Food · Miami · United States
What to eat in Miami
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Miami, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Cuban sandwich, Cafecito and colada and Croquetas. Order a colada at a Cuban coffee window, share it in thimble-sized cups and add a pastelito or croqueta, as Miamians do every morning and mid-afternoon. Check the bill: many Miami Beach restaurants automatically add an 18–20% service charge, so you do not need to tip twice.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Cuban sandwich
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tip about 18–22% at restaurants unless a service charge has already been added (common…
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Cuban sandwich (Cubano)
Roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard pressed on Cuban bread until crisp. Miami and Tampa both claim the definitive version; Miami's leaves out salami.
Where: Cuban cafés and bakeries in Little Havana, Westchester and Hialeah, and walk-up windows across the city.
Drink · Vegetarian
2.Cafecito and colada
Cuban espresso brewed strong and whipped with sugar into a sweet foam. A colada is a larger serving in a cup with tiny plastic cups for sharing, and a cortadito adds steamed milk.
Where: Ventanitas, the walk-up coffee windows of Cuban cafés and bakeries all over the city.
Snack
3.Croquetas
Small fried rolls of creamy béchamel mixed with ham, chicken or fish, eaten with morning coffee and ordered by the dozen for parties.
Where: Cuban bakeries and cafés across the city.
Dessert · Vegetarian
4.Pastelitos
Flaky puff-pastry turnovers filled with guava, guava and cream cheese, or seasoned ground beef, eaten for breakfast or as a snack with a cafecito.
Where: Cuban bakeries in Little Havana, Westchester and Hialeah.
Street food
5.Frita cubana
A Cuban-style burger of seasoned beef mixed with chorizo on a soft roll, topped with a pile of crispy shoestring potatoes.
Where: Long-running frita counters on Calle Ocho in Little Havana.
Dish
6.Stone crab claws
Florida stone crab claws are served chilled and cracked with a tangy mustard sauce. The season usually opens in mid-October and runs into spring; Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach has served them since 1913.
Where: Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach and seafood restaurants across the city in season.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Key lime pie
Tart custard made with small, aromatic Key limes and condensed milk in a graham-cracker crust, topped with meringue or whipped cream; it takes its name from the Florida Keys.
Where: Bakeries, seafood restaurants and Key lime specialists across Miami.
Dish
8.Ceviche
Raw fish or seafood cured in lime juice with chilli, onion and coriander, reflecting Miami's Peruvian and wider Latin American communities.
Where: Peruvian restaurants in Brickell, Downtown and the suburbs.
Street food · Vegetarian
9.Arepas
Venezuelan and Colombian corn cakes, split and stuffed with fillings such as shredded beef, black beans, fried plantain and white cheese.
Where: Venezuelan restaurants in Doral and arepa counters across the city.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Mamey batido
A thick tropical milkshake made with mamey, a sweet salmon-coloured fruit, or with mango, soursop or papaya.
Where: Cuban cafés and fruit stands, including the long-running Robert Is Here stand in Homestead on the way to the Everglades.
Snack
11.Conch fritters
Deep-fried balls of batter with chopped conch, a Bahamian and Florida Keys favourite served with a spicy dipping sauce.
Where: Seafood shacks, Caribbean restaurants and Keys-style waterfront bars.
Food experiences
Ventanita coffee stop
Order a colada at a Cuban coffee window, share it in thimble-sized cups and add a pastelito or croqueta, as Miamians do every morning and mid-afternoon.
Little Havana food walk
Walk Calle Ocho tasting fritas, croquetas, guava pastries and fresh sugarcane juice, then finish with live Cuban music at a bar.
Stone crab season lunch
From mid-October, stone crab claws arrive on menus; a long lunch at a classic South Beach crab house is a Miami ritual.
Miami Spice
Every late summer, usually in August and September, many of the city's well-known restaurants offer fixed-price lunch and dinner menus under the Miami Spice programme.
Quick bites and street food
- Croquetas — Cuban bakeries and cafés across the city.
- Frita cubana — Long-running frita counters on Calle Ocho in Little Havana.
- Arepas — Venezuelan restaurants in Doral and arepa counters across the city.
- Conch fritters — Seafood shacks, Caribbean restaurants and Keys-style waterfront bars.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Cafecito and colada, Pastelitos, Key lime pie, Arepas and Mamey batido. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Check the bill: many Miami Beach restaurants automatically add an 18–20% service charge, so you do not need to tip twice.
- Avoid the touts and giant-cocktail menus on Ocean Drive; walk a block inland to Washington or Collins Avenue for better value.
- Dinner starts late by US standards, often after 8pm in Brickell and South Beach.
- At ventanitas you order at the window and drink standing at the counter; service is fast and informal.
- Book well-known restaurants ahead in the winter high season and during Art Basel week in December.
Tipping
Tip about 18–22% at restaurants unless a service charge has already been added (common on Miami Beach), a dollar or two per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares, and a few dollars per bag for porters and valets.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cafecito | A small, sweet Cuban espresso |
| Colada | A shareable Cuban coffee in a larger cup |
| Ventanita | A walk-up coffee window |
| ¿Qué tal? | How's it going? |
| Gracias | Thank you |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Miami famous for?
Cuban sandwich, Cafecito and colada, Croquetas and Pastelitos. Roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard pressed on Cuban bread until crisp.
+Is Miami good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Cafecito and colada, Pastelitos and Key lime pie.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Miami?
Tip about 18–22% at restaurants unless a service charge has already been added (common on Miami Beach), a dollar or two per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares, and a few dollars per bag for porters and valets.