Foodstuff >>

• Best Dessert
  Café la Bonne Crepe
  All you knee-jerky flag conservatives can pour out your French wines in protest if you wish. But even Toby Keith fans have to admit that the French know their desserts. What other country has done so much for (and with) flour, eggs, sugar, and chocolate? Pair that culinary tradition with a... More >>
• Best Key Lime Pie
  Le Tub
  Besides having the Florida kitsch factor down with a scenic Intracoastal view, a cozy bar, and funky antique tubs and toilets, Le Tub has some damn good food too. Its decadent key lime pie is one of the finest this side of the Seven Mile Bridge. After devouring a slice, you'll be dreaming about... More >>
• Best Ice Cream
  i Fiore
  Italian-style gelato that's handmade on the premises. Popular Latin combinations such as dulce de leche and zabajone, not to mention refreshing fruit flavors ranging from strawberry to kiwi. A host of desserts, including banana splits, profiteroles, and sundaes, along with choice of beverages... More >>
• Best Place for a Scoop and a Smile
  Flip´s Ice Café
  Your shirt's clinging to your back, your tongue feels like cotton -- and it's not even summer yet. Eesh. It's times like these that we're grateful for Flip's Ice Caf, a new-'n'-cool refuge from South Florida's smothering heat and humidity. This ain't your grandma's ice cream parlor. Rather, this... More >>
• Best Donuts
  Krispy Kreme
  By now, we shouldn't have to tell you about those delicate Krispy Kreme donuts that melt in your mouth. Like the rest of us, you've probably stuffed three, or a dozen, glazed pieces of heaven into your drooling chops on your way home from the gym. We don't have to tell you the ol' KK has the... More >>
• Best Chocolate
  The Chocolate Forest
  The new chocolate shop on Wilton Drive will raise your blood sugar to lethal levels. If you're a diabetic, stay clear. If not, take the name of the establishment seriously -- you'll find yourself being engulfed by the cozy, foresty environment. The warm darkness makes you feel like you're under... More >>
• Best Bagel
  Chesapeake Bagel Bakery
  Chesapeake always smells like bagels. That's how you know you're in the neighborhood of the real thing. Owners Carolyn and Darlene keep a vat of bagels boiling (gives it that shiny crust) and the oven ready for baking all day long. The kneading machine looks like a water chute. Starting at 6... More >>
• Best Bakery
  EuroBread & Cafe
  The stars of this upscale French bakery glimmer in the capacious glass pastry cases: fruit and lemon tartelettes, pear and apple amandine, napoleons, croquembouche, baba au rhum, clairs, and fruit pies. Once you've fulfilled the difficult task of selecting one of these delicacies, sit down and... More >>
• Best Health Food Store
  Nature Boy Health-Food Store & Eatery
  In a world of supermarket-sized health food stores, complete with mergers and corporate takeovers, we love this little individually owned gem tucked away in a tiny shopping plaza in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Nature Boy has a small but specially selected stock, a full menu, a handful of aromatic... More >>
• Best Farmers´ Market
  The Swap Shop
  Oh, sure. You can go to one of those other farmers' markets and buy your fresh produce. But when you're done here, can you go to the circus, grab some fast food, and then pick up a knockoff designer dress and some cartridges for the ol' Atari 2600 before returning home? We didn't think so. Of... More >>
• Best Gourmet Market (1 Comment)
  Mediterranean Market
  Caviar, lobster, truffles, pate, prosciutto ham, excellent wine -- you know, the finer things in life. Some of the price tags will blow your mind. It's all behind a little Las Olas storefront, and if you have to ask the cost, you probably can't afford it. Leave that for the hoity-toity folks who... More >>
• Best Fresh Produce
  Batten´s Farm & Marketplace
  Down a driveway festooned with flowers, inside this clean, well-lighted place, the deep-red, juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes of your dreams and memories beckon. These are the kind of tomatoes that your mama liked best sliced thick, slightly salted, doused with a couple of drops of vinegar, and... More >>
• Best Fruit Shake
  Bob Roth´s New River Groves
  On a hot South Florida day, a frosty draw of vitamin-C-packed succulence sure slides down smooth. That's why the shake counter at Bob Roth's stays busy. This is a fruit stand where you can take home a slab of alligator meat or a fresh-baked key lime pie. And when it comes to shakes, you can bet... More >>
• Best Place to Go Nuts
  Macadavie Farms
  Fourteen years ago, Jeffrey Fisher decided that his future came down to one word: macadamia. So he planted more than 100 trees from a special hybrid that produces easy-to-crack nuts on his two-acre farm in Davie. But it wasn't easy -- Broward County officials told him that macadamia nuts... More >>
• Best Fresh Seafood
  Penn Dutch Meats
  A visit to Penn Dutch is a celebration of Broward County's distinctive polyglot of humanity. The pathway to the cash register is blocked by a Haitian woman. The dairy case is momentarily inaccessible while a French-Canadian couple holds a culinary conference. Before one can grab a hot loaf of... More >>
• Best Prepared Foods
  Kosher Albertson´s Food & Drug
