Chug’s

Chef-owner Michael Beltran, the James Beard-nominated force behind imaginative Cuban-American mainstay Ariete, channels his love of Miami into this nostalgic tropical diner in Coconut Grove. 

The vibe: Morning to night, Chug’s is a bustling crossroads of Grove locals, epicurean tourists and the small army of staff it takes to keep this breezy joint running like butter. It’s a casual, all-ages crowd spilling out the front door, lingering by the ventanita (cafe window), huddling into cozy booths and kicking back on the ample shaded patio.

The food: Chug’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily (except on Monday and Tuesday, when service ends at 3pm), which means the menu is quite extensive. No matter when you visit, expect creative riffs on American diner classics that blend Miami’s Cuban influence with local ingredients. We’re particularly fond of the breakfast fried rice, the slow-cooked cast-iron pancake and anything with lechón in it. No cafecito is complete without a guava-and-cheese pastelito dunked into it.

The drink: If the sun’s out, you’re getting a cafe con leche—and if it’s above 80 degrees, you’re getting it iced. Chug’s also serves trendy stuff, like a mamey matcha and an iced guava latte. And because this is a Miami diner, there’s also a full bar serving proper cocktails. 

Time Out tip: Speaking of cocktails, martinis go for just 99 cents a pop Wednesday through Sunday from 6 to 7pm. Don’t question it, just go.