The best Cuban food in Miami for Abuela's cooking

What is it? Sanguich reigns as Miami’s top purveyor of Cuban sandwiches. Elevated bites such as ham croquettes and Cuban nachos round out a tight menu that also includes a section of batidos (Cuban milkshakes) and Cuban-style espresso drinks. 

Why we love it: The family-helmed chain of boutique sandwich shops strikes the perfect balance between authentic and aspirational. Each ingredient is prepared with the utmost care, from the ground-in-house mustard to pork that’s marinated and cured for hours and bread baked without harmful additives like potassium bromate and BHT. Once it’s all assembled, the Cubano (or media noche, pan con bistec, or other delight), is pressed to crispy perfection in a custom-made plancha. 

Time Out tip: Sanguich was born as a festival concession, rose to fame as a cozy Calle Ocho storefront and now has four locations across Miami, with more on the way. If you’re dining with a group, though, the new Coral Gables flagship boasts the most space by far, including outdoor seating.

Address: 2057 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135; 111 Palermo Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134; 401 Biscayne Blvd. S116, Miami, FL 33132; 6500 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33138

Opening hours: Daily 10am–6pm (Little Havana); Daily 11am–10pm (Bayside); Daily 11am–7pm (Little Haiti); Mon–Sat 7am–9pm, Sun 7am–8pm (Coral Gables)

Expect to pay: Sandwiches are $12 to $15 and hearty—you can share one or save half for dinner and enjoy two meals for less than $20.

What is it? Only one restaurant can make Miamians from all corners of Dade County drive into the deepest depths of West Kendall just for croquetas, and that’s Islas Canarias. They’re so popular, the Miami-Dade commission named an entire street after them.

Why we love it: This establishment has been whipping out impeccable family recipes since 1977, like the succulently garlicky palomilla hidden under a bed of glazed onions—incontestably their flagship dish. Or go for the ropa vieja, pulled braised beef in red sauce with onions and peppers.

Time Out tip: Pair your main with a side of their arroz morro cooked with pork rinds, which you can also order at the café and bakery just a mile away. No time to eat in? The 26th Street location touts a drive-through where the number one order is, you guessed it, croquetas.

Address: 13695 SW 26th St, Miami, FL 33175 

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 7am–10pm; Fri, Sat 7am–11pm

Expect to pay: $20 to $40 per person

What is it? This is Little Havana’s thriving hotspot, a Calle Ocho institution where great cocktails, Cuban cuisine and nightly live music collide for the most lively eating experience in Miami. 

Why we love it: What’s not to love with James Beard Award winner Michelle Bernstein behind the menu, and cantinero master Julio Cabrera behind the bar? The cocktail program here is so strong, Café La Trova consistently ranks among the World’s 50 Best Bars each year. These two have produced precisely the sort of concept Calle Ocho deserves, and it’s not uncommon for tables to break out into dance throughout the night.

Time Out tip: Once dinner wraps, keep the party going at the 80s-themed 305 Bar in the back. 

Address: 971 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33130

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 4pm–midnight; Fri, Sat 4pm–2am

Expect to pay: $50 to $100 per person

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What is it? Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop is an Edgewater institution, serving authentic Cuban breakfast and lunch in a cozy, diner-like setting.

Why we love it: Known for their cubano sandwich, which we’ve deemed as one of the best in Miami for its abundance of cheese and pickles, they also offer traditional dishes like ropa vieja and arroz con pollo, not to mention the only authentic ventanita in the neighborhood for a cortadito on the go.

Time Out tip: Though it has a small parking lot, Enriqueta’s is located at a busy intersection just outside Wynwood, so walking up or getting a ride there is highly recommended. Once you’re in, expect to wait if you’re planning to sit down at the restaurant—it’s tiny, but well worth it.

Address: 186 NE 29th St, Miami, FL 33137

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 7am–3pm; Sat 7am–2pm

Expect to pay: $10 to $20 per person

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What is it? With a population that’s 95 percent Hispanic—and, presumably, Cuban—we’d be remiss to leave Hialeah off this list, particularly its most well-known outpost, Molina’s Ranch. Molina’s was born in 1982, and looks it, serving all the Cuban staples, plus beer, wine and cocktails in a warm and casual setting.

Why we love it: Only here can you enjoy a heaping bowl of picadillo or lechon asado with a yacht rock and country soundtrack, which feels oddly alright.

