by Clarissa Buch

Ah, an eggs Benedict. It's one of the most traditional and anticipated dishes on a restaurant's breakfast or brunch menu. Usually, the dish includes two poached eggs, a meat or vegetable, an English muffin, and large drizzle of a gooey, yellow sauce. Once broken the egg's yolk runs throughout the plate, and the English muffin is meant to soak up every last bit of taste.

In Miami, most locales have a benny on the menu. And lucky for us, many have decided to spice up the classic plate. From soaking poached eggs in a red-wine sauce to serving the dish with a pound of lobster, these five restaurants have mastered the art of the Benedict.

5. Short Rib Eggs Benedict at Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita
Enjoy your Benedict on Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita's rooftop two ways. Go classic with bacon, or bravely tuck into the short rib version ($12). Instead of using an English muffin as a base, Dolores soaks a crunchy piece of croissant inside a butter mix, topping it with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Both are served with patatas bravas.

Photo courtesy of Nikki Beach

4. Deconstructed Eggs Benedict Casserole at Nikki Beach
Nikki Beach's deconstructed eggs benedict won Best of Miami 2016 for a reason — It's innovative and consistently tasty. Though it looks like a bowl of yellow mush, it's actually the gooeyness and taste of eggs benedict blended with the design of a casserole, forming a flavorful and slightly messy weekend treat. It includes all of the traditional ingredients, but is baked in a terra cotta cazuelabowl. It's made to order and can include serrano ham, spinach, or salmon.

3. Maine Lobster Benedict at the Rusty Pelican
The Rusty Pelican's lobster iteration of an eggs benedict incorporates executive chef Jim Pastor's signature jalapeño cheddar corn bread. Served with about a pound of lobster, each plate features two benedicts topped with a runny poached egg and crispy shallots. Though the dish sports a substantial amount of seafood, it's balanced by Pastor's sweet and salty bread, made with a slight crunch on its outer shell while keeping an airy and buttery taste on its inside.   

2. Caribbean Eggs Benedict at Zest
At Cindy Hutson's Zest, located in the Southeast Financial Center in downtown Miami, find a Caribbean-inspired eggs benedict. Served with two poached eggs, each benedict is placed on a toasted English muffin and topped with country ham and conch hash. The plate appears small, but don't be fooled because it's very hearty. It's served solo but the fusion between two eggs and conch hash are filling. 

1. Classic Salmon Eggs Benedict at the Continental
Sometimes classic is best, at least at the Continental. While a smattering of Miami eateries have jazzed up a traditional eggs benedict in ways we could have never imagined, the Continental has managed to keep it routine and utterly delicious. Its salmon eggs benedict comes drizzled in a special hollandaise sauce over a warm English muffin. The poached eggs are cooked just enough to keep the inner center juicy and runny. Make sure to dip crispy potatoes (which are served on the side) in the eggs' leftover yolk. 

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