100 June 22-28, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times b e s T o f m i a m i ® 2 0 2 3 and Flo-Rida, both listed among the estab- lishment’s earliest steadfast patrons. Pass through the doors during a busy lunch rush, and you’ll be instantly recognized as a fre- quent sandwich shopper or cheerfully greeted as a newcomer. If the list of 27 sand- wiches is overwhelming, owner Frank Diaz and staff are happy to help. Their top-sellers include the #1, a straightforward Italian sub that marries fresh-sliced ham, capicola, sa- lami, and provolone; the #16 tuna salad, pre- pared fresh daily using 20 pounds of tuna; or the #20 cheesesteak, chopped and seared rib- eye that can be gussied up with onions and sweet peppers. A frequent-buyer VIP punch card lets you work your way to a free sando the more you eat — and lets the staff know you’ve become a regular. With just one bite, you know it won’t be long before you’ve worked through all 20-plus menu options and a loyalty punch card or two. B E S T C U B A N S A N D W I C H Bella Cuba 1659 Washington Avenue Miami Beach, 33139 305-672-7466 bella-cuba.com Tourists might flock to La Sanguich and Ver- sailles, but locals (and their abuelitos) are en- deared to Bella Cuba, a longtime, family-owned establishment in South Beach. The first Bella Cuba opened in Ireland, but when owner Omar Jimenez’s family relo- cated to Miami when he was a kid, they brought their restaurant with them and opened it a stone’s throw from Lincoln Road and the Miami Beach Convention Center. Since 2005, the kitchen has consistently churned out some of the city’s best Cuban fare, a perfect union of Afro-Caribbean and Spanish dishes from tender ropa vieja and in- dulgent crema de malanga soup to frita slid- ers and seafood paella. But you’re here for their generously portioned Cuban sandwich. It starts with fresh-baked Cuban bread pressed to perfection and layered with slices of salty ham, a mountainous pile of fragrant house-roasted pork, and the requisite trio of Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. The re- sult is a mouthwatering combination of sa- vory, sweet, and tangy. If you’re feeling adventurous, it’s also available as a wrap that’s equally loaded with all the ingredients and delivers a burrito-style Cubano experi- ence with everything but the bread. B E S T C H I C K E N S A N D W I C H Le Chick 310 NW 24th Street Miami, 33127 786-216-7086 lechickmiami.com With a name like Le Chick, this Wynwood eatery has essentially declared itself the reigning ruler of Miami poultry. Fortunately, the restaurant’s chicken sandwich is as close to perfection as you can get for golden-fried goodness. There’s nothing fancy about this sandwich, and it starts with the basics: The buttermilk fried chicken breast is crunchy on the outside, and plump, juicy, and flavorful on the inside. It’s topped with homemade ranch, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles and rests on a brioche bun that won’t deflate into a soggy mess during the meal. The sandwich can be gussied up with add-ons like apple- wood smoked bacon, avocado, and truffle ai- oli. (A fried egg on the sandwich is divisive but ultimately rewarding for those who love a runny yolk.) Le Chick also has a great cocktail program and a robust selection of wines by the glass. Dine on the garden patio for an ele- vated chicken sammie experience. B E S T P I Z Z A Square Pie City 3918 N. Miami Avenue Miami, 33127 786-408-3591 squarepiecity.com Miami-born chef Jeremiah Bullfrog has an impressive culinary resume. He’s worked in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world, towed one of Miami’s first food trucks with Gastropod, and created two pop- ular food events with Duck Duck Goose and P.I.G. He even starred in the Complex Net- works reality series Jeremiah Bullfrog Forks It!, eating and cooking his way through U.S. cities. These days, however, Bullfrog has dis- covered a new passion for pizza, channeling his own riff on one of Detroit’s most iconic foodstuffs, the deep-dish square pie. Earlier this year, his pop-up turned permanent res- taurant opened in the Design