5 Best Restaurants in Miami and Miami Beach, Florida

There's always a festive vibe at this Cuban hot spot from James Beard--winning chef Michelle Bernstein and famed Cantinero bartender Julio Cabrera. Old-school cocktails like the daiquiri, Hemingway fizz, and mojito are made slowly with showmanship straight from 1950s Cuba, while menu highlights include roast calabaza empanadas, arroz con pollo, and skirt steak ropa vieja. Daily live music is known to prompt dancing, and there's a Miami Vice--theme speakeasy with a separate 1980s-inspired cocktail menu—think Cosmos and apple martinis.

Miami visitors looking for that "Cuban food on Calle Ocho" experience, look no further: this storied eatery, where old émigrés opine daily about all things Cuban, is a stop on every political candidate's campaign trail, and it should be a stop for you as well. Order a heaping platter of lechón asado (roasted pork loin), ropa vieja (shredded beef), or picadillo (spicy ground beef), all served with rice, beans, and fried plantains.

To the northwest of Coral Gables proper, this small but boisterous indoor-outdoor market is one of the easiest and truest ways to see Miami's local Latin life in action. Besides the rows of fresh, tropical fruits and vegetables—and the shakes you can get with any of them—Miami's original food hall has numerous counters where you can order a wide variety of Latin American food, from pan con lechón (roast pork on Cuban bread) to fried pork rinds.

When Cuban families want an affordable home-cooked meal with a twist but don't want to cook it themselves, they come to this big, unassuming restaurant. The fare is traditional Cuban: long, thin, panfried steaks known as bistec palomilla, roast chicken with citrus marinade, and fried pork chunks. Most dishes come with white rice, black beans, and a choice of ripe or green plantains.

If you're looking for something refreshing or a high-octane jolt while touring Little Havana, try this fruteria (fruit stand) that serves coco frio (fresh, cold coconut juice served in a whole coconut), mango juice, and other jugos (juices), as well as Cuban coffees and Cuban finger foods. You can order from the walk-up window and enjoy your drink at one of the tables inside the market.