If money is no object or you're not the one that's paying, Ariete is the place to eat. All the focus is on the food at Chef Michael Beltran's Michelin-starred, well-situated Coconut Grove restaurant. A la carte is an option, but most first-timers opt for one of the two prix-fixe choices. There's the versos clásicos ($145 per person) and the versos modernos ($205 per person); wine pairings for each are $195 or $295 per additional person, and the in-house sommelier is at your ready. Additional courses are a must and an extra charge. You'll be hard-pressed to match the experience of Ariete's famous duck presentation, canard a la presse ($45 more on the prix fixe, $160 for two if ordered a la carte). The extravagant French dish is a tableside show with a hand-turned press to liquify parts of the bird, yielding ingredients for a heavenly sauce. For dessert, get the cigar, a nod to Beltran's Cuban roots, filled with a fluffy chocolate and hazelnut mousse, cleverly served in a cigar box. Ariete is a place you'll want to return to again and again, but only if someone else is scrambling for the check.

This simple Cuban sandwich shop is tough to spot these days now that it's eclipsed by high-rise buildings that developers continue to erect around it. But that hasn't stopped it from staying one of the most popular dining destinations in the area, and not just for natives. Soccer superstar David Beckham even credits the shop for teaching him how to make the perfect espumita with his cafecito when he first moved to town. But it's not a place for the super-rich. It's for the people. Enriqueta's is one of the few places where you can still score a solid breakfast or lunch for under $10. The cramped but comfy enough dining area and counter feature kitschy Florida placemats on which the servers will set down $9 classic sandwiches like pan con bistec, Cuban, and medianoche. The daily specials are hardier with rice, beans, and salad alongside your entrée for way less than $20. Of course, a little pick-me-up via the beloved ventanita is an easier way to score a taste of Enriqueta's.

Okay, caaaalm down. Yes, there are a ton of great restaurants in Miami Beach, we know! But there's a reason Big Pink's been around for almost 30 years and is still thriving. Big portions. Friendly staff. Vibrant atmosphere. And options, options, options. This classic SoBe diner knows what it has that other trendy spots on the beach don't. If you're in the mood for good, old-fashioned American fare that won't cost a small fortune, this bright, bubbling pink corner on South Beach will welcome you in — flip-flops, messy hair, farmer's tan, and all. Their menu has every classic diner item you can imagine, and then some. Just a few blocks from the sand, Big Pink is a prime location to start your beach day with brunch or end it with one of the best burgers on the island and a specialty cocktail because why not? And for the late-night partiers looking for post-clubbing fries, you'll be glad this diner stays open till 5:30 a.m. on weekends — a true restaurant for the people.

With modern Aegean cuisine hailing from the shores of Greece and Turkey, Doya inspires with its dishes and its setup. Maybe it's the bohemian decor, impressive wooden tables, lush patio for dining al fresco, and giant windows that usher in the perfect amount of light from dawn to dusk, but this is one of the most handsome restaurants in Wynwood. And the food is divine. You're guaranteed to savor both big and small plates, from branzino ceviche to the baked feta. Make sure to order meats and veggies prepared over wood fire and coals, lending a distinct flavor that will ship you off mentally to a sea-sprayed, sparkling evening on the Aegean Sea.

Upon its early 2023 arrival in the Design District, Tablé by Bachour was a breath of fresh air on many levels. First and foremost, walking in and seeing an expanse of the most pizzazz-ed French petits gateaux is truly breathtaking. It should be expected from the restaurant's namesake, Antonio Bachour, who is a true pastry icon in and beyond Miami. And dare we say it, compared to its high-dollar neighbors, Tablé by Bachour is a bargain for its quality. Offerings include an $18 truffle butter-dashed breakfast sandwich and $42 king salmon with avocado hummus. As the Design District blossoms, Tablé by Bachour truly feels like it will be part of the neighborhood's fabric for quite some time to come.

Being able to say you're one of the longest-standing restaurants in any area of Miami is a feat unto itself, but managing to be the best — that's quite an accomplishment. Phuc Yea is exactly that in MiMo. Owners Cesar Zapata and Ani Meinhold have crafted a menu that seamlessly blends Vietnamese and Colombian flavors with dishes like caramel chicken wings or the pho-spiced, hickory-smoked whole beef short rib. Let yourself be engulfed in the warm and welcoming environment enhanced by a hip-hop playlist, inventive cocktail program, and top-notch service. Whether you opt to sit on the patio with its red lanterns overhead or inside with stylish wallpaper and large, eclectic artworks, Phuc Yea looks and feels as cool as its quirky moniker would suggest. On that point, "phuc" actually means blessings and prosperity in Vietnamese. So, I guess, a phuc you to you, friend. Phuc you.

There are certainly swankier, trendier, and pricier restaurants in downtown Miami, but Bali Cafe still manages to outcompete them all by combining the simple pleasures of a reasonably priced neighborhood restaurant with the bold flavors of Indonesian food, a rare cuisine in this city. The lure is as much its interior, decorated with Barong masks and ephemera, as its delicious and artfully plated food. The nasi goreng platter, delivering several small dishes like shrimp crackers, rendang beef, and the namesake fried rice in a sumptuous bento box, is a beautiful signature.

You may not think of naming a new kid on the block as the "best," but Sereia really is that girl. Lauded Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa of two Michelin-starred Alma opened Sereia in May, and has it all. Guests are greeted by a serene ambiance with subtle, subliminal nods to the ocean. Sereia does mean siren, after all, and the dining room does a great job of showcasing that. But you'll be writing home about the food. Sá Pessoa's bacalhau à brás, a salted cod concoction with shoestring potatoes and egg, is a thing of beauty. And the arroz de pato, a duck rice with smoked bacon chorizo, will have you booking a flight to Lisbon.

Forget your passport. LPM offers an easier way to transport you to the French Riviera with its bold 20th-century artwork, 19th-century gilt and harlequin mirrors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and niçoise cuisine. The fine dining here is centered around fresh ingredients, tastes, and textures central to the Mediterranean and Southern France. The menu may sound somewhat simple compared to nearby hotspots, but the focus is on quality and authenticity. There's the buttery escargot, cauliflower salad with caraway dressing, carpaccios galore, and housemade veal ragout and pappardelle pasta, to name a few. The cocktail menu is steeped in creativity, like the bon tai, featuring Coconut Cartel rum, Cointreau, and raspberry and pistachio flavors. Each table has a fresh tomato and lemon centerpiece for guests to cut up themselves and pair with olive oil and a freshly baked baguette.

With a seemingly nonstop influx of restaurateurs opening trendy dining "concepts" in Miami, Coral Gables mainstay Fiola is a refreshing, no-frills fine dining experience with classic Italian fare. A second location of Chef Fabio Trabocchi's Michelin-starred spot in D.C., Miami's Fiola boasts a Michelin recommendation, and after one meal there, it'll be obvious why. Though anchored in rich tradition and authenticity, the menus change seasonally to highlight the best local ingredients. Simple white tablecloths, glassware, and wood floors allow the exceptional food to be the center of attention. Pricey but not exorbitant, Fiola is unpretentious, gimmick-free, and boasts excellent service.