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Three Guys From Miami: Miami/Little Havana Travel, Miami Restaurants, Cuban Culture and Food

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Glenn Lindgren: Many visitors to Miami are a little intimidated by the many walk-up windows (ventanitas) serving Cuban snacks, sandwiches, and the ever popular Cuban coffee.

Jorge Castillo: For Cubans, sharing a coffee with friends is a social event -- a daily ritual!

Raúl Musibay: It's an act of friendship.

Glenn Lindgren: Learn a little bit about the traditions of drinking Cuban coffee and you will be quickly welcomed.

Jorge Castillo: Café Cubano or just a "cafecito" is espresso coffee Cuban style. It is very strong and sweet -- as it brews, the coffee actually drips into a little pot with several teaspoons of white table sugar.

Pouring a cafecito
Raúl Musibay: I love it!

Glenn Lindgren: Once the pot begins to fill, the person making the café uses a spoon to stir up the first few drops of coffee with the white sugar in the pot to create a sweet, frothy foam -- called "espumita." This will rise to the top when the coffee is poured into the cup.

Jorge Castillo: Cuban coffee is served in a small cup -- like a shot of espresso. Step up to the walk up window, order a "café Cubano" or a cafecito.

Glenn and Jorge at the Coffee Window
Don't be shy -- step up to the window and order.

Raúl Musibay: You can also order Cuban coffee to go. If you order a "colada," you'll get a Styrofoam cup with a lid and several small plastic cups so you can share with friends.

Jorge Castillo: You'll also notice that most café take out windows provide cold water and paper cups. Some people drink the cold water first, to clear the palate, others drink it last to dilute the coffee in the stomach -- it's a topic of much debate.

Glenn Lindgren: For many non-Cubans, it takes a while to develop a taste for Cuban coffee. I never liked American-style coffee, but I quickly learned to LOVE Cuban coffee. It's the only kind of coffee that I drink now.

Raúl Musibay: If you need to get used to the taste, try ordering a "cortadito."

Water Dispenser
Using a spoon to keep the foam on top
Using a spoon to keep
the foam on top.
A typical cold water dispenser -- help yourself.
Jorge at the walk-up window

Jorge Castillo: Café con leche is usually drunk at breakfast, with many people dunking Cuban bread or pastries into it.

Raúl Musibay: No matter how you drink, it tastes good!

Jorge Castillo: Next time you're in Miami, step up to the counter and order a cafecito.

How to order, drink, and make Cuban coffee

Glenn Lindgren: You pay for the café when you get it -- you'll be surprised at how cheap it is. Most places in Miami sell it for 50 or 60 cents. Try getting a deal like that at Starbucks! A small tip for the server is also expected.

Jorge Castillo: Once your cafecito arrives, you normally drink it at the counter. Don't be surprised if your fellow cafecito drinkers strike up a conversation. A cafecito and conversation go hand in hand.

Jorge Castillo: A cortadito has milk added -- anywhere from a tablespoon or two to half milk and half coffee.

Glenn Lindgren: The last way to drink Cuban coffee is in a "Café con Leche." In most places you get a small cup of hot milk and a shot of Cuban coffee in a demitasse cup. At the table or counter, you dump the coffee into the milk and stir with a spoon.

The Details

The place for late-night club goers on South Beach. It may be crowded at 3:00 a.m., but that's all part of the fun.
Many visitors to Miami are intimidated by the ubiquitous walk-up windows (ventanitas) serving Cuban snacks, sandwiches, and essential Cuban coffee. For Cubans, sharing a coffee with friends and yes, even total strangers, is a social event and a daily ritual. Learn a bit about the traditions of drinking Cuban coffee, belly up to the nearest coffee window, and join the fun!

Most casual restaurants in Miami have a walk-up window. Some popular spots for some "adrenaline in a cup" include:

David's Cuban Cafe II

HOURS: Sunday through Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. | Friday and Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m.

PRICES: Moderate

ATMOSPHERE: Casual

HOURS: Daily, 24 hours

PRICES: Low to moderate

ATMOSPHERE: Casual

This downtown restaurant is a great place to go just for the sheer variety of people who stop here. A typical day sees a mix of Latins and Anglos: lawyers decked out in three-piece suits; beggars in rags; a guayabera-clad assortment of businessmen and merchants; and a bevy of multiracial beauties resplendent in their finest go-to-work miniskirts, arriving in a tangy cloud of sweet perfume. Extremely noisy and very urban.

HOURS: Daily, 24 hours

PRICES: Low to moderate

ATMOSPHERE: Casual

El Cacique Lunch

HOURS: Daily for breakfast and lunch

PRICES: Low

ATMOSPHERE: Casual to business attire

La Carreta - Bird Road

Versailles

People come here not just for the cortaditos, but also to watch live Cuban street theater.

A microcosm of Miami culture at a coffee window: old, young, Latin, Anglo and yes, some mild-mannered middle-aged bikers on Harleys.

Want to Know More?

Learn how to make your own Cuban coffee here:

https://icuban.com/food/cafe_cubano.html

David's Cuban Cafe II
1654 Meridian Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-672-8707
Versailles Restaurant
3555 Southwest 8th Street
Miami, FL 33135
305-444-0240
La Carreta
8650 Bird Road
Miami, FL 33155
305-553-8383
El Cacique Lunch
112 West Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33147
305-372-3323
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