Local food scene vets Steve Santana (Taquiza) and Adam Darness (Boxelder) opened Off Site only three years ago along the stretch of NE Second Avenue that connects the City of Miami with the wee hamlet of El Portal. It already feels like a mainstay in the Little River neighborhood, though, thanks to a laidback atmosphere, housemade beers, and a small menu of simple, well-executed comfort foods. The recent addition of a fish sandwich was a welcome one, but we still find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get past Off Site's inaugural offering — seriously, it was the only menu item when the place opened — the fried chicken sandwich. They call it the "Super Good Chicken Sandwich," but they're just being modest. The fixings are straightforward: buttermilk-battered chicken, lettuce, pickles, and a mayo-based sauce. The secret lies in the perfectly calibrated batter, which crisps up literally like you would not believe, and equally crucial, the chef's choice to deploy the thigh rather than breast for the preparation. The result is — and we're not exaggerating — the Platonic ideal of a fried chicken sandwich. So much so that we've never bothered having them "make it hot" with Cajun buffalo sauce (you do you; we won't judge), though we strongly recommend accompanying your sandwich with a glass of the house rosé, a crisp Austrian offering from Familie Bauer Zweigelt.

It might seem simple. Cuban bread, lechón, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles. But the Cubano at the quaint 25-seat Calle Ocho staple, Sanguich, is anything but. The bread? Made under Sanguich's specific parameters at a bakery in Homestead. The lechón? Marinated for 24 hours in garlic and spices. The ham? Brined for seven days. Then two slices of Swiss and satisfyingly vinegary pickles are pressed between the thick Cuban bread brushed with lard. Expect a mouthwatering melted cheese hammock when you separate your two fresh halves of Cubano goodness. The bites are so perfectly crisp and packed with flavor that you'll happily embrace the light layer of crumbs left on your shirt afterward. Made mostly in-house and handled with the utmost care, there's a reason this classic Little Havana sanguich reigns supreme in Miami.

For nearly four decades, this family-owned establishment has been cranking out the most reliably best wings in town in a whole host of flavors. Sports Grill serves the classics like Buffalo, jerk, and barbecue — but the special grilled wings really take the cake. Dipped in a secret Sports Grill sauce, the special grilled wings are mildly spiced and always a house favorite. Love them spicy? The Miami Heat wings will shake your taste buds into a tizzy. Want the best of both worlds? Go for the Dale wings (pronounced like the name, not Pitbull's catchphrase), named after a regular who loved his special grilled wings also coated in Miami Heat sauce. Fans may remember the chicken wing shortage that drove up prices all over the country during the pandemic, and Sports Grill definitely felt it, but it recently lowered its prices again to pre-pandemic cost, so five wings will only set you back $7.

It's no surprise that Ms. Cheezious touts the best mac & cheese. The Little River establishment is expert in all tasty things cheesy and gooey. They use a creamy Gouda base and shell pasta macaroni to make their classic order. But Ms. Cheezious goes above and beyond for this classic American meal. For instance, they make the "Mackin Melt," which pairs mac & cheese with house-cured bacon sandwiched between two slices of toasted sourdough bread. And you can add your own toppings to customize your ultimate comfort food — blue cheese, green onions, some more of that crisp bacon. This is your world, and your cheesy macaroni is just in it.

Want a taco with Southern Cali cred, but right here in Miami? The Taco Stand is your spot. And the long line of folks also hungry for affordable, warm, housemade corn tortillas at its Wynwood location is evidence of this being the best in town. Taco types include carne asada, al pastor, Baja, mushroom, mahi mahi, and even cactus, AKA the nopal taco for $3.35. The real winner is the camarón, a spicy grilled shrimp taco with cheese, avocado, and cabbage, topped with a spicy chipotle sauce. Still hungry after downing a few tacos? Try the mar y tierra fries with grilled shrimp and Angus steak on a bed of french fries with guacamole, sour cream, and cheese. And if the lines in Wynwood are too long, no worries. Earlier this year, the chain expanded to a second local location on Calle Ocho.

