Best Cuban Coffee Shops In Miami

Cuban coffee culture in Greater Miami & Miami Beach dates back to the the 1950s, when Cubans arrived in South Florida. They brought their Cuban cuisine and cafecito and began opening “ventanitas,” or little windows, where you can order Cuban coffee to go or stay and socialize with fellow customers.

Cuban coffee is basically an espresso shot sweetened with sugar. It is made with an espresso machine or the stovetop “cafetera,” otherwise known as a Moka pot. There are four different ways you can order a Cuban coffee: cafecito, which is, essentially, sweetened espresso without milk, served in a “tacita” (tiny cup); café con leche, a shot of espresso made with steamed milk; cortadito, which is the same as a cafecito but with a splash of steamed milk; and colada, a portion of four to six espresso shots meant for sharing with family and friends.

Here are some of the best places to enjoy Cuban coffee in Miami.

Sergio’s

A true Miami staple for Cuban food since 1975, Sergio’s brings the same comfort and flavor to its coffee menu with the Iced Cortadito—Cuban coffee blended with sweet, steamed milk and served over ice. Spruce up your iced cortadito with a variety of flavors—such as guava, María cookie crumble, Cuban s’mores, pistachio, or cinnamon coconut—to customize your cup just the way you like it. Smooth, strong, and packed with Miami flavor, it’s the perfect refresher for treating yourself or powering through a midday slump.

Versailles

An iconic institution since it opened in 1971, MICHELIN-recommended Versailles in Little Havana is the place to visit if you want to try Cuban coffee and chitchat with Cuban locals at a ventanita. Its décor, including crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, is reminiscent of the past, and lines for the restaurant often snake outside the door. You can also eat in the dining room – where you can order Cuban entrées and specialities – or the bakery – where you can try their famous croquetas or pastelitos.

Tinta y Café

Tinta y Café is a mid-20th-century-style Cuban café in Coral Gables and a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand selection. You can sit either outside among the palm trees or inside at the coffee counter or by the shelves lined with books. The coffee here tastes rich yet comforting, and you can pair it with one of the many pressed sandwiches on the menu, from a scrumptious take on the Cuban sandwich, the Patria (ham, pork mortadella, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard), or the Pavo Real, consisting of turkey, cream cheese and guava preserve.

La Colada Gourmet

As you walk in, La Colada Gourmet, known as “The House of Cuban Coffee,” welcomes you with cheerful Spanish rock or pop music and a huge, red coffee roaster mixing coffee beans on the spot. Located in the heart of Calle Ocho (Southwest 8th Street) in Little Havana, La Colada Gourmet is an oasis for Cuban coffee lovers. You can purchase a bag of coffee (made on the premises) to take home, as well as cafeteras, local art and Cuban cigars and hats. Stop by for beautifully served Cuban coffee concoctions, and try the guava and cheese pastries for dessert.

Puerto Sagua

The perfect place for breakfast or lunch, Puerto Sagua is only a block away from the ocean in South Beach. The Cuban coffee (also served iced) is consistently delicious, and you can enjoy it at the counter, which takes you back to a Miami Beach of a former era. This family-owned spot opened in 1962 and has maintained its authentic feel. You can find typical Cuban classics like homemade "ropa vieja” (Cuban-style shredded beef served with rice and beans) and see locals reading their newspaper while sipping their Cuban coffee.

Las Olas Café

South Beach locals go to Las Olas Café for a legit cortadito and Cuban sandwich. This corner spot has a very casual vibe but an extensive menu, especially for breakfast and lunch. Enjoy avocado toast, steak and eggs and natural juices, eat either indoors or outdoors, or order to-go from the huge ventanita.

Suite Habana

Nayelis Delisle, the Cuban-born owner of Suite Habana in Wynwood, knows her customers by name. She founded the coffee shop in 2018 because she wanted to bring the real feel of Cuban culture to Miami; hence, the posters of Cuban movies and the colorful tiles at the bar. She says that in Cuba, you open a business in your home called a “paladar,” and drinking coffee is not supposed to be rushed. It is a chance to reset. So, she made Suite Habana Café feel like a living room where you can enjoy Cuban coffee in all its forms. Her bestseller is the iced café con leche, and you can purchase a bag of the shop’s own locally roasted coffee to bring home.