Cuban Miami: Calle Ocho and the cafecito, the back story

About Cuban Miami: Calle Ocho and the cafecito, the back story

By the ULTIMATE Miami Editorial Team

Little Havana’s SW 8th Street, Calle Ocho, is the heart of Cuban Miami. This is how to enjoy it: what to order, where to sit and when to go.

The ventanita

All over Miami you will see people gathered at a ventanita, a walk-up window, for a cafecito: a tiny, very sweet Cuban espresso. Versailles Restaurant on Calle Ocho, open since 1971, has a busy window of its own, along with a bakery.

At the table

Versailles’ mirrored dining room is the place for classic Cuban dishes such as ropa vieja and the Cuban sandwich. Further east on Calle Ocho, Café La Trova celebrates the Cuban bar tradition, with cantineros making classic daiquirís and live trova music.

In Miami, coffee is not a drink but a pause: a thimble of sweet cafecito, shared at a window on the street.

Dominoes and music

Máximo Gómez Park, better known as Domino Park, is where regulars meet over games of dominoes; watch quietly and respectfully. At night, Ball & Chain fills with Latin bands and dancers.

When to go

Come in the morning for coffee and the park, have a long lunch, and return after dark for the music. Calle Ocho is busiest at weekends.

Our advice: order a colada if you are with friends. It is a larger cafecito meant to be poured into tiny cups and shared.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Cuban Miami: Calle Ocho and the cafecito, the back story before you go.