1. AMA

Hidden inside Kaido, chef-owner Brad Kilgore's Japanese fusion whiskey lounge, ama is short for ama-kase (a play on omakase). At only eight seats, ama takes prepaid reservations for a 16-course meal of inventive, ever-changing bites, which might offer up beef tartare hand rolls with kimchi capers and avocado or enoki mushroom with Iberico bacon and duck yolk. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Given the collection of whiskies on hand, opt for the vintage pairing, which includes a 1969 Suntory, a 1985 Nikka Tsukuba Expo and Kilgore's signature 18:75 Maker's Mark Japanese-inspired custom blended bourbon. 151 NE 41st St., Miami, 786.409.5591, kaidomiami.com

2. The Surf Club Restaurant

When a new restaurant is everything you want and need it to be, you feel more than just satisfied in spending time there; you feel justified. Such is the case at superstar Michelin star-winning chef Thomas Keller's James Beard Award-nominated homage to on-point continental dining. Keller nods to the glamorous past with signature, quality dishes such as tableside Caesar salad, beef Wellington with sauce Périgourdine, lobster thermidor and lemon meringue tart. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Try the Marybelle cocktail, dubbed for tire tycoon Harvey Firestone's yacht, on which The Surf Club property was first imagined all those many years ago. 9011 Collins Ave., Surfside, 305.768.9440, surfclubrestaurant.com

3. Bakan

With tostadas that cradle cactus and octopus and queso fundido comprising product from Oaxaca and Chihuahua, Bakan isn't your average Mexican restaurant. This latest installment from the Jaguar Hospitality Group featuring chef Oscar Del Rivero offers namesake homemade tortillas and artisanal ingredients. With dishes ranging from Alaskan king crab tacos to short rib mole, this contemporary eatery is a highlight of the Wynwood dining scene. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW A comprehensive, 15-page list of 350 mezcals is organized by region. Try them by half-ounce sip or 2-ounce shot. 2801 NW Second Ave., Miami, 305.396.7080, bakanwynwood.com

4. Amare Ristorante

Miami is starting to see its fair share of Michelin-starred chefs around town, but that doesn't mean we're jaded diners who don't appreciate their output when we taste it. To wit: chef Cosimo Cassano's yellowfin tuna carpaccio with avocado, pear, lemon and mint, and his prize-winning pasta di Gragnano, which utilizes a 1-pound Maine lobster, datterino tomatoes from Southern Italy and Calabrian chiles. Evoking the Amalfi Coast, the restaurant practically beams with oceanic hues. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Look for the Classici Settimanali, a daily special dish, such as Tiella Frutti di Mare, made with black rice baked with octopus, shrimp, squid, zucchini, onion and potatoes. 1 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 786.598.8622, amareristorante.com

Crispy rice with caramelized coconut sauce and hash brown nigiri topped with uni, miso aioli and black truffle from ama;

cinnamon churros and ice cream from Bakan;

the interior of Amare Ristorante;

spumoni from The Surf Club Restaurant.