“Havana, ooh na-na”
Alexia play “Havana” by Camila Cabello.
Little Havana: A Taste of Cuba
One of my favorite activities when vacationing in Miami is dining at Cuban restaurants, so when 'Little Havana' popped up while I was researching South Beach activities, I knew this was a neighborhood we had to visit. I fell in love with Cuba after visiting in 2019; I was excited to learn about this neighborhood.
Little Havana is a small neighborhood in Miami with a vibrant Cuban personality, bursting with Latin American art galleries, restaurants and bars, cigar-smoking patrons, and more. To learn more about the culture, we took one of the most popular food tours. Although it was a food tour, we experienced so much more. I will link the tour information at the end of this blog!
Another reason we selected this tour is that the company advertised 'only mom-and-pop establishments.' Visiting mom-and-pop establishments is one of the best ways to experience and immerse in a culture.
Our tour started at El Pub Restaurant with a tasty beef empanada and Café Cubano (Cuban coffee). Cuban coffee is really popular because of its strong, sweet, and flavorful personality and can be found in many Cuban coffee shops and restaurants all over Miami. Often, Miamians drink it in the morning to kick start their day or later in the day for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Next, we headed to the Cuban Tobacco Cigar Co. by the Bello Family. With more than 100 years of experience, this cigar factory is the oldest in Little Havana and one of the industry's oldest companies. What makes this shop really unique is all the cigars come from 100% Cuban seeds.
Inside the Little Havana shop, we found master rollers hand-rolling cigars right in front of us.
Next, we strolled past Domino Park. The game, Dominos, is a popular pastime in Cuba. Before the pandemic, if anyone ever had the desire to play a good game of Dominos, this was the place to be. Although the park was closed, the closure did not stop the residents from playing with one another. As we toured the neighborhoods, we watched families and friends enjoy this pastime, and they were serious! I mean, they had a whole Domino table!
My favorite stop was Old Havana. The best way to describe this venue is by highlighting its live music, delicious food, and overall good vibes. Plus, the restaurant had the cutest patio, perfect for a girl's night or a date. At Old Havana, we had a scrumptious Cuban sandwich and Mojito.
Okay, we were stuffed at this point, but on to the next spot! Mercado Daily Cafe Cuban Cuisine and Bar is a restaurant, bar, and grocery store, all in one. There we had croquetas, which reminded me of lightly deep-fried mash potatoes.
Los Pinarenos Fruteria, our next stop, is a fresh fruit and juice market that was opened in the sixties, and the owner, who is in her eighties, still works there. In fact, she pealed and pressed sugar cane—which is plentiful in Cuba— into fresh guarapo juice for our group.
We passed many bars and restaurants on the way to our last stop. One place we must visit when we return is an old nightclub called Ball and Chain. Ball and Chain is known for some of the best live music and salsa dancing in the city.
Our tour ended at Azucar Ice Cream Company. Azucar serves many ice cream flavors, but their most popular flavor is called Abuela Maria, made with chunks of guava and Maria cookies.
This tour was a unique experience in Miami and a chance to reminisce on my trip to Cuba two years ago. Next time you are in Miami and tired of the beach, check out this Little Havana!
Is Cuba on your bucket list?
