The Colorful Florida Neighborhood That's Serving Up Some Of The Best Caribbean Cuisine

If you're on a quest to find the best Caribbean food, you will likely find yourself in Little Havana at some point. Located on the west side of Miami, the vibrant neighborhood with a buzzing street life is home to a mostly Latinx population of over 50,000 people.

In the 1970s, 20 years after Cuba's political exiles fled to Miami, 85% of Little Havana's residents shared a Cuban heritage. Now, the neighborhood is a melting pot of Caribbean cultures. Cuban food is still king. However, large numbers of people of Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Dominican descent have made the food scene as diverse as those who call Little Havana home.

If you find yourself eating your way through Little Havana, you might stop at Milly's Restaurant, which dishes out Dominican classics like the sweet and creamy breakfast dish mangu as well as the savory mofongo. If you're not familiar with mofongo and what it tastes like, it's a dish made with fried and mashed plantains, typically stuffed with pork or shrimp. Meanwhile Mangrove is one of the top-rated spots for Jamaican food, offering fan favorites like jerk chicken and curried oxtail.

With a name like Little Havana, you expect some great Cuban food. One of the quintessential dishes is the Cubano, a classic Cuban sandwich that typically features slow-roasted pork shoulder, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and mustard between two pieces of grilled Cuban bread. While Cubanos aren't in short supply on the streets of little Havana, some spots serve superior versions. "If it's a Cuban sandwich you are looking for, I'd suggest Sanguich on 8th Street," one commenter writes on a Reddit thread dedicated to the best Cuban food in Miami. "It's not overrated," another chimes in, adding, "It is as good as they say." Meanwhile, landmark restaurants like Versailles serve up Cuban classics like rice, beans, plantains, pork, and plenty of fresh seafood. 

There are many other Cuban delights to be found around Little Havana. El Pub is the place to go for Cuban empanadas filled with beef, chicken, pork, ham and cheese, spinach and cheese, or guava and cheese as well as a sweet shot or two of Cuban coffee. Also called a cafecito, Cuban coffee gets its unique flavor from demerara sugar blended with a small amount of espresso that's added back into the rest of the shot.

If you're looking for delicious Nicaraguan food, wander down Calle Ocho to Guayacan Miami Restaurant where you'll find top-rated classic dishes that include grilled meats, seafood in savory cream sauces, and a selection of fresh and citrusy ceviche. Perhaps you're looking for something a bit more casual that will allow you to taste a smorgasbord of Nicaraguan delights. Fritanga Caña Brava offers a cafeteria-style set up with loads of different dishes piled into a hot bar. Here you'll find Repochetas, fried tortillas loaded with cheese, cabbage slaw, and Nicaraguan cream, as well as some delicious cheesy plantain dishes.

There's no shortage of Honduran restaurants scattered across Little Havana either. If it's baleadas you want (a type of Honduran soft taco filled with rice, beans, cheese, and sometimes protein), folks swear by Paseo Catracho on Little Havana's main drag. Several blocks down, located in the Flamingo Mall, 504 Sabor Catracho has traditional options like carne asada and a crispy chicken dish called ceibeño de pollo that are among the restaurant's most beloved and best-reviewed dishes.