Sure, even bad tostada gets the job done, but how is flaccid Cuban bread with bald spots and artificial butter supposed to get you through the whole day? With a good tostada, the bread needs to be pressed tightly, like coal turning into a diamond, flat as Death Valley, and buttery as hell. The quality mantequilla should seep through the bread like waterlogged wood. Hold my cafecito, someone! Tinta y Café knows the rules well. The café has been giving a modernist touch to the classics for almost twenty years. Try the housemade Cuban bread pressed thin and crisp but with a chewy crumb. It's the absolute perfect juxtaposition to a silly sweet café con leche. One bite makes the adage true: Nothing is better than bread and butter.

The Argentina-style empanada can be a sober affair of baked pastry stuffed with savory but never spicy picadillo or other predictable flavor combinations. So, a proper "best" empanada is defined in the details, which they observe at Punta Lara in Buena Vista. They make the dough and fillings by hand daily, cook to order — even if it means customers have to wait seven minutes — and make sure each empanada has uniform bubbly char spots from the industrial 500-degree toaster oven. The owners are from landlocked Córdoba but named their restaurant Punta Lara after the seaside city to showcase the maritime origins of the empanada itself. The tuna gallega is the go-to order here, made with savory tuna ragout with onion, red pepper, briny olives, egg, and a pastry crust that is thin and delicate yet somehow maintains a crisp outer layer and a chewy inner layer. Add a side of chimichurri or sriracha, pair with an $11 imported tall boy of hazy IPA from Argentina's Temple brewery, and consume it all under the shady banyan in dreamy Upper Buena Vista.

Between local staples like Vicky Bakery and Pinecrest Bakery, you can get your pick of croquetas here in Miami. But no one is doing it as right as Dos Croquetas, a Cuban restaurant putting its modern spin on the classic Latin hors d'oeuvres. The self-proclaimed "croqueta bar" has locations in both Little Havana and Bird Road and a pop-up in Hialeah, where customers can sample different handmade croquetas, from classic ham or cheese to new culinary takes including mac & cheese and medianoche croquetas. They also offer a decent Cuban sandwich, Cuban fritanga wrap, or areparada sandwich, all of which build on the brand's favorite delicacy. These delectable croquetas can even be shipped nationally for friends or family looking for a taste of the Magic City. For those with a sweet tooth, Dos Croquetas also has one hell of a mango shake, cloud coffees (with flavors from tiramisu to white chocolate cinnamon), and even chocolate croqueta bites that you can dip in icing. For anyone and everyone looking for a fun remix on their abuela's favorite snack, see ya at Dos Croquetas.

Filled to the brim, the arepas at La Latina are easily the best in Miami. Made with gluten-free corn flour and antibiotic- and hormone-free meats, there's nothing but flavor to savor with these babies. They're crunchy on the outside, packed with juicy meats and melty cheeses, and complemented with delicious garlic and cilantro sauces that are made in house. Since 2011, this somewhat hidden gem has been cranking out these corny portable meals with more than a dozen filling options (think: cheese, sweet plantains, and avocado or shredded beef and cheese) in a cozy space just on the edge of ever-evolving Midtown. Perhaps the best part is how well they travel/deliver, making them the ideal poolside, party, or beach snack.

When the summer sun shines, it's time to cool down with something refreshing and light to keep you from melting at high noon. Enter Dr. Limón, a Peruvian slice of paradise specializing in the country's signature meal of raw fish "cooked" in lime juice. If you're a first-timer, try the "remedio casero," featuring a fresh catch of white fish bulwarked by sweet potato, choclo (large Peruvian corn), fried corn kernels, and a delicate topping of pickled onion. You could, of course, spice it up more with "Dr. Tokyo," tuna, pineapple, and hot limo pepper inside a fried tortilla chip. The dish, whose history goes back thousands of years, is a beautiful pairing of flavors, prompting Dr. Limón to have thirteen ceviche options, all as deliciously sour and fatty as the last.