Opened in 1989, Yuca—an acronym for Young Urban Cuban-Americans—is the original icon of Nuevo Latino cuisine in South Beach. To this day it continues to serve feisty, Cuban-tinged fare in a splashy dining room filled with a who’s who of the celebrity, media, and political realms. While there has been a succession of chefs through the kitchen, the cuisine has not suffered or become less imaginative. Plantains, lime, cilantro, and lots of spice fill the menu, and mojitos flow like honeyed water from the bar.

Yuca Information:

• Cuban, Latin American menu. Lunch, dinner. Bar. Business casual attire. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating.