From Cuban sandwiches to key lime pies: exploring the best of Miami's iconic food scene

Florida’s official state pie, no visit to Miami is complete without a taste of a delicious Key Lime Pie. Keeping in with America’s capitalist tradition, the origins of the Key Lime Pie can in large be traced back to advertising. Borden, a condensed milk producer, produced the “Magic lemon Cream Pie” in 1931, from which the floridian desert is widely believed to be derived from. The recipe required condensed milk of course, along with egg yolks, lemon juice and rind and a meringue topping, all things that makeup current Key Lime Pie recipes. The fresh local Key limes make this dish a uniquely floridian treat, being more tart and aromatic than the typical Persian limes, although they have not been grown in the United State since the 1926 Miami hurricane, they are mainly imported from South and Central America. 

There are many wonderful places to enjoy a slice of Florida’s official state pie in Miami but here are some of our favourites. 

First, you must get your hands on a Key Lime Pie from Publix. These iconic pies are a favourite in floridian households and with good reason, they are tasty and creamy. The supermarket has been serving them since 1957 so it’s no surprise that they have the recipe down to a science! 

There are a few different Publix’s in Miami, click here to find out which one is closest to you. 

Kush Wynwood is widely known for its delectable burgers but their homemade Key Lime Pie is impeccable and will only leave you wanting a second slice. 

Often voted Miami’s best Key Lime Pie, be sure to stop by Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop, with two Miami locations, one in Wynwood, and the other in Coconut Grove. Their crushed graham cracker crust is perfect and their smooth fluffy topping makes for a dreamy desert experience. 

This classic Miami snack usually consists of fried pork rinds or pork rind. A testament to the city’s South and Central American culture, there’s no getting away from this delightful treat. With an incredible variety of takes on the dish depending on which country you are from, the Miami/United States variation tends to consist of pig fat and skin without the meat served in bags with potato chips, or corn as a fast food dish. 

Here are our favourite spots to grab some of the most flavourful Chicharrones in Miami.

El Palacio de los Jugos is renowned for its mastery of Cuban delicacies and incredibly tasty menu items, of which Chicharrones are no exception. With multiple locations sprinkled around the city, there’s no excuse not to hit up this joint. 

A favourite amongst Miami locals, Fritanga La Leonesa serves up some delectable Chicharron, the whole thing very decently priced by weight so you can order as much or as little as you like. Located on 12th Avenue, on the corner of West Flagler Street, it’s a pretty easy joint to get to. 

La Ventana is an amazing Colombian restaurant located on Washington Avenue, parallel to Ocean Drive. A great place to experience a different take on Chicharrones in a friendly and inviting atmosphere. Often served with rice and eggs, La Ventana elevates Chicharrones to be more than just a snack. 

Stone crabs are a seasonal dish, served from October to March, using local crabs to serve up the tastiest and juiciest meat of the crustician. The stone crab claws vary in shapes and sizes but are traditionally served cracked on a bed of ice to keep them nice and fresh, with barely any seasoning needed as their meat is flavourful enough. 

No Visit to Miami is complete without a visit to Joe’s Stone Crab. The iconic restaurant opened in 1913 and is a pillar of the Miami food scene. They are best known for their impeccable stone crab, as their name suggests, and are the perfect spot for enjoying the local dish. 

If you can’t make it to Joe’s, Garcia’s is a fantastic alternative, serving up fresh seafood dishes with beautiful seafront views. 

Monty’s Raw Bar is a wonderful and more affordable option to experience Miami’s iconic dish. The atmosphere out on the Marina is another perk of this spot. 

An iconic dish in Colombia, Arepas are a staple in the northern region of South America’s cuisine. The small round, almost cake-looking snacks are made from ground corn dough stuffed with whichever fillings you like but these typically include meats, cheeses and vegetables, making for a surprisingly filling meal. As Miami has a vibrant South and Central American food scene, the city is brimming with excellent arepas joints and it would be a shame to miss out on them while in town. 

Here are some of our favourite spots to grab an arepa: 

Doggi’s Arepa Bar is a family-owned Venezuelan spot that serves, you guessed it, arepas! Their menu has just the right amount of variety of fillings to choose from. With two locations in Miami, it’s the ideal spot for an arepas break. 

La Latina on 2nd Avenue serves wonderful Venezuelan comfort food, including some succulent arepas. Their menu is colourful and will bring brightness into your day. 

It will come with no surprise that no trip to Miami is complete without a bite of its most legendary meal: the Cuban sandwich. The delicacy is the product of demand from Cuban workers immigrating to the area and needing a fitting lunch, so places like Miami, Tampa and Key West all developed their own take on the sandwich. The sandwich is traditionally made with an assortment of roasted pork, ham, cheese and mustard on Cuban bread, a similar white bread to baguette but with slightly different ingredients and cooking methods.  

The Cuban Sandwich has also been at the centre of a long-standing semi-serious rivalry between Tampa and Miami, both claiming to have the superior Cuban sandwich. The difference being that Tampa often adds Salami to its sandwiches, having a large Italian community. 

Some of our favourite spots to drop by and grab your own taste of Cuba in Miami include: 

Old’s Havana for that classic, hearty and delicious food that make up Cuban cuisine, but also for its stunning sandwiches, always cooked to perfection. 

Tinta y Cafe in Coral Gables is one of the city’s cosiest and most delightful spots to enjoy a Cuban sandwich. It’s a perfect casual lunch spot and all of their sandwich options are delicious and flavourful. 

La Carreta is another fantastic joint that serves up all your favourite Cuban classics so if you’re coming here for the sandwich, there is no doubt you’ll want to pair that with some other menu item of theirs. 

The city is full of wonderful hotels and resorts where you can stay and enjoy your arepas, key lime pie, and so on. We love Wynwood as a neighbourhood and Sentral Wynwood is the perfect place to stay. With fabulous facilities and an amazing outdoor pool, it makes for the perfect Miami experience.