13 Foods You Have to Try During a Miami Beach Vacation (and Where to Find Them)

Miami has a food scene all its own. It’s completely different from anything you’ll find elsewhere throughout Florida, and if you’re coming to this destination just hoping to enjoy the beaches, nightlife, history, and culture—but you’re meanwhile ignoring the food scene—well, I implore you to change your plans.

With all of its cultural influences and rich history, Miami offers up an array of amazing restaurants, and we’re not just talking about the fine dining establishments that have received renown in national publications. Neighborhood spots, local eateries and corner delis, coffee shops and bakeries have all cemented themselves as staples.

So what exactly do you need to make sure that you sample during your Miami beach vacation? And where should you go to find these foods? We have a few suggestions.

If you associate any particular food with Miami, it’s probably the Cuban, or Cubano, sandwich. Pressed bread meets ham, pork, cheese, pickles, and mustard for a tantalizing combination. Sure, you can now find Cuban sandwiches all over the country, but why would you not want to taste the goodness straight from the source?

Sanguich is a fav for Cuban sandwiches, ranked one of the best spots in Miami and gaining status as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant for multiple years in a row (that’s the Michelin recognition that restaurants receive if they’re not quite at the star level, in part due to price point, but the organization has still deemed them worthy of a nod).

With multiple locations throughout the area, Sanguich offers not just an award-winning Cubano, but also other sandwiches that are worth your consideration. There’s the pan con lechon, with its shredded garlic confit pork and garlic aioli. There’s the croqueta preparade (we’ll get to croquetas in a moment). As for a side, try the chicharrones (pork rinds) or Cuban nachos (plantain strips topped with garlic confit lechon and pickled onions).

Another dish for which we must thank Miami’s Cuban neighborhoods, ropa vieja is a shredded, slow-cooked beef dish. The dish’s roots are deep, and can be traced all the way back to Spain, before it was brought over to the Caribbean and then Cuba and now Miami. It’s often served with rice, beans, and fried plantains.

As for where to go to get it? Try Café La Trova or Sergio’s. 

If you know croquettes, then you know croquetas, basically. The French croquettes are a glorious, fried mashed potato finger food, whereas Spanish and Cuban croquetas are similarly shaped and fried, but the potatoes are swapped for a bechamel base and fillings such as ham or chicken. You get a crispy exterior and a creamy interior.

Croquetas make for a great snack, but they’re not uncommon as a side, eaten alongside other Miami-Cuban classics on this list.

As for where you should go to grab a serving? One of the absolute favorite picks is Islas Canarias. You can also find them at the aforementioned Sanguich.

I promise that this list isn’t only going to be filled with Cuban delights, but I have to mention cafecito—aka, Cuban espresso. The name means “little coffee,” and it’s strong and sweet. Can’t quite handle the strength of the Cafecito? You can always take things down a notch when you opt for a cortadito—it’s the same espresso but it’s been cut with steamed milk, by about half.

You’ll have no trouble finding Cuban coffee throughout the city, but favorite spots include La Ventanita and La Colada Gourmet. 

For the ultimate experience, pair your coffee with pastelitos, aka a tantalizing Cuban pastry often filled with guava and cheese.

Miami boasts a plethora of Latin and Caribbean influences that go far beyond the shores of Cuba. For example, both the Colombian and Venezuelan influences are broadly seen throughout the city’s food scene, and can particularly be witnessed in the popularity of its arepas.

Note that Colombian and Venezuelan arepas are different, though. The Colombian version is a corn cake that can be topped with various proteins or cheese, etc. Venezuelan arepas resemble a pocket and are stuffed rather than topped.

Try the arepas at Pepito Arepas Bar.

Ceviche is another Latin transplant that’s made its way up into Miami, by way of Peru. The raw seafood delicacy can be found in an array of restaurants across the city. The aptly named Cvi.che 105 is a good place to start your sampling, but other spots to get your fix include Francesco in Coral Gables and Barra Callao in North Miami Beach.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, the term “fritanga” does not refer to a certain, singular food. Instead, a fritanga is a casual or street food-style Nicaraguan eatery. The food might be grilled or fried, and rice and beans are staples. Large servings are par for the course. And you can find fritangas throughout Miami, with spots that have become favorites with locals and visitors alike.

Try Caña Brava or Pinolandia, both well-reviewed.

Not sure what to order? Safe bets at any fritanga include carne asada, rice and beans, fried cheese, and fried plantains.

Back to the Cuban influences! A frita is basically a Cuban hamburger. You’ve got a beef and pork (sometimes in the form of chorizo) patty, a lot of seasonings, and onions. Add on some potato strings and a ketchup-based sauce. Pile it all onto Cuban bread. You have the frita.

Try the appropriately named El Rey de las Fritas for one of the best. 

Stone crabs are a Florida specialty. The meat is tender and sweet and, interestingly, sustainable in its own way. When stone crabs are trapped, harvesters literally take just the crab’s claw. The crab is then set free and its claw will eventually regrow. The harvested claw, though, is what you’re going to be chowing down on. It’s often served steamed, chilled, cracked, and alongside a mustard sauce.

As is the case with most coastal seafood, you’re going to want to try this item when it’s as fresh as possible—and the stone crab season begins somewhere around mid-October and stretches through the spring, up until May 1.

Joe’s Stone Crab may be Miami’s most well-known spot for the dish, but you can find it plenty elsewhere. Another favorite is Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market. If you want to enjoy a really celebratory atmosphere, try attending the Everglades Seafood Festival in February. (It’s about a two-hour drive from Miami.)

Okay, okay—yes, key lime pie is technically a Key West thing. That doesn’t mean that you can’t also find some amazing key lime pie in Miami, too, no need to drive south.

Some of the best key lime pies in the city include those that you’ll find at Fireman Derek’s (yes, Derek is real and he was actually a firefighter at one point) and Fookem’s Fabulous.

If you happen to visit the aforementioned Joe’s Stone Crab, you’ll find some admirable key lime pie there, too.

And if you really want a budget-friendly slice or whole pie, and don’t want to bother going to a restaurant to get it (I’ve been there during a beach vacation or two), well, Publix is always an option.

Like key lime pie, the broader traveling public may associate conch fritters more so with the Keys and Caribbean, but you can still find plenty of this seafood favorite in Miami. Fried fresh until golden brown, if you like clams or scallops, chances are you’ll probably like conch, too.

Try Miracle Fry Conchfritters, a popular, cash-only street-side food spot located at 7070 NW 15th Ave.

If you only know roti for this food’s associations with Indian and South Asian cuisine, you’re maybe missing out on a whole world of deliciousness. Take, for example, the roti that you’ll find in Miami. It’s Caribbean in nature, with West Indian and Trinidadian connections. Flatbread surrounds savory curries and stews, all seasoned to perfection.

There are myriad places where you can go to sample this meal all-by-itself: Caribbean Delite, B&M Market and Roti Shop and L.C. Roti Shop are all popular. 

Last and certainly not least, we have an appetizer that’s most often connected to Flanigan’s in Miami. So what is it? 

Hardly a cultural marker (unless that culture is American fried foods), and yet still amazing in every way, the rib roll is like an egg roll, but the unique filling has nothing to do with your favorite Chinese takeaway. Instead, that deep-fried egg roll wrapper is stacked with rib meat, pulled pork, cheese, onions, and barbecue sauce.

I mean, what’s not to love?