MIAMI BEACH: Wish, 801 Collins Ave., (305) 531-2222
After landing on the cover of Food & Wine for his gig at Boston’s Bomboa, chef E. Michael Reidt hopped a flight to Miami to head Wish. Brazilian notes thread his menu in subtle and perfectly balanced dishes, including tuna ceviche with coconut and spiced papaya, chilled avocado vichyssoise, pan-fried yellowtail, and dolce de leche cake. Designer Todd Oldham surrounds diners with tropical plants both indoors and out in the umbrella-groved garden.

PHILADELPHIA: Trust, 121-127 S. 13th, (215) 629-1300
In addition to his highly acclaimed ¡Pasion!, Guillermo Pernot dons the executive chef toque at the new Philly hot spot Trust. The look is midcentury American with furniture by George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames, open sightlines, and a convivial circular bar. But the flavor is pure Mediterranean, drawing on Pernot’s roots in plates of roasted clams with chorizo, lobster cannelloni, and Moroccan-spiced salmon.

HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA: Dry Creek Kitchen, 317 Healdsburg Ave., (707) 431-0330 < br/>Charlie Palmer made his name in New York with Aureole (also in Las Vegas) and Metrazur. But heeding his small-town roots, Palmer opened Dry Creek Kitchen in an unpretentious wine-country locale. The menu, including Hog Island oysters, Neiman Ranch beef, and 350 Sonoma District wines, emphasizes the local bounty. Despite upscale china-and-crystal appointments, there’s nothing stuffy about the 68-seat Dry Creek and its trellised terrace. —