La Carreta Restaurant, Miami

You know a place is serious about coffee when there鈥檚 a colorful rooster guarding the door. That鈥檚 La Carreta 鈥� Miami鈥檚 proudly Cuban answer to the eternal question: 鈥淰ersailles or here?鈥� Sure, Versailles (its main rival) may have the fame, but the locals know where to find the stronger cafecito and the crispier vaca frita.

The original spot on Calle Ocho hums from sunrise to well past midnight, serving authentic Cuban fare 鈥� from ropa vieja and picadillo to fried grouper and chicken breast milanesa (that's the Cuban iteration of chicken parmesan). The menu reads like a love poem to abuela鈥檚 kitchen, only with a few American curveballs 鈥� chicken wings and barbecue ribs, and Spanish-style seafood for good measure. Every plate comes out fast, generous, and unapologetically Cuban.

By day, those in favor of Cuban basics will find here a selection of three to four specials, plus weekday lunch deals featuring breaded pork chops and shrimp creole for a rather moderate price. By night, it鈥檚 the final stop for anyone emerging from a salsa club in need of caffeine therapy. The walk-up ventanita stays open until 5 a.m. on weekends, serving pastelitos and those rocket-fuel espressos that can either save your morning (from hangover) or finish your night.

La Carreta isn鈥檛 fancy, and that鈥檚 the point. It鈥檚 where politicians, night-shift workers, and party-stragglers all stand shoulder to shoulder, sipping sweet, dark coffee under the rooster鈥檚 watchful eye. Call it comfort, call it culture, or just call it what it is 鈥� the taste of real Miami at any hour...

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Sight Name: La Carreta Restaurant
Sight Location: Miami, USA (See walking tours in Miami)
Sight Type: Food/Drink
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

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