By Lauren Tjaden
Vibrant. Colorful. Eclectic. Walkable.
Officially known as Southwest 8th Street, Calle Ocho marks the epicenter of Miami’s Little Havana, whisking visitors into a Latin world flavored with rich coffees, fragrant rums, decadent Cuban cigars and tropical ice creams. On this one-way thoroughfare, murals bring history to vivid life; lively music spills onto the street and domino players test their skills in traditional, intense gameplay.
Bienvenido to Calle Ocho, bringing everything Cuban to Miami.
Calle Ocho Highlights
An all-day wakeup call
While coffee is mainly a morning affair in most of the United States, on Little Havana’s main drag it’s an all-day thing. Though Versailles is the most famous place to grab a coffee and pastelitos (pastries), you can find tasty options at any number of ventanitas (walk-up windows) on Calle Ocho.
What to order? The Cuban version of espresso—called a Café Cubano or Cafecito --is a thick, unabashedly strong brew