10 Wonderful Cuban Restaurants To Try in Miami

Café La Trova has earned worldwide recognition for its bar, finding itself on multiple lists of the world’s best cocktail spots. And sure, stopping in to join Julio Cabrera and his team of bow-tied bartenders as they mix inventive drinks to the rhythm of a salsa band is always a good time. But the place is equally as good a dining destination, with dishes crafted by none other than chef Michelle Bernstein. She puts a gourmet spin on Cuban classics, with memorable dishes like roasted potato empanadas with caramelized onion, focaccia lechon sliders, and skirt steak ropa vieja leading the offerings.

Granted, a South Beach restaurant named after another neighborhood in Miami might confuse a few visitors. That aside, those looking for traditional Cuban food in Miami Beach will be delighted to find this little café tucked along Collins Ave. If weather is cooperating, the move here is to snag a breezy outdoor table, where you can enjoy ropa vieja tacos, ceviche, and whole fried snapper with a side of people watching. Or you can opt for the air-conditioned indoor dining room, decked out in classic Cuban décor.

This unassuming, family-run spot one Washington Ave. has been plating up Cuban classics in South Beach for 40 years. That’s an eternity in Miami restaurant years, and as soon as you walk in, you’ll understand its longevity. Havana Vieja is the rare South Beach restaurant that makes you feel at home, with friendly staff and a cast of regulars that feels more like a neighborhood restaurant than a tourist trap. The menu isn’t reinventing anything, but beef is where they shine best — try the vaca frita, a Cuban staple of crispy beef served alongside rice and beans.

Dining on Ocean Drive is a mixed bag at best, but Alma Cubana stands out as a solid contender for quality Cuban food on Miami’s most recognizable street. Grab one of its covered outdoor tables across the sidewalk from the main dining room, and sip on a mojito for a quintessential Miami experience. It’s more than just a place to sip sugary cocktails, though, as you’ll find a big menu of typical Cuban dishes ranging from beef and cheese croquetas to roasted pollo asado.

In under-appreciated North Beach, Sazon Cubano brings a feel of what Miami Beach was like decades ago. Stroll by this beachside Cuban joint in the morning, and you’ll find nearby residents stopping in for a Cafecito as they lounge by the coffee window. Stop in later in the day, and the crowd of locals interact with staff like they’ve known them forever. It’s every bit the Miami Beach walkable neighborhood spot, with a pretty spectacular ropa vieja to boot.

More info here.

With a dozen locations around Miami — and even a cart at the airport — it would be tempting to write Sergio’s off as a “chain.” There’s a reason this is the default spot for most Miamians when they say, “We should go for Cuban food,” though, and it’s not because you’re never more than a few miles away from one. It’s because Sergio’s does pretty much every traditional Cuban dish — from the Cuban sandwich to pollo a la plancha — as well as anyone and does it every time. So what Sergio’s might lack in hole-in-the-wall authenticity, it more than makes up for in sheer quality and consistency.

More info here.

This Hemingway-inspired Cuban restaurant along Calle Ocho is your best bet for Cuban seafood. The walls are lined with old fishing photos from the island, including many of the man himself. There’s also a big Hemingway mural in the front of the restaurant, which doubles as a sidewalk music stage on select nights. The go-to here is always the fish, so start off with the camarones al ajillo and some oysters, before moving on to the classic rice stew made with fresh seafood.

More info here.

Opinions abound in the Magic City about who makes the best Cuban sandwich, but one name that’s always batted around is Sanguich. It’s actually a relatively new restaurant, the Calle Ocho original having opened in 2018. The enterprise has expanded to four locations, each cranking out beautiful, fresh-pressed sandwiches made from scratch. The mojo pork, smoked bacon, and City ham are all cooked in-house, with Cuban bread sourced from a local bakery. The Cuban sandwich might seem like the obvious choice, but don’t sleep on the pan con bistec with tender sous vide beef, or the signature Sanguich de Miami made with turkey.

Walk-ins only.

Another of Miami’s masters of “do one thing, and do it better than anyone” is Islas Cararias, who most in Miami will agree makes the 305’s best croquetas. The creamy, ham-and-cheese snacks are this Westchester restaurant’s specialty, but they’re far from the only thing on the menu. If you’re braving the trek out to SW 137^th Ave, make a meal of the experience, and after you’ve savored a few croquetas, order one of their specialty sandwiches to cap off your lunch. The croqueta preparada — essentially a Cuban sandwich with croquetas on it — lets you sneak in a few more before you leave.

Call (305) 559-6666 for reservations. 

No discussion of Cuban restaurants in Miami is complete without a nod to venerable Versailles, which has been equal parts restaurant and Cuban community center since 1971. The mirrored walls, brass fixtures, and waiters in white coats give off a fine-dining aura, while paper placemat menus keep the place casual. The menu is almost as massive as the perpetually packed dining room, and while some might say Versailles isn’t putting out the best Cuban food in Miami, the experience of eating there is impossible to top.

Walk-ins only.