90 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 ists and brave locals alike. There are more than 100 menu items — including breakfast at any time. The food is as eclectic as its retro sur- roundings: shrimp alfredo, waffle fried chicken sandwich, and the el Cubano. Guzzle down 11th Street’s famous $16 spiked milkshakes to pre-party or to start the day with brunch. On Friday and Saturday, the diner is open 24 hours for late-night eats and (not actually) award- winning people-watching. BEST BRUNCH Just Spoons Café 7023 W. Broward Boulevard Plantation, 33317 954-652-1117 justspoonscafe.com After an 18-year culinary career in New York, Just Spoons Café chef and owner Dwight Ber- nard Witherspoon Jr. moved back to his home- town in 2019 to open a brunch restaurant. The idea? “Comfort food with a twist.” The son of the chef at the helm of Lauderdale Lakes main- stay Spoons Grill and Restaurant, Witherspoon reimagines classic Southern recipes. Try the curry shrimp and grits, a delicious Caribbean- meets-soul-food offering that includes the silk- iest grits you’ll ever taste (sorry, grandma). Or devour one of the most popular menu items, fried chicken and vanilla-bean French toast, a sweet-and-spicy, never-soggy play on chicken and waffles with a Cajun kick. Honorable men- tions include the fried catfish, smothered pork chops, and chicken and biscuits. Come to Just Spoons for the sour bitch mimosa, and stay for the speakeasy-style ambiance. You’ll be hooked from the first bite. BEST DIM SUM Tropical Chinese 7991 Bird Road Miami, 33155 305-262-7576 tropicalchinesemiami.com While this Westchester restaurant has a mas- sive menu filled with legit Chinese dishes, it’s the dim sum that keeps ‘em returning for more. Bring the whole family — real and Cuban cous- ins, and definitely a few friends — because Tropical Chinese is the kind of place that serves up big. It has a selection of more than 50 dim sum items that servers roll by so diners can choose their own adventure. Try not to order with your eyes, but if you do, get the fluffy pork bun, perfectly steamed shrimp siu mai, egg cus- tard tarts, or go for the unfamiliar with crisp chicken feet. Sure, there’s a regular dinner menu served after 3:30 p.m., but the lunch or brunch experience with dim sum carts is the way to get the best out of Tropical Chinese. BEST OUTDOOR DINING The Yards at Amelia 7551 W. Fourth Avenue Hialeah, 33014 305-827-5665 ameliayards.com You probably know that Hialeah had a glow-up. During that City of Progress makeover, the Yards at Amelia emerged as a central hub within the city’s Amelia District. Located on Red Road, it delivers a new kind of outdoor din- ing experience. Sure, glistening lights hang above food trucks like Pia’s Not Just Pizza, Los Tacos, Remaking Sushi, Boca Loca, and others, but what makes this place unique is that it’s paired with an indoor pickleball court. We sug- gest eating after playing. They also host comedy nights, a Stomp the Yards dance battle, and even a Porsche meet-up — a very specifically Miami-type event. The space is expanding by taking over the former Valsan department store, so expect more yards and more room to park your Porsche. BEST STEAKHOUSE Red South Beach 801 South Pointe Drive Miami Beach, 33139 305-534-3688 redsobe.com From Japanese Wagyu to certified Angus beef strips, ribeyes, and filets, this underrated South of Fifth steakhouse serves up juicy cuts cooked exactly to your liking. Red South Beach is helmed by owner and chef Peter Vauthy and serves up dishes off a Cheesecake Factory-sized menu. There are nearly a dozen options when it comes to just steak cuts alone! They all pair phenomenally with the equally long list of sides. Everything, from sauces to garnishes, is prepared from scratch. Red also boasts a selec- tion of more than 500 wines, and the restau- rant’s sommelier is always on hand to help you decide what will pair best with your hunk of personalized meat.
