88 June 27- July 3, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times b e s T o f m i a m i ® 2 0 2 4 BEST RESTAURANT (CORAL GABLES) Fiola 1500 San Ignacio Avenue Coral Gables, 33146 305-912-2539 fiolamiami.com With a seemingly nonstop influx of restaura- teurs opening trendy dining “concepts” in Mi- ami, Coral Gables mainstay Fiola is a refreshing, no-frills fine dining experience with classic Ital- ian fare. A second location of Chef Fabio Traboc- chi’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 an- chored in rich tradition and authenticity, the menus change seasonally to highlight the best local ingredients. Simple white tablecloths, glassware, and wood floors allow the excep- tional food to be the center of attention. Pricey but not exorbitant, Fiola is unpretentious, gim- mick-free, and boasts excellent service. BEST RESTAURANT (SOUTH MIAMI-DADE) Cafe Oriental 9800 SW 77th Avenue Miami, 33156 786-294-3101 instagram.com/cafeorientalmia Leave it to a comically tiny Japanese eatery served by a Colombian chef to grab this year’s best restaurant in South Miami-Dade. Cafe Ori- ental serves premium Japanese classics with the friendliest service north of the equator. The mom (Selina Siu) and pop (Juan Gomez) spot doesn’t serve sushi; instead, they offer ramen, katsu curry, onigiri (stuffed rice balls wrapped in seaweed), and karaage (succulent fried chicken bites). Gomez, who worked in Japa- nese restaurants as a chef for years, adds touches from Latin America, like a tangy, crunchy pineapple chayote salad. The star of the menu is arguably the ramen that includes a creamy tonkotsu broth cooked for 18 hours and poured into a bowl with the classic fixings, like pork and a runny egg. Forget a ten-course omakase menu for $300. Go slurp noodles and eat with wooden chopsticks on a plastic green park bench when Cafe Oriental gives you real bites from Japan. BEST RESTAURANT (AVENTURA) Casa D’Angelo 2906 NE 207th Street Aventura, 33180 305-699-5500 casa-d-angelo.com Recognized by Wine Spectator and Gambero Rosso Awards, this fine-dining Italian restau- rant certainly knows how to pair a wine with its delightful food program. Chef Angelo Elia takes a modern twist on traditional dishes, but not so modern your mother-in-law won’t love it. With its indoor and outdoor seating and high-end design, the Aventura location (there’s also Fort Lauderdale and Boca) oozes romance as any classic Italian restaurant should. BEST RESTAURANT (FORT LAUDERDALE) Anthony’s Runway 84 330 W. State Road 84 Fort Lauderdale, 33315 954-467-8484 runway84.com Pretty much everyone in Fort Lauderdale has enjoyed Anthony’s Runway 84. The iconic Ital- ian-American restaurant and supper club has been serving the classics like prime steaks, pasta, and seafood since 1982. But in 2023, the restaurant underwent a complete makeover. Now, it looks like Miami’s upscale Carbone, ex- cept here, the atmosphere is like coming home on a holiday. The dimly lit dining room has a rustic, 1960s-inspired decor where you can hear live music and can order a variety of marti- nis. You truly can’t go wrong at Anthony’s for date night or to celebrate any of life’s mile- stones. But just don’t show up in shorts; the dress code won’t allow it. BEST RESTAURANT (HOLLYWOOD) Le Tub 1100 N. Ocean Drive Hollywood, 33019 954-921-9425 le-tub.com Opened in 1975, Le Tub is as “Old Florida” as it gets. This Hollyweird staple is an absolute must-visit for any self-respecting local. Con- verted from an old gas station, the roadside joint is notable for two things: massive, award- winning burgers and extraordinary views of the Intracoastal waterway — and yes, you can park your boat here. An afternoon at Le Tub spent watching the waves and sipping a beer after housing an enormous chunk of meat on a bun is a true beach-day pleasure. BEST DINER 11th Street Diner 1065 Washington Avenue Miami, 33139 305-534-6373 eleventhstreetdiner.com The 11th Street Diner is housed inside a stain- less-steel Paramount dining car built in New Jersey in 1948. It was formerly in business in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, the shipped from the foot of the Pocono Mountains and plunked down in South Beach in the early ’90s. The art deco diner is now a Miami Beach mainstay with solid American offerings that please tour-
