Spanish in Miami

Cava Flamenco Lounge Restaurant

3850 SW 8th St. Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-433-7666

Spanish, Bars and Clubs, Sponsor

1 article

100 Montaditos

3252 NE First Ave. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-921-4373

Sandwiches, Spanish, Tapas, Menu

There are about 200 locations worldwide, but the 100 Montaditos in midtown Miami is the first to open in America. It is the dollar store of fast-food franchises, but instead of a bunch of junk, you can get all sorts of great sandwiches: for instance, thin wisps of Serrano ham on warm, crunchy-crusted, olive-oil-drizzled, oven-fresh bread. That's $1. Other one-buck wonders include the same bread filled with pulled barbecue pork, smoked salmon, chorizo, or a host of other ingredients. For fifty cents more, diners are privy to sandwiches of tortilla española with chipotle aioli, or grilled chicken with brava sauce. Big spenders can get the $2 fillings, such as duck mousse with crisp onion. The same amount buys a hamburger or hot dog (100 sandwiches altogether). Sampler plates bring six montaditos for $8 and other such combinations. An 11-ounce bottle of Mahou 5 Estrellas beer is $2.50; a 17-ounce draft is $3. A five-beer bucket comes for $10; on Fridays it's two buckets for $10. Flat-screen TV sets provide entertainment, and the room looks more like a modern pub than a fast-food joint. Leave Ronald McDonald to the clowns.

4 articles

Alma

3206 Grand Ave. Coconut Grove

786-502-2155

Spanish, Tapas, Recommended

Chef Sergio Chamizo wants to educate his guests on the rich and vast culinary culture of Spain. At Alma, a sleek, industrial-style restaurant in Coconut Grove, Chamizo and his wife, Maria Polanco, serve food influenced by the chef's native Spain. Start your experience with the ajoblanco ($15), a kind of gazpacho from southern Spain, made with almonds, bread, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and Japanese mackerel. Then keep an eye out for the steak tartare with a miso-cured egg-yolk emulsion and smoked paprika rice cracker.

2 articles

Asador 5 Jotas

1148 SW 27th Ave. Little Havana

786-518-2111

Spanish, Tapas, Recommended, Slideshow

Although stuck in a neighborhood between Little Havana and Coral Gables better known for insurance agencies than for restaurants, Asador 5 Jotas provides a delicious oasis in a dining desert. Combining traditional Basque touches with a restrained modern decor, the restaurant makes Spanish expats and Miami socialites alike feel at home. The menu, which concentrates on the cuisine of northern Spain, features more than 20 tapas in addition to entrées and a succinct dessert list. Small plates such as sautéed eel with shrimp (gulas con gambas) highlight the kitchen's knack with seafood and Spanish ingredients. Huevos rotos — made with poached eggs, crusty bread, serrano ham, and flakes of manchego — could double as a brunch item. Carnivores will delight in the specialty grilled meats, including lamb chops and a two-pound rib eye. Owner Javier Eseverri says, “This restaurant is in the middle of nothing and in the middle of everything.”Read our full review.

4 articles

Barcelona Wine Bar

310 NW 25th St. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-824-2999

Spanish, Tapas

Barceloneta Miami

1400 20th St., Miami Beach South Beach

305-538-9299

Spanish, Tapas, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow

This hip neighborhood spot succeeds for the same reason the team's other two venues (Pubbelly and Pubbelly Sushi) have prospered: chef-driven, value-friendly food and drinks in a convivial and casual environment. Like a great actor, Barceloneta doesn't strain to achieve authenticity but reflects real Spanish cuisine through its own natural perspective. "Mercat" selections include Spanish cheeses — from Manchego to Mahón — and charcuterie such as jamón ibérico and Serrano ham. Better value comes via meats and fish grilled simply, such as a juicy eight-ounce skirt steak from Meyer Ranch or a meaty octopus tentacle from Spain. Heartier bistro courses include the traditional (tortilla española); traditional with a twist or two (chorizo a la sidra with added apples and creamy Valdeón blue cheese); and Ferran Adrià-inspired wonders such as octopus, chorizo, piquillo peppers, and tomato confit beneath a rich, delicate potato foam speckled with smoky pimentón de la Vera and drizzled with chorizo oil. Great Spanish wines, beers, and cocktails contribute to the good times. Barceloneta is an ideal spot to sit for a poet's dinner: a glass of Tempranillo, Manchego cheese, and some of that crusty bread. In fact, it's an ideal spot for dinner, period.

