Home » Special Features » The World’s Best » Best Local Food Specialties Miami
New York? Pizza. San Francisco? Dungeness crab. Mexico City? Tacos. Los Angeles? Food trucks. What better way to explore the world’s coolest cities than through the foods they are best known for? Here are Night+Day’s hotlists for the destination dishes (and one beverage) that define our favorite places.
Best Local Food Specialties in....
Best Local Food Specialties:
Cuban Sandwich
Miami
Bin No. 18 1800 Biscayne Blvd, Downtown Miami, 786-235-7575 bin18miami.com
The Draw: For a fancier version of the Cuban sandwich, turn to this hip little urban bistro, where Venezuelan chef/owner Alfredo Patino has gilded the lily, creating his own version of this Cuban classic using slow-roasted pulled pork, caramelized onions, and tripled-melted cream cheese. The Scene: Cozy and casual, Bin No. 18 is close enough to the Arsht Center to attract both pre- and post-show traffic, gallery goers, and young professionals who turn out for wine and tasty Mediterranean dishes. Service is leisurely but friendly. The beer list is truly impressive, offering everything from hard-to-find microbrews to Belgians to daily blackboard specials. Hot Tip: All the Premier and La Liga soccer games are televised here.
Puerto Sagua 700 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-673-1115
The Draw: This hole-in-the-wall Cuban diner in the heart of South Beach serves up Cuban specialties—sandwiches, ropa vieja, beans and rice—quickly and efficiently, though seafood is its particular specialty. The Scene: Always busy, friendly, and reasonably priced, Puerto Sagua attracts a diverse crowd of locals and tourists, from blue-collar workers starting their day with a café con leche and pan tostado, to club kids winding down from a night of partying with an order of the fried platanos. Hot Tip: Among all the kitschy artwork on the walls, look for some genuine treasures—3-D pictures of Cuba done by the locally famous Scull sisters.
Versailles 3555 SW 8th St., Little Havana, 305-445-7614
The Draw: Enjoy your sandwich amid the splendid mirrors and chandeliers at Miami’s most iconic Cuban restaurant in Little Havana. The Scene: Let’s be honest, you might find a juicier sandwich in a strip mall shop, but you wouldn’t appreciate a true Cuban experience. Whenever there’s a rumor involving the Castro brothers, Versailles is the gathering place for Miami’s Cuban community, hence the occasional news trucks. Hot Tip: Versailles has now added a bakery next door, where you can buy savory treats like croquetas and empanadas, as well as traditional Cuban sweet pastries (meringues, dulce de leche, guava), perfect with a cafecito. And if you miss the chance to visit the Little Havana location, try Café Versailles at MIA.
