On a whim, executive director Joseph Bonaparte steers his students at the International Culinary Institute into different realms — one week it might be Nobu-inspired edamame and blue crab gyoza; the next, coq au vin and escargot. A recent menu included Arnold Palmer granitas, roasted quail stuffed with andouille, and a riff on classic surf and turf: sauteed monkfish paired with braised oxtails from WK Price Farms.

One has to give chef Angelo Antonucci props for audacity in claiming his restaurant serves the “best steaks in the universe.” In fairness, they are pretty great: All of them are USDA-certified, aged, and hand-cut on premises.

Punta Cana smells like deep-fried yucca and sounds like a machete chopping slabs of crunchy-yet-tender chicharrones. All the Dominican staples are here: hearty bowls of sancocho soup, pescado con coco, and mofongo so stuffed it’s practically erupting. To drink, get the morir sonando, literally “to die dreaming,” a blend of orange juice and sweetened milk. Palmetto trees, bright orange walls, and a lush array of flora give Punta Cana a vibrant and breezy atmosphere.

Many of the Calabash seafood establishments in Myrtle Beach are buffets boasting 170 items or more, from teriyaki salmon to chocolate fountains. At Captain Benjamin’s, focus on the Alaskan king crab legs, which are so popular that they’re plastered on billboards all over town.

The thriving Jamaican population in Myrtle Beach heads to Homestyle for curry goat, perfectly smoked fiery jerk chicken, and oxtails so tender the meat comes right off the bone. Don’t miss the brown-stewed red snapper, served whole and always cooked to order.

Every boardwalk needs a greasy spoon like Peaches Corner. When the shoebox-sized place opened in 1937, Myrtle Beach wasn’t even a city yet, and it’s still run by the same family with the same untouched menu of cheeseburgers, corn dogs, onion rings, and floats. Order the Bruiser, a beer-battered, foot-long, all-beef hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with shredded cheddar cheese, diced onion, and homemade chili. It’s such a monstrosity that it comes with a plastic knife and fork.

The slogan at Big Mike’s is, “Soul food the way your momma made it,” as if everybody’s lucky enough to have a mother who can cook this well. Big Mike’s Special is the meat-and-three with a chunk of cornbread. If you just can’t decide on a combo, go for the fried chicken, collard greens, candied yams, and chicken bog — a local rice specialty that co-owner Mike Chestnut humbly guarantees is the best around.

There’s a rumor going around that there are more pancake houses per capita in Myrtle Beach than anywhere in the country. Olympic Flame is one of the originals, and it’s always packed. Start off with a stack of buttermilk pancakes and festoon them with a choice of more than 10 toppings — or skip all that and get them with the whipped cream-and-blueberry smiley face.

A panoramic view of the Atlantic sets the tone at Banditos. Highlights include corn topped with lime crema, margaritas in mason jars, fish tacos, and the Baja shrimp burrito, which goes well with shots of smoky Xicaru mezcal and pints of Dirty Myrtle Double IPA from the local New South brewery.

Founded in 1962 in a 1930s beach cottage, the Sea Captain’s House menu stays true to the old-school. Lines form for the classic shrimp and grits, pecan-crusted grouper, and an award-winning she-crab soup.

Little Pigs is a small and unfussy spot for local Pee Dee-style pit barbecue piled between two buns, or with sides of baked beans, coleslaw, and hush puppies. Despite the numerous plaques on the wall, no one can get Robert Huffling to brag or call himself a pitmaster, even though he’s been hickory-smoking pork butts for the past 42 years — though he will boast about his mustard-based sauce.

Executive chef Tyler Rice is the mastermind behind this gastropub near the Atlantic Ocean. He baits customers with familiar dishes like North Carolina jumbo lump crabcakes and Memphis-style ribs — and then drags them into uncharted territory with bison carpaccio, and free-range elk chops with a side of bone marrow bread pudding.

Chef Evi Spaho offers lactose-free cheese, gluten-free toast, and stone-ground grits with goat cheese and pesto pine nuts. The chicken is GMO-free and the kale varieties for the egg white omelet range from Black Magic to Red Russian. The smoked salmon Benedict is hard to pass up, but go for the Monte Cristo, because what’s more Myrtle Beach than something deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar? Expect a wait and a very lively atmosphere. Be sure to get a souvenir coffee mug.