34 articles

Brisa De Espana

8726 NW 26th St. Doral

305-436-3995

Spanish, Restaurants, Best Of, Menu

Located in a mini-market that sells European ingredients and packaged foods, this no-frills eatery offers good-but-not-great Spanish food and hit-or-miss service. It is most popular as a takeout spot. A daily changing lunch menu consists of a potaje such as cream of broccoli or lentils and an assortment of appetizers such as chistorras fritas ($6), thin sausage that is fried, or sardinas a la plancha ($8.50), grilled sardines. Main dishes are heavy on seafood and can include zarzuela de mariscos ($25), a tomato-based casserole of seafood or paella for two ($16). Tapas consist of several types of tortilla Española ($3.75-$4.50), various shellfish and seafood sautéed in a garlic sauce ($7.50-$12), and a few more creative combinations such as artichoke and ham in a garlic sauce ($8) and piquillo peppers stuffed with codfish ($10). You can also order three different sizes of a tray of cold appetizers that include jamon Serrano, chorizo Cantimpalo, and Manchego cheese ($22-$45). And a counter display beckons with an assortment of empanadas and pastries that tend to look better than they taste. But takeout orders are usually processed quickly, making this a good stop for a quick meal on-the-go.

1 article

Bulla Gastrobar

2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Coral Gables/S. Miami

786-810-6215

Gastro Pub, Spanish, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

Bulla (pronounced boo-yah) is younger, cooler, and better than ever. Cocktails are delicious and fussy, infused with cardamom and currant syrup, lemongrass, and cucumber purée. Venture into the dining room, where chalkboards listing Spanish dishes adorn the blond-wood walls, to sample the small-plates cuisine. Doused in fried-tomato paste, albóndigas — veal-and-pork meatballs — swim in milky stracciatella. Croquetas de jamón — golden bits of pinguid beauty — gleam beneath a thin fig-jam glaze. On Saturday and Sunday, Bulla offers brunch. Try the decadent huevos Bulla — house-made potato chips topped with a jumbo organic egg, potato foam, thin slices of Serrano ham, and a prodigious drizzle of truffle oil.

45 articles

Bulla Gastrobar

5335 NW 87th Ave. Doral

305-260-6543

Spanish, Small Plates, Gastro Pub

The Spanish gastrobar Bulla (pronounced boo-yah) is younger, cooler, and better than ever. At the freestanding marble bar under the mahogany marquee, it's always time for a drink. Cocktails are delicious and fussy, infused with cardamom and currant syrup, lemongrass, and cucumber purée. Venture to the dining room, where chalkboards listing Spanish dishes swaddle blond-wood walls, to sample the small-plates cuisine. Doused in fried-tomato paste, albondigas — veal and pork meatballs — swim in milky stracciatella. Croquetas de jamón— golden bits of pinguid beauty — gleam beneath a thin fig jam glaze. Insider tip: Saturday and Sunday, Bulla offers a $28 three-course brunch. Try the decadent huevos Bulla — house-made potato chips topped with a jumbo organic egg, potato foam, thin slices of Serrano ham, and a prodigious drizzle of truffle oil.