  This special Albertson's has one of the largest and most eclectic selections of prepared foods in South Florida. The hummus with whole chick peas or fresh pinenuts is worth a trip in itself. It's not even in the same family as the pasty spread sold in most supermarket deli cases. Roasted... More >>
• Best Coffeehouse (1 Comment)
  Tulipan Bakery
  Now, we know this statement is tantamount to wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt in a Cuban-exile neighborhood, but it needs to be said: The cafe con leche at Tulipan Bakery rivals any cup you'd get in Little Havana. But as a warning to those who think coffeehouse means comfy couches flown in from... More >>
• Best Barista
  Dave Franklin
  An outstanding barista possesses all the skills you'd expect in a top-notch bartender: sense of humor, gift of gab, willing ear, and flair for mixology. But a barista does so while manning a scalding espresso machine. Shaven-headed and occasionally goateed, Franklin can quickly turn the... More >>
• Best Hamburger
  Lindburgers
  It's hard for a place that offers 50-plus burgers to displease. After all, if a customer doesn't like the taco, teriyaki, or turkey burger, he or she can always go further afield and sample something like the sea burger (barnaise and seafood salad). But even more important than not going wrong... More >>
• Best Hot Dog
  Grinders Hot Grill
  Age-old question: What makes a hot dog great: the meat, the bun, or the toppings? Those of us who won't settle say you need all three to be truly satisfied. That's why we don't hesitate and aim right for the "Big Italian." A half-pound of all-beef dog is grilled, slapped on a ten-inch-long... More >>
• Best French Fries
  Argentango Grill
  Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson ruined this category for us recently when he proposed punishing the homeland of Balzac, Renoir, and Moliere by renaming the fried potato. Responding to the French preference for conversation over ammunition in Iraq, this loon actually suggested... More >>
• Best Taco
  San Loco
  Call it the college fix if you have to. But there's really no better remedy for anything ranging from depression to overindulgence -- except the freshman 15, of course -- than the San Loco taco. Whether you go for soft or hard, request chicken or beef, ask for it vegetarian or lacto-ovo, it... More >>
• Best Burrito
  La Bamba
  It's easy to forget that fast-food-created image of a hand-held burrito filled with some greasy attempt at meat when you sit down to the ones at La Bamba. Here, they're swimming in sauces, including the earthy ranchera or the slightly sweet green tomatillo. They're stuffed with carefully... More >>
• Best Pizza
  Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe
  Yeah, we know his products are everywhere, from airport terminals to frozen food sections in supermarkets. But truth is, Wolfgang Puck is the granddaddy of the designer pizza, and his signature, wood-fired pies -- those made in his restaurants and cafs, that is -- never disappoint. That's... More >>
• Best Pizza by the Slice
  Primanti Bros.
  Two ways to enjoy a slice of New York-style pizza -- fresh out of the oven the first time around, and fresh out of the oven the second time. Many of us who grew up near that venerable town prefer it the latter way, as reheating tends to give the crust a firmer edge and bottom and the tomato... More >>
• Best Subs
  Gran Forno Italian Bakery
  Let's list the individual ingredients in the roasted chicken sandwich: chicken (of course), pesto, roasted peppers, sliced tomato, and arugula. Sounds pretty tasty. You could assemble all those ingredients on two slices of bread and have a pretty good sandwich yourself. At Gran Forno, though,... More >>
• Best Sushi
  Sushi Blues Café
  Surrounded by water that's chock-full of fishies, South Florida has basically two kinds of restaurants: seafood and other. So it stands to reason that we eat a lot of sushi. Once the bastion of the brave, sushi bars are now nearly as American as hamburger stands -- only wimps and wussies are... More >>
• Best Raw Bar
  Shuckums
  Certainly the best raw bar in Broward County's second-largest city on the strength of its raw seafood alone, Shuckums takes a step up into the pantheon of raw-bar gods this year by offering a 4 a.m. closing time, live bands, and a three-hour happy hour every weekday from 4 to 7 p.m. Got nothing... More >>
• Best Pub Fare
  The Frog & Toad
  Given the recent political alliance between the U.S. and Great Britain, we'd say the year-old Frog & Toad has excellent philosophical timing: Each of the two amphibians, pictured in the logo arm-in-arm wearing flags as shirts and hoisting mugs of beer, clearly represent the individual countries,... More >>
• Best Barbecue
  Tom's Place
  Barbecue devotees, bow down. Proprietors Tom and Helen Wright claim, via the restaurant's motto, that they "give the glory to God." We of the less-celestial stance lay the credit for their long-running success at a couple of secular doors: the plate-glass portal through which lovers of ribs,... More >>
• Best Soul Food Restaurant
  Soul Food 2 Go
  Originated by the slaves in the American South, "soul food" has become canonized, standing in for everything these days from the glue that holds a family together to a dieter's guilty pleasure. Let's not put too romantic a point on it. Truth is, the dishes were born out of a need for tasty... More >>
• Best Southern Food
  Ragin' Red's BBQ
  Ragin' Red's isn't much to look at, tucked away in a strip mall in suburban West Palm Beach, but its piled-on portions of Southern staples pack in those who don't give a damn about dcor. The place is a barbecue joint by definition, with three kinds of ribs and well-smoked chicken. But Red's... More >>
• Best Takeout Chinese
  East China
  The single person and the takeout-Chinese restaurateur have an interesting relationship. With the barber and the mechanic, there's banter. With bartenders, there's chat. But with the Chinese takeout guy, there's not much to say. You order, "Szechuan chicken, hot-and-sour soup, and an egg roll.... More >>
• Best Dim Sum
  Aroma China
  Aroma is what is proposed, and aroma is what you get -- the endearing whiff of leek dumplings in the morning, the inescapable scent of turnip pudding, the rich perfume of chicken feet in black bean sauce, the steam therapy of pork or chicken buns. Don't get us wrong. We're not complaining --... More >>
• Best Takeout Chicken
  Poultry King
  In a rush? No groceries on hand? Don't feel like cooking even if you had the strength? Don't bother with the drive-through when you can just as easily hit up the King. Poultry lovers go forewarned with the knowledge that this takeout delicatessen in the Festival Flea Market Mall offers... More >>
• Best Place for Tea
  Tea at Lily's
  >Where do I love Tea? Let me count on Lily's. I love Tea to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, Which is usually up the staircase to Lily's finely decorated tearoom. I love Tea freely, Though I'll gladly shell out the $2.75 to $4.50 for a freshly brewed pot here. I... More >>
• Best Delicatessen
  Wolfie Cohen's Rascal House
  Time flies when you're having tzimmes. This sibling to Miami's Rascal House celebrated its fifth anniversary this year, and Boca-ites couldn't be happier that the doyenne is still dishing up the cholent, brisket, matzo balls, and babka. Unless, of course, they've decided to sup on some corned... More >>
• Best Fondue
  Fúsha Fondue & Wine
  Remember how exciting going to the Melting Pot used to be? No? Hmm... well, fondue isn't exactly the most exciting food, especially for a meal that leaves your pockets empty. In the heart of Delray's Pineapple Grove sits Fásha, a hip, classy joint that wants you to know fondue isn't boring.... More >>
• Best Free Lunch
  The Cheetah Room
  From 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every weekday, you can stroll into the Cheetah Room, sit down, and choose from a full menu of food. That's right, they got steak, pasta, pizza, and appetizers all for the taking. It's free, but alas, there is a catch: You have to watch beautiful women dance naked on the... More >>
• Best Place to Eat Buffalo
  Ernie's Restaurant
  Buffalo aren't endangered anymore -- they got ranches full of them out West. And their meat is not only tender and tasty but it's also good for you. Seriously. The American Heart Association has buffalo on its list of "Heart Healthy Foods" list. Why? Because it's tofu compared to beef, having 70... More >>
• Best Cheap Breakfast
  Turkish-American Restaurant
  If you're the type who's up with the early birds, sunrises aren't the only breathtaking vision to behold. This friendly eatery offers up two eggs, potatoes, and toast for $1.69, Monday through Friday, or for $2.10 on weekends. For the heartier cheapskates among us, turn it up a notch with two... More >>
• Best Falafel
  Sawaf's Restaurant
  Once upon a time, a young man named Sindbad was wandering through the Everglades, lost and famished. Near collapse, he happened upon a tin can. He rubbed it to see if there was perchance food within, and suddenly the top popped off, smoke billowed forth, and a genie appeared. "I'll grant you one... More >>
• Best Chili
  84 Diner
  Slow night at the diner this Monday night. So John Wilson, the middle-aged, wiry fellow who handles the counter, is taking care of a few chores. He's atop the back counter, straddling an espresso machine and soft-drink dispenser, vigorously wiping the expansive wall mirror. He's using coffee... More >>
• Best Bread in a Basket
  Aruba Beach Cafe
  A walk down Fort Lauderdale Beach may yield a variety of smells -- some good, some not so good. But just try to walk past Aruba Beach Cafe and ignore the smell of fresh-baked bread wafting through breezy open windows. The Bimini Bread here is served in half and whole loaves, coated with a... More >>
• Best Ribs
  Wings N Curls
  There's no polite way to eat ribs. Knife and fork just don't get at those narrow, grainy slices of pork, and it wouldn't be any fun if they did. But you don't want a rib that has to be gnashed into submission. Too much tearing at the bone and next thing you know, the barbecue sauce is all over... More >>
• Best Caesar Salad
  Delacaseas
  A caesar salad by any other name smells as pungent, peppery, and Parmesan-y, right? Well, not always. That's why we rely on this catering and carryout luncheonette for a satisfying caesar that revolves around crisp romaine, fresh garlic, a smidge of anchovy, and a perfect smattering of Parmesan.... More >>
• Phil Kappes
  manages his father's popular sandwich place, Spada's Original Hoagies, in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
  Q: Do you watch reality-television shows? A: Is that an oxymoron? Q: Maybe. A: I don't really watch them, but my wife does, so I have no choice. Fear Factor, American Idol, Survivor, the one with the bride. My favorite is The Osbournes. I'm an Ozzy freak. Q: What do you like about it? ... More >>