Neighborhoods

South Beach

The renaissance of South Beach started in the early '90s and is still continuing as classic cuisine gives in to modern temptation by inevitably fusing with more chic, nouveau developments created by faithful followers and devotees of the Food Network school of cooking. The ultimate result has spawned dozens of first-rate restaurants. In fact, big-name restaurants from across the country have capitalized on South Beach's international appeal and have continued to open branches here with great success. A few old standbys remain from the Miami Vice days, but the flock of newcomers dominates the scene, with places going in and out of style as quickly as the tides.

On South Beach, new restaurants are opening and closing as frequently as Emeril says "Bam!" Since it's impossible to list them all, I recommend strolling and browsing. Most restaurants post a copy of their menu outside. With very few exceptions, the places on Ocean Drive are crowded with tourists and priced accordingly. You'll do better to venture a little farther onto the pedestrian-friendly streets just west of Ocean Drive.

Anti-Social? South Beach Loses a Hot Spot -- We didn't see it coming. When China Grill's emperor Jeffrey Chodorow took over the arty lobby of the Sagamore with his ode to fashionable fare, the hotel was overrun by hipsters. Beyond all the glitz, glamour, and celebrity, Social Miami was a serious restaurant, with a fantastic, creative menu. And now it's gone. The official statement from China Grill Management: "Due to operational differences with hotel ownership, China Grill Management announces it has ceased operations at Social Miami at Sagamore as of Sunday, July 6, 2008. We look forward to relocating the Social concept to another South Florida location in the near future. No other information (or comment) is available at this time." We'll always have fond memories of the place -- its chicken lollipops and deviled eggs, especially -- a place where lots of big (and not so big) celebs and chefs have passed through. Keep your ears open for news of a reopening, or check Frommers.com for updates.

Inexpensive -- Don't miss the South Beach branch of the Gold Coast's fun and tasty Taverna Opa (36-40 Ocean Dr., 1 block south of 1st St.; tel. 305/673-6730) in South Beach.

Miami Beach, North Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles & North Miami

The area north of the Art Deco District -- from about 21st Street to 163rd Street -- had its heyday in the 1950s when huge hotels and gambling halls blocked the view of the ocean. Now, many of the old hotels have been converted into condos or budget lodgings, and the bayfront mansions have been renovated by and for wealthy entrepreneurs, families, and speculators. The area has many more residents, albeit seasonal, than visitors. On the culinary front, the result is a handful of super-expensive, traditional restaurants as well as a number of value-oriented spots.

North Miami Beach

Although there aren't many hotels in North Dade, the population in the winter months explodes due to the onslaught of seasonal residents from the Northeast. A number of exclusive condominiums and country clubs, including William's Island, Turnberry, and the Jockey Club, breed a demanding clientele, many of whom dine out nightly. That's good news for visitors, who can find superior service and cuisine at value prices.

Downtown Miami

Downtown Miami is a large sprawling area divided by the Brickell Bridge into two distinct areas: Brickell Avenue and the bayfront area near Biscayne Boulevard. You shouldn't walk from one to the other -- it's quite a distance and unsafe at night. Convenient Metromover stops do adjoin the areas, so for a quarter, it's better to hop on the scenic sky tram (closed after midnight). Thanks to the urban renaissance taking place in downtown, a lot more hip, chichi restaurants are starting to pop up. Perhaps one day soon, it'll be safe to walk through the city at night from one hot spot to the next. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but then again, South Beach used to be unsafe as well.

Little Havana

The main artery of Little Havana is a busy commercial strip called Southwest 8th Street, or Calle Ocho. Auto-body shops, cigar factories, and furniture stores line this street, and on every corner there seems to be a pass-through window serving superstrong Cuban coffee and snacks. In addition, many of the Cuban, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian, and other Latin American immigrants have opened full-scale restaurants ranging from intimate candlelit establishments to bustling stand-up lunch counters.

Cuban Coffee -- Despite the more than dozen Starbucks that dot the Miami landscape, locals still rely on the many Cuban cafeterias for their daily caffeine fix. Beware of the many establishments throughout Miami that serve espresso masked as Cuban coffee. For the real deal, go to the most popular -- and most animated -- Cuban cafeterias: La Carreta and Versailles .

Cuban coffee is a longstanding tradition in Miami. You'll find it served from the takeout windows of hundreds of cafeterías or loncherías around town, especially in Little Havana, Downtown, Hialeah, and the beaches. Depending on where you are and what you want, you'll spend between 40¢ and $1.50 per cup.

The best café cubano has a rich layer of foam on top formed when the hot espresso shoots from the machine into the sugar below. The result is the caramelly, sweet, potent concoction that's a favorite of locals of all nationalities.

To partake, you've just got to learn how to ask for it en español.

Key Biscayne

Key Biscayne has some of the world's nicest beaches, hotels, and parks, yet it is not known for great food. Locals, or "Key rats" as they're known, tend to go off-island for meals or takeout, but here are some of the best on-the-island choices.

Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove was long known as the artists' haven of Miami, but the rush of developers trying to cash in on the laid-back charm of this old settlement has turned it into something of an overgrown mall. Still, there are several great dining spots both in and out of the confines of Mayfair or CocoWalk.

Getting Back Into the Grove -- Aging hippies may recall Coconut Grove as a hub of all things peace and love. When the '60s ended, the beatniks made The Grove a retro-fab kind of town. Then came the '80s, and the Grove was as dead as Joplin and Hendrix. The '90s saw a resurgence with CocoWalk, whose sole purpose was to attract tourists, locals, and college students to its open air debauchery, which still continues with Fat Tuesday's (tel. 305/534-1328) and Hooters (tel. 305/442-7283). Cafe Tu Tu Tango changed things a bit with its then-unique tapas-only menu and excellent sangria, but it closed in 2008. So did Dan Marino's, a sports pub and grill owned by the former Miami Dolphin. Unbelievably, so did the Cheesecake Factory. Today, Hooters is alive and well, as is Fat Tuesday's, and in the old Marino's/Cheesecake Factory space is a Chili's (tel. 305/772-5472). It's nothing innovative or spectacular, but it may suit this town well, like an old Crosby, Stills & Nash song.

Coral Gables

Coral Gables is a foodie's paradise -- a city in which you certainly won't go hungry. What Starbucks is to most major cities, excellent gourmet and ethnic restaurants are to Coral Gables, where there's a restaurant on every corner, and everywhere in between.

South Miami & West Miami

Though mostly residential, these areas nonetheless have several eating establishments worth the drive.