Florida’s southeastern corner has quietly carved the same reputation for its critically acclaimed chefs and booming restaurants as it already had for its sandy beaches and swanky clubs

of fried plantains with juicy, garlic-laden morsels of braised pulled pork with onions and mojo marinade seeping out.

And then there’s Alter (223 NW 23rd St), the buzzy restaurant that epitomises Wynwood to a tee—splashy, slick and incredibly cool. You’d best book ahead if you want to try the experimental cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients by chef Bradley Kilgore, named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs for 2016. On the menu are ritzy, unique Floridainspired flavour combos, served up in an industrial-chic warehouse that is a testament to the hipster neighbourhood it inhabits. It’s refinement meets rock ‘n’ roll, with rousing dishes like shaved cobia with mustard oil and olive “snow”, or luscious Florida prawns and white corn grits topped with huitlacoche cream, chorizo oil and a lime-green mole sauce.

Another pair of Wynwood must-visit eats are The Deli (405 NW 26th Street) and The