23 articles

Bulla Gastrobar

8870 SW 136 St., Miami East Kendall/Pinecrest

786-988-5231

Spanish, Latin American, Menu, Readers' Choice

Cafe Que Rico

1822 NE Miami Gardens Dr. Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-945-5155

Coffeehouse, Sandwiches, Spanish, Best Of

Tres Marias are always better than uno - just ask Café Que Rico's signature Cafe Tres Marias Arabica bean blend. Their café con leche ($1.50) has been ranked Miami's best, and edible accompaniments range from classic ham and cheese croissants ($2.95) and pan con bistec ($7.50) to house specialty ensalada "Tuna Tony" (albacore tuna on a bed of romaine, $7.50) and alfajores cookies ($.75) In addition, diners can groove to live tunes till midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

2 articles

Casa Juancho

2436 SW 8th St. Little Havana

305-642-2452

Spanish, Restaurants, Best Of

One of the very first Spanish restaurants -- and longest-standing -- in the Magic City, Casa Juancho has a reputation that precedes itself. Large parties and families gather here for graduations, birthdays, and anything else worth celebrating. And why wouldn't they? Guitarists serenade guests with old-school Spanish tunes inside this cozy restaurant, which feels authentically Spanish thanks to its low, rustic wood ceilings and water well. Endless baskets of bread that make their way to your table are the perfect companion to Casa Juancho's soups, tapas, and entrées. Caldo gallego ($7) is a must on any visit. Switch up your selection of tapas -- from morcilla ($10) to something less risky but equally tasty, such as the croquetas de abuela filled with grouper ($10). Once you cross over into the entrées, prices get steep. If you want paella, there are four to choose from, all for $30 per person. You'll probably be too full for dessert, but then your server will present a demonstration tray, and suddenly you're ordering arroz con leche and torrijas. Ole!

10 articles

Casa Paco

8868 SW 40th St. Tamiami

305-554-7633

Spanish, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Most of the dishes at Casa Paco are as reasonably priced as they are delicious. Examples are the paella — chicken and rice or rice with seafood — and special house chicken, a tender half-boneless grilled bird smothered with onions, lime juice, butter, and pepper served with white rice and fried sweet plantains. Several kinds of fresh fish are prepared in countless ways. And don't forget the Spanish and Basque omelets. After you've devoured dinner, your belt might be tighter, but dessert is a must. A long list includes flan, rice pudding, homemade ice cream, and crema catalana, whose candied-sugar topping hides a creamy custard.

2 articles

Casa Xabi

3145 Commodore Plaza Coconut Grove

786-641-5102

Spanish

1 article

Chic's

4070 W. 12th Ave. Hialeah

305-556-8907

Cuban, Spanish, Best Of, Menu

Got a late-night craving for masa de puerco and congri? A sweet tooth for some flan? Chico's has you covered. For the past 30 years, this Hialeah eatery has been adding Cuban-American spice to the diner concept. You can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner 24 hours a day, and the seven-page menu usually features at least a dozen daily specials between $6 and $9, including typical favorites such as picadillo criollo, bistec empanizado, and ropa vieja. Other delectable comfort foods include an omelet loaded with fried plantains and Chico's special fried rice. Also noteworthy is the beer selection, with bottles of Modelo Especial, Modelo Negro, Sapporo, and Kalik chilling in the drink coolers. Directions for non-Hialeah denizens: Chico's is easily accessible via NW 67th Avenue, which turns into West 12th Avenue once you enter the city limits.

2 articles

Copas y Tapas

98 Miracle Mile Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-774-0927

Spanish, Restaurants, Recommended, Menu

This cozy, charming little tapas bar/retail wine shop is a deliciously affordable find amid the tony, pricey dining emporiums of Coral Gables. More than 100 Spanish wines are available for purchase either with a meal or simply to take home and sample something new. The tapas selection is limited but high-quality: Garlicky camarones al ajillo, piquillo peppers stuffed with a silken salt-cod/potato purée, and remarkably light and delicate Spanish tortillas are among the highlights. There's also a roster of "Spanish hoagies," various meats and cheeses on crusty baguettes that pair well with the rich, mayonnaisey "Russian" potato salad.