District, where pizza lovers can find Bullfrog’s most popular red and white pies with the option for vegan or gluten-free substitutes. Prepared using the chef’s 72-hour, double-fermented dough, the thick base is first topped with cheese before it’s smothered in a layer of sauce and baked to form the style’s quintessential crispy edges. You can’t go wrong with the “Classix,” a com- bination of mozzarella, provolone, and Par- mesan beneath a layer of Bullfrog’s proprietary marinara “dat sauce.” If you like it spicy, go for the “Red in the Head, Fire in the Bed,” which gets its heat from the chef’s Calabrian chili-infused oil. Thin crust pies are a new addition to the menu, available dur- ing dinner service and sold as whole pies for dine-in or takeout. They’re made using a malt-kissed, low-hydration dough that cooks into a flavorful, crispy crust thanks to the high temperature of the in-house wood-burning oven and are a must for any thin-crust lover. But the best part of Square Pie City might be the ambiance, with its casual slice shop vibe and walk-up counter, making it easy to grab and go with some of the area’s best slices for lunch or dinner. B E S T C H I C K E N W I N G S FatBoy’s Wings & Tings 1562 NE 165th Street North Miami Beach, 33162 305-209-2533 fatboyswings.com FatBoy’s Wings & Tings founder Sean Burke began cooking out of his home in 2012, and more than a decade later, his frying prowess has made his brick-and-mortar North Miami Beach establishment (opened in 2018) a fix- ture on the South Florida chicken-wing map. The secret is a unique blend of spices, season- ings, and cooked-to-order freshness, making these wings perfectly crisp and succulent with tender meat that falls from the bone. More than 20 exclusive FatBoy sauces are available, including the usual barbecue, teriyaki, and garlic Parmesan. But it’s the Caribbean-fla- vored sauces that harken back to Burke’s na- tive Jamaican roots, with top sellers like the pineapple jerk, honey orange, and mango ha- banero. But it’s the lemon pepper you can’t miss — a butter-infused sauce that combines creamy, tangy, and sweet with each bite. B E S T B U R G E R Coney Burger 2298 SW Eighth Street Miami, 33135 786-523-2722 coneyburger.com Coney Burger’s recent ascent from a humble pop-up tent at Smorgasburg Miami to a stand- alone brick-and-mortar restaurant is a testa- ment to the brand’s burger prowess. The powerhouse couple behind this culinary sen- sation, Pedro and Vanessa Lara, emerged from the pandemic eager to showcase their com- bined culinary creativity in a way that could satisfy both omnivorous and plant-based pa- trons alike. While the menu has expanded to include a smash burger, their pride and joy re- mains the two top sellers: the eponymous “Co- ney” burger, a made-from-scratch, mushroom-based patty that combines Japa- nese maitake and oyster varieties with sweet potato, black beans, carrot, and a special sea- soning blend before it’s outfitted with vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato, vegan cilantro aioli and Coney sauce, and “magic” fried onions. The “Champ” is the go-to for the meat-eating crowd, a beyond-juicy Wagyu patty procured from a local, family-run ranch in Homestead. Each seven-ounce, hand-shaped patty is seared to perfection, oozing with fatty good- ness before it’s topped with a thick-cut slice of tarragon-seasoned, pickled green heirloom to- mato, a schmear of the chef’s egg yolk-based “happy sauce” (a tangy-sweet housemade yuzu mayo), and a sprinkling of chopped chives. While both burgers offer different fla- vor profiles, they share a vegan brioche bun that’s made from scratch and comes from a recipe fashioned after Japanese milk bread that’s squishy and buttery, like a brioche bao, creating the perfect carby bookends to contain an unforgettable juicy patty. B E S T H OT D O G Mr. Pancho Hot Dog Gourmet 1455 NW 107th Avenue Doral, 33172 786-721-8150 mrpanchohotdog.com There’s no denying that the hot dog is an all- American treat. Lots of folks think that only applies to the United States of America. But those of us in Miami — the hinge that swings Eat & Drink
