour-over delights, horchata cold brew, and Japanese-style iced coffee. It's also a remote worker favorite with stellar Wi-Fi and bright, modern confines. Wells keeps it fresh — there's an onsite roasting operation and, through the past decade, the spot has become a major fresh-beans distributor to individuals and businesses near and far. Adding to its charm is its staff, who, in true specialty coffee fashion, are always happy to talk you through the coffee and roasting lingo. Beyond Flagler Village, Wells also has an equally as friendly operation in Tarpon River.

The New York and New Jersey transplants certainly made it known that the bagels from their home states are the best in the world. But the 305 had its own trick up its sleeve, and that's the independent bagel shop simply named El Bagel. Opened in 2016, what was once a quaint bagel store in Midtown has expanded to Coconut Grove and even the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Their fluffy bagels have only five ingredients — no preservatives, syrups, or conditioners. Each of their bakers works in the middle of the night to construct the thick, warm pounds of dough into sellable works of art, which customers can customize with scallion or garlic chive schmears, bacon, eggs, cheese, salmon, and whatever else your bagel-loving heart desires. For Miamians, it's our own prideful take on the delicacy. And who knows, maybe our northern friends don't think it's half bad either.

The bright neon sign inside proclaims, "Bagels Don't Count As Carbs." Ah, if only it were true. But let's be real, Mitch's Downtown Bagel Cafe can load as many damn carbs as it wants in its dozen-plus bagel concoctions — it's totally worth it. Cofounder Adam Shidlofsky is the face of the brand these days and may often be found mingling with patrons throughout the week. His dad started the company in 2002 and additional outposts in Weston and Hallandale Beach. Beyond bagels and flavored cream cheeses (the bacon-scallion cream cheese, dear God!), its beyond-Instagrammable BECTA sandwich is a communal fave, piled with two scrambled eggs, thick-cut bacon, avocado, cheddar, and white truffle oil. Mitch's also has super-solid deli staples spanning potato knishes to matzo ball soup.

Great bread in Miami is typically two things: Cuban bread made with lard and slathered with butter or, a healthier option, naturally leavened, certified kosher sourdough with wholesome ingredients from Zak the Baker. Founded by Miami native Zak Stern, the cafe and bakery has been honored as a Michelin Bib-Gourmand for three years in a row, and for good reason. The bread is top-notch, as are all of the other pastries and dishes on the menus, whether seasonal or steady. Now you can find Zak's bread at Whole Foods and other markets across Miami, but at the Wynwood location you can watch your bread being baked, and there's an opportunity to take some cute selfies with your loaf in colorful Wynwood.