El Turco

If you’ve been looking for a haven of Turkish delight in Miami, look no further. Step into El Turco Turkish Food in Upper Buena Vista. The Michelin Bib Gourmand Award Winning restaurant is nestled within a shopping enclave and offers alfresco dining on a sprawling patio shaded by age-old oak trees. Watch as the chefs passionately recreate age-old recipes from behind a glassed kiosk adorned with blue and white Turkish tiles. All importance here is placed on tradition and familiarity, with platters of mezze served as generously as in any Turkish grandma’s house.

The star of the show here is the breakfast, served daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The organic egg menemen is so velvety it is simply out of this world, as are the simit sandwiches. Picture this: a thin Turkish sesame bagel topped with fermented spicy sausage, kasseri cheese, tomato, and arugula. Paired with a proper cup of Turkish coffee or tea, this might just be the best breakfast imaginable.

Then for lunch, a kaleidoscope of dishes, small and large, dance around the table as each diner juggles them about filling their plates with all colors of the rainbow. Tangy roasted beet hummus, ezme, baba ganoush, and kısır—you won’t want to miss a single taste, so come hungry and bring friends. Diners looking for substantial bites won’t want to pass up on the infamous oven-roasted Izmir kofte casserole, which is equally comforting and delightfully savory. Not to mention, the braised beef kavurma and homemade beef-stuffed mantı topped with luscious brown butter and a garlicky yogurt sauce will literally put tears of joy on your face. Heed this final word of advice: dessert. Oh, so sweet and oh so decadent in the best of Turkish traditions. Don’t skip out on it.