Best Late-Night Dining 2024 | Skinny Louie | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Miami | Miami New Times
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Dancing, sweating, spending the night fending off unwanted advances — that'll work up an appetite. Head to Skinny Louie in Wynwood for a no-frills, satisfying as hell, late-night smashburger, fries, and milkshake. Its specialty, the Skinny Louie cheeseburger, can be stacked three patties high with grilled onions, double American cheese, pickles, and its signature Louie sauce. Did you know the only way to improve a hangover is a greasy burger? It's a fact. So, think we've sold you on Skinny Louie. You'll thank us in the morning.

Ariete Hospitality

This Coconut Grove Cuban-American diner first started as a pop-up but has quickly become a foodie favorite for every meal, but especially breakfast, thanks to its all-day breakfast menu. The Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning restaurant, owned by acclaimed chef Michael Beltran, was designed with that classic diner feel in mind. It also has a grab-and-go counter, a ventanita, and a full bar. If you are looking for a quick breakfast, be sure to grab a cafecito and bacon, egg, and cheese croqueta, or one of Pastelito Papi's daily selection of pastelitos. For more of a sit-down start to your day, order the signature "La Completa," three eggs any way with potatoes and warm Cuban bread. For the big kids out there, the cast-iron pancake is a must. Chug expanded with Chug's Express at Miami Worldcenter downtown, a classic ventanita with grab-and-go sandwiches, pastelitos, croquetas, and even cocktails.

There is simply no better way to spend a weekend morning and no better city to spend it in than a Miami farmers' market. And if you want a truly idyllic market under a leafy canopy with organic veggies, homemade soaps, prepared foods, and like every tropical plant under the heavens, head south to the Pinecrest Farmers' Market. Neighbors gossip, young couples stroll with their pooches in tow, and young kids sample all sorts of fruit they wouldn't otherwise touch. It's the kind of spot that makes a city rat turn into a suburban mouse. The market is open on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with plenty of available parking.

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.

George Martinez

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.

Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar

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.

Wells Coffee photo

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.

Best Of Miami®

Best Of Miami®