2 articles

Delicias de España

7384 Bird Rd. Westchester/West Miami

305-266-5529-305-261-6780

Spanish, Deli, Recommended, Best Of

English can be only very optimistically referred to as a second language at this Spanish market/café/bakery. But the stock of imported gourmet products, both packaged and fresh, is much more upscale than the low-rent monolingualism would suggest. Especially impressive are the artisan olive oils, unusual cheeses, and two brands of high-quality Serrano hams: mild, soft Campofrio and, for more sophisticated tastes, full-flavored, complex Redondo Iglesias. Both are sold either sliced or, more impressive, whole; for the latter, authentic jamonero ham holders are available, as are the long, sharp specialty knives to execute those paper-thin slices. At the popular café, customers generally line up for tapas and daily specials such as tortilla espanola con jamon serrano. As for the bakery, crema catalana is outstanding, as are various elegant and tasty tarts. Patrons less than fluent in Spanish can point.

12 articles

Edan Bistro

650 NE 125th St. North Miami

305-517-6801

Basque, Spanish

2 articles

El Bocaito

1801 Coral Way Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-856-8818

Spanish, Restaurants, Best Of

The term tapas derives from the Spanish verb tapar, "to cover." This jibes with at least one history of tapas, which has it that the snack originated as pieces of bread that Andalusians placed atop their sherry glasses to prevent fruit flies from diving in. Sometimes meat, such as ham or chorizo, were used as well; the saltiness increased beverage sales. Another version claims King Alfonso X of Castille, after recuperating from illness via a diet of wine with small dishes of food, decreed that all taverns must serve small bites with drinks. A third rendition of the word's origin is that the owner of El Bocaito, which took over the former Xixón space on Coral Way, invented them last year. Granted, this last theory hasn't gained much traction among historians, but head to this cozy Spanish taverna and sample the chorizo al infierno (with red wine), pulpo vinaretta (marinated octopus), bolaitos de cangrejo (crab fritters), salmorejo Cordobés (cold soup with egg and Serrano ham); almejas a la marinera (baby clams in white wine sauce), or any of the extensive selections ($5 to $12 each), and you're liable to forget about prior versions. This is especially true if you have a few glasses of wine with your meal.

2 articles

El Carajo International Tapas & Wine

2465 SW 17th Ave. Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-856-2424

Spanish, Tapas, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Essentials

Some of the best tapas in Miami can be found in a gas station convenience store at the corner of South Dixie Highway and SW 17th Avenue. Past the shelves of motor oil, sodas, and potato chips, you'll find El Carajo, a thoroughly charming wine and tapas bar that offers a 2,000-bottle wine list and a roster of tapas and main plates that's nearly as extensive. Even better, wine and food alike are exceptional values. The tabla de carne, an assortment of grilled skirt steak, lamb and pork chops, chicken breast, sausages, potatoes, and roasted peppers, will easily feed three hungry diners. Finish with a rich, creamy caramel flan.

14 articles

El Pimiento

16403 NW 67th Ave. Miami Lakes

305-826-8181

Spanish, Tapas, Best Of, Menu

There is more to Miami Lakes, which is squeezed between Hialeah and Miramar, than residential neighborhoods, golf, and a shrine to sports legend Don Shula. Residents have been hiding a shopping-center tapas gem for almost four years. Complete with a Spanish flag, cork-covered tables, and two terra cotta walls decorated with wine bottles for the picking, the quaint locale whisks patrons off to Spain even though it's located just a few feet from a convenience store. Three employees run the 12-table restaurant most nights; they recommend just the right wine to accompany more than 60 tapas including croquetas de bacalao ($5.95), tortilla española ($5.95), and garbanzo frito ($7.95), in that exact order. For those looking for a fuller meal, the suburban hush-hush also serves larger dishes such as paella valenciana ($26.95). Owner, part-time chef, and Spaniard Mylo Gonzalez remembers every face and makes sure visitors return to his little piece of Andalusia.

