Top 3 Cuban Coffee Places in Miami (no tourist traps)

Hopefully I do my home city some justice with this one!

As a native Miamian, I grew up dipping my buttery tostada (Cuban toast) in the rich cafe con leche (Cuban latte) ordered from none other than “la ventanita” (little window). IYKYK.

Some friends of mine were even hydrated with coladas (Cuban espresso) via an IV! Ah just kidding, but they may as well have been with how much brew they knock back.

Either way, it’s a right of passage to not only drink Cuban coffee, but also to make Cuban coffee. No seriously, perfecting a colada batch was a competitive sport at my former job.  

But one step at a time.

Here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of the typical Cuban coffees you’ll find in Miami, click the drop down for some definitions courtesy of Wiki:
Colada

3-6 shots of Cuban-style espresso served in a Styrofoam cup along with small plastic espresso cups.

Cuban espresso. (2022, December 10). In Wikipedia.

Cortadito

a standard espresso shot topped off with steamed milk.

Cortado. (2022, December 10). In Wikipedia.

Café con leche

or “coffee with milk”, is an espresso served alongside a cup of hot or steamed milk. 

Cuban espresso. (2022, December 10). In Wikipedia.

VICKY BAKERY

So I like to go extra classic and head out to the original location in SE Hialeah (image above), but if that isn’t possible for you, they’ve got one of these in almost every neighborhood in Miami and even Ft. Lauderdale.

Order a café con leche and a tostada and take that tostada and DUNK it in your coffee. You’ll thank me later!

Vicky Bakery will most certainly have you covered with ANY coffee you’re looking to try. It’s an absolute staple for locals.

VITO’S BAKERY

This hole in the wall has been serving locals since 1989.  It is located in the beautiful residential area of Virginia Gardens next to Miami International Airport, and has some of THE BEST pastelitos (cuban pastries) in town.

Order one of each so you can try them all! My favorite is the pastelito de coco (coconut).

Of course don’t forget your coffee. I recommend a Cortado.

EL PUB RESTAURANT

At El Pub Restaurant you can dine in or place your order at “la ventanita” (little window) if you’re on the go.  You are sure to find many locals here picking up their daily fix!

If you’re in a group order a colada so you guys can split a shot each. Otherwise get the café con leche.

I recommend accompanying your coffee with an empanada de carne (beef empanada), and a pastelito de queso (cheese pastry) for dessert.

Then take a walk down the historic and colorful Calle Ocho.

There are tons of Cuban shops, bars, and tasty treats like Cuban-influenced Azúcar Ice Cream Company to keep you occupied for at least an hour.

Find out why I included Azúcar in my 6 Best Ice Cream Shops in Miami post here!

Advice/Tips:

1.  Expect to be greeted and spoken to in Spanish. Many employees understand English, but it doesn’t hurt to practice your order in Spanish before approaching the counter.
2.  For your own sake (aaaand the sake of everyone with you) refrain from drinking an entire cup of colada if it’s your first time (ha, or really ever). Even the pros max out after a couple of shots.

Hello there and welcome!  My blog is for the curious explorer who feels the world is too big to stay in one place all the time!