Time Out tip: The mains are great, but the moros (rice and black beans) here are definitely among the most notable in town, a little salty and sprinkled generously with crispy chicharrones. 

Address: 4090 E 8th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33013

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 7am–10pm; Fri, Sat 7am–11pm

Expect to spend: $15 to $50 per person

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What is it? Versailles might be “the most famous Cuban restaurant in the world,” but its sister restaurant, La Carreta, is the most likely to be visited by locals on a day-to-day basis. 

Why we love it: Locals rely on La Carreta for their fill of picadillo, masitas de puerco and a hearty plate of arroz con frijoles at any hour of the day, across any of its nine locations. It’s casual, no-frills and always hits the spot. 

Time Out tip: Not ready to say adios to Miami without one last croqueta and cafecito? La Carreta has two outposts at Miami International Airport: a cafe counter located at Central Terminal, Concourse E (1st level arrivals) and a sit-down eatery and bar at North Terminal, Concourse D (2nd level departures).

Address: Multiple venues, inc. Little Havana, Westchester and Miami International Airport

Opening hours: Vary by location

Expect to pay: $10 to $20 per person

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What is it? Puerto Sagua is the only answer you should accept when asking, “Where can I find good Cuban food in South Beach?” 

Why we love it: It’s sat at the same corner since the 1960s, on Collins and 7th, making it a go-to place to go for a juicy chicken soaked in salsa criolla or a media noche sandwich after a sunny beach day or night out partying. The wood-paneled walls and retro diner feel add to this comforting dining experience amid the South Beach chaos.

Time Out tip: The menu extends beyond many of the other spots in this guide, including several seafood dishes. Try the whole fried red snapper, which is well-seasoned and large enough to share. 

Address: 700 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Opening hours: Daily 7am–11pm

Expect to pay: $20 to $50 per person

What is it? When U.S. presidents visit, they go to Versailles. This is Miami’s most famous Cuban restaurant, both a meeting point for the local Cuban diaspora and a pit stop for tourists looking to sink their teeth into a flaky pastelito or garlicky plate of tasajo (shredded meat).

Why we love it: The Cuban food here is good enough, but you’re mostly coming for the rich history, served up in a nostalgically gaudy setting with wraparound mirrors, green upholstery and crystal chandeliers. On any given day, you’ll find a colorful congregation chatting politics and life over piping hot Cuban coladas at the iconic ventanita.

Time Out tip: For the uninitiated, it’s pronounced “Ver-SIGH-es,” as in the way it a Spanish speaker would say it (not the queen of France).

Address: 3555 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 8am–midnight; Fri, Sat 8am–1am

Expect to pay:  $10 to $50 per person, depending on if you’re drinking. (There’s a full bar here, including a solid mojito.)

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What is it? Miami is short on elevation, but to find some, you can head deep into Westchester to a small Cuban diner called Rio Cristal.

Why we love it: Their signature dish, the Bistec Rio Cristal, is a flat and fried palomilla steak buried under a heaping hill of crispy French fries. And when we say heaping, we mean you might accuse your server of forgetting to bring the meat.

Time Out tip: It’s a tall order, but save some room for dessert; their flan is among the creamiest and most decadent in town. 

Address: 9872 SW 40th St, Miami, FL 33165

Opening hours: Sun, Tue–Thu noon–9pm; Fri, Sat noon–10pm

Expect to pay: $20 to $30 per person

What is it? La Cañita gives locals a good reason to visit the touristy Bayside Marketplace, delivering Cuban cuisine with an overlay of flavors from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Puerto Rico. 

Why we love it: Like La Trova, the kitchen is helmed by Michelle Bernstein, who’s partnered with her husband David Martinez to bring us a savory dining experience with solid rum-forward cocktails and live music every day and night. It’s also incredibly accommodating for large groups. 

Time Out tip: Beyond its industrial interior, designed to feel like a tropical rum distillery, lies a perfect view of the Bayside Marina, making this the Cuban restaurant with the best view in Miami.

Address: 401 Biscayne Blvd #219N, Miami, FL 33132; 8405 Mills Dr Suite 203, Kendall, FL 33183

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11am–9pm; Fri, Sat 11am–10pm

Expect to pay: $50 to $75 per person if you’re ordering apps, mains and drinks