Maass

Even among Fort Lauderdale’s upscale options, there’s nothing like Maass, a restaurant that treats each dish like a very expensive piece of art about to be put up for auction. Inside the bright dining room, serious chefs furrow their brows at fancy plates of foie gras macarons, avocados stuffed with caviar and king crab, and more meticulously fussy wood-fired dishes that usually require lengthy explanations from well-dressed servers. The snacks and starters are the most fun and delicious parts of the menu—especially those macarons and the avocado. For bigger plates, get the buttery sturgeon or whatever fish is available. Expect to spend around $100 per person, so it's far from a practical weekday dinner, but you’re coming here for dishes that don’t look or taste like anything else in Fort Lauderdale.

photo credit: Courtesy Maass