7. Ortanique on the Mile
(278 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, 305-446-7710)
Photo: Instagram/OrtaniqueontheMile
For something completely different, head to Ortanique on the Mile in upscale Coral Gables. Opened in 1999 by Delius Shirley, son of the late Jamaican restaurateur and “Julia Child of the Caribbean” Norma Shirley, Ortanique is a showcase for chef Cindy Hutson’s “Cuisine of the Sun”—a very Miami fusion of Caribbean and South American flavors. The best dishes are those that tap Caribbean classics and turn them into something new: stuff like jerk chicken penne, Blue Mountain Coffee-encrusted salmon, and mussels steamed in Red Stripe beer. Their Blue Mountain coffee ice cream and banana fritters are also in our personal desert hall-of-fame.