27 September 18-24, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | get at this classic Cuban eatery. The extensive menu offers appetizers such as croquetas — the breaded and deep-fried cylinders made from béchamel-bathed fish, chicken, or ham — and lunch items like Cuban sandwiches slathered with mustard and layered with ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, and pickles. A variety of seafood, chicken, pork, and beef en- trées are available with traditional Cuban sides such as rice and black beans or fried sweet plantains. Zaika Indian Cuisine 2176 NE 123rd St., North Miami 786-409-5187 zaikamiami.com In 2016, three Indian expats (and former roommates) opened a neighborhood restau- rant in an unassuming shopping plaza just west of the Broad Causeway Bridge in North Miami. Drawing from their shared back- ground working for the prestigious Taj Mahal Hotel Group in their home country, owners Majob Patel, Avanish Shrivastava, and Shivashankar Malabanti developed a menu that skews toward the robust and buttery fla- vors of northern India, while also dipping into the subtler offerings of the south, famed for its use of coconut and curry leaves. They named their restaurant Zaika — a Hindu word that roughly translates to “sense of taste.” Any meal here must include the naan, prepared in-house using a traditional coal- heated clay oven, each chewy disc the perfect vessel for whatever fragrant, saucy dishes you choose. On that count, our top picks include tender Malabari chicken enveloped in a coco- nut sauce and adorned with curry leaves, red chili, and mustard grains, and the lamb rogan josh, a hearty dish slow-simmered in a gin- ger-infused tomato base. Pro tip: Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will appreciate the yel- low lentil dal, served in a bowl crowned with a rich paste of garlic, butter, and spices. Zitz Sum 396 Alhambra Circle Ste. 155, Coral Gables 786-409-6920 zitzsum.com Zitz Sum chef/owner Pablo Zitzmann’s mash-up of Asian, Mexican, Latin American, and Italian influences earned him a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation in 2022. Previ- ously famed in Miami for his now-closed res- taurant No Name Chinese, the chef brings together all these flavors in dishes like lobster and shrimp har gow (dumplings) and pork- belly potstickers with a green-apple amazu sauce. The menu is succinct but Zitzmann is known to change things up, so if your favorite dumpling isn’t listed, take it as a cue to ex- plore something new, secure in the knowl- edge that everything is unique — and delicious. Zucca 162 Alcazar Ave., Coral Gables 786-580-3731 zuccamiami.com Since opening in 2017 inside Coral Gables’ historic Hotel St. Michel, Zucca has cemented its rep as one of the city’s most beloved Italian restaurants. Chef Manuel Garcia, with training from Michelin-starred kitchens, delivers refined classics that locals swear by, such as veal Parmesan and stuffed zucchini flowers. Boasting more than 2,000 bottles, the restaurant’s award-winning wine cellar makes Zucca a top local destination for oenophiles. Combine an intimate setting, polished hospitality, and a menu that feels like a journey through Italy, and you’ve got a memorable Coral Gables dining experience. In 2026, Zucca will move to a prime spot at Regency Parc, a luxury residential rental tower that’s under construction. [email protected] Zucca Zucca photo