4 articles

El Rincon Asturiano

225 SW 17th Ave. Little Havana

305-643-8822

Spanish, Best Of

There's no shortage of tapas joints littered across the Miami landscape. But good, authentic Spanish light bites aren't as easy to find. Enter El Rincon Asturiano, a popular Spanish eatery in Little Havana that earns rave reviews from the likes of picky diners. Their tapas selection is extensive in its inclusion of both cold and hot options, including seleccion de pepe (serrano ham, pork loin and cheese), tabla de quesos (Spanish cheeses Cabrales, Manchego, Tetilla and Mahon) and gambas al ajillo (shrimp sautéed in olive oil, fresh garlic and hot Spanish "guindilla"). But it's their sizzling chorizos a la sidra, spice-cured pork sausage cooked with Spanish cider and sopped up with bread that really leaves tongues wagging all over town. They also have paellas, pork loins, crusty Spanish sandwiches and plenty of other authentic eats. Wash down your ham and cheese with a glass of sangria or Spanish vino. Reservations are recommended, as you're bound to find the spot abuzz with Barcelona transplants, homesick for a little arroz negro.

1 article

Ideas Restaurant

2833 Bird Ave., Coconut Grove South Dade

305-567-9076

Spanish, Restaurants, Recommended

You can watch executive chef Jorge Sanchez and his kitchen crew at work in a gleaming stainless-steel kitchen; the rest of the tastefully appointed space is bathed in beige, gracefully draped, and soothingly illuminated. Don't miss the suckling baby pig, well-spiced and succulently confited in its fat until the crust absolutely crackles. Bouncy baby lamb chops will appeal to more conventional carnivores, as surely will the 35-ounce, $68 bone-in rib eye steak - which is for two people but an unusually large cut nonetheless. A dessert of scintillating lime sorbet? Hoo-boy. And hooray for the genteel service.

4 articles

Jattö

223 NW 23rd St. Midtown/Wynwood/Design District

305-982-8960

South American, Spanish

Henry Hané's Jattö is one of the most interesting restaurants in Wynwood. The restaurant cites the cuisines of Peru, Colombia, and Spain as influences, but Hané and chef Aleric "AJ" Constantin have constructed a menu that offers comfort food like suckling pig BBQ tips and patatas bravas with a chef-driven touch. The cocktail menu is as interesting, with plays on favorites like a rum negroni with a banana vermouth wash. The best way to dine is at the patio bar, grazing on multiple dishes and cocktails while taking in a balmy Miami evening.

1 article

Kebo Restaurant

200 Crandon Blvd., Suite 104 Key Biscayne

305-365-1244

Mediterranean, Spanish, Tapas, Best Of

A classic and imaginative Spanish food restaurant offering the best of the Mediterranean Spanish cuisine, featuring deliciously composed "tapas" perfect for sharing, meats, fishes, paellas, and more in an inside or outside warm and relaxed atmosphere. Both in the restaurant or bar area, enjoy a wine, cava, and beer list filled with specialty spanish beverages.

1 article

La Bodeguita Restaurant

2005 W 4th Ave. Hialeah

786-542-8149

Spanish

Spanish restaurant with performance space.

La Dorada

177 Giralda Ave. Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-446-2002

Seafood, Spanish, Recommended, Menu

The reason La Dorada has been a mainstay of Giralda Avenue for so many a year is the availability and quality of exceptional seafood from Spain. Thrice weekly fish are flown from the ports of Malaga, including merluza (hake), urta (red-band bream), lubina (striped sea bass), cuttlefish (calamarilike), and dorada (royal sea bream). Golden, greaseless fried fresh anchovies is a good way to jump onboard, as would be any number of simply prepared shellfish, such as razor clams spruced with olive oil, parsley, and garlic, or fresh anchovy fillets pooled in nothing but a simple tomato coulis. The signature entree (for two) is pescado a la sal, in which the fish you choose gets baked in a solid sea-salt crust, cracked and filleted tableside, and served with extra-virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, and homemade mayonnaise. The restaurant's namesake fish -- with white, moist, mildly sweet flesh boasting buttery, slightly nutty accents -- works well with this treatment. This Spanish seafood restaurant isn't perfect -- the prices are quite high, and a few fish dishes won't quite hook you -- but an excellent wine list, solid service, and delicious, exotic seafood are the norm.Read our full review.

