Little more than a decade ago, if you were to ask a Miami local for a Downtown restaurant recommendation, they’d probably have to think a while before remembering some halfway decent Cuban ventanita in the Diamond District. Likely, it closed before dark, when most shop owners pulled down heavy metal shutters and left the entire neighborhood looking abandoned. Now—well, yeah, some sections of Downtown still look that way.

But Downtown has also seen an influx of younger residents recently thanks to a slew of new condo buildings. They’re helping fuel a thriving restaurant and bar scene, with bold chefs and restaurateurs willing to take risks in a part of town that’s been up-and-coming since the Crockett and Tubbs days (that’s a Miami Vice reference, for said younger residents). Our favorite Downtown Miami restaurants these days? There are so many great choices, from Vietnamese to Mexican to Spanish tapas and much more, as you’ll find from our deep list below.

Giselle, the restaurant perched atop the E11even ultra-club, has a theme that feels very much like a trip to Las Vegas, from the spare-no-expense setting to the lavish, truffle-topped dishes and regular “bumps” of caviar. Dishes are well thought out to combine sweet, tart and interesting textures, the product of a chef who knows balance. And then they’re served with elaborate tableside presentations that stay true to the restaurant’s theme: opulence.