Gusto Vino & Caffé, Miami Beach

Gusto Bistro's owners and pastry chef hail from Paris, and they incorporate regional French influences from Provence and Brittany into their Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Dishes are served "in a setting that's less about 'dinner' and more about sitting around shooting the breeze with your mouth really full" according to Thrillist. To jumpstart conversations, the bartenders pour glasses of wine from a list that emphasizes Italian regions and varietals and includes a collection of French and New World bottles. In the kitchen, chefs artfully decorate small plates with arrangements of seasonal fruits and vegetables, French cheeses, or beef carpaccio. Pastry chef Manuel Bengochea brings meals to a sweet finish with a wide variety of homemade French desserts.

Around the dining room, brushed-nickel lamps and black-and-white-tiled floors create a sleek, modern look, while lime-green drapes and a kaleidoscopic assortment of cushions add splashes of color. Large, decorative wine labels hang above the bottle-lined shelves, warning diners about the walls' sulfite content.