7 articles

La Taberna de Ignacio

1800 W. 68th St., # 123 Hialeah

305-820-1091

Spanish, Best Of

1 article

La Taberna Giralda

254 Giralda Ave. Coral Gables/S. Miami

786-362-5677

Spanish, Tapas, Recommended, Menu

Upon entering La Taberna Giralda, it appears to be more wine shop than dining establishment, as wooden crates and cardboard cases filled with mostly South American bottles take up the restaurant's entranceway. Like stage props, they provide the requisite setting and mood — that of a quaintly cluttered, Old World bistro. The atmosphere, in fact, practically begs you convert a couple of those bottles into a starring role with your meal; so does a corkage fee of only two dollars. The Peruvian cuisine may play second fiddle to the endearing environment, but most of it is first rate just the same. The seafood-intense menu only offers one fish, corvina, and a cast of assorted shellfish, all of which are available deep-fried, broiled, stewed, and sauteed, with sundry sauces such as tomato, garlic, picante, or cilantro. A few beef dishes are available as well.

2 articles

Las Culebrinas

2890 S.W. 27th Ave. Coconut Grove

305-448-4090

Cuban, Spanish, Tapas, Best Of, Menu

Big portions, tasty fare, inexpensive prices -- is it any wonder the lines are so long? This Cuban-Spanish café features tapas such as chickpeas sautéed with chorizo, and cold seafood marinated in a vinaigrette dressing. Vaca frita and palomilla are excellent entrées; daily specials tend to be more inventive -- fried beef brains, sautéed frog's legs, alligator française, and goat stewed in Coke. Crema catalana, the house dessert, is blowtorched right at the table for that delicate, burnt-sugar crust.

3 articles

Las Culebrinas

4700 W. Flagler St. Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-445-2337

Cuban, Spanish, Recommended, Menu

Big portions, tasty fare, inexpensive prices -- is it any wonder the lines are so long? This Cuban-Spanish café features tapas such as chickpeas sautéed with chorizo, and cold seafood marinated in a vinaigrette dressing. Vaca frita and palomilla are excellent entrées; daily specials tend to be more inventive -- fried beef brains, sautéed frog's legs, alligator française, and goat stewed in Coke. Crema catalana, the house dessert, is blowtorched right at the table for that delicate, burnt-sugar crust.

3 articles

Las Culebrinas

12257 S. Dixie Highway East Kendall/Pinecrest

305-969-3995

Cuban, Spanish, Best Of, Menu

Big portions, tasty fare, inexpensive prices -- is it any wonder the lines are so long? This Cuban-Spanish café features tapas such as chickpeas sautéed with chorizo, and cold seafood marinated in a vinaigrette dressing. Vaca frita and palomilla are excellent entrées; daily specials tend to be more inventive -- fried beef brains, sautéed frog's legs, alligator française, and goat stewed in Coke. Crema catalana, the house dessert, is blowtorched right at the table for that delicate, burnt-sugar crust.

1 article

Las Tapas de Rosa

449 SW Eighth St. Little Havana

305-856-9788

Spanish, Tapas, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

This little gem in a strip mall at SW Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street takes the edge off the day with nice wine, good tapas, and a relaxed atmosphere. A zarzuela de mariscos includes bay scallops and a broth that's beautifully light, properly salted, and delightfully tasty. The squid, mussels, and other parts of the casserole are excellent. The calamari is plentiful and lightly fried. Double your return on the zarzuela investment by dipping the calamari in the seafood broth. The real standout is the tortilla española with chorizo. It's flavorful, plentiful, and spicy.

2 articles

Spanish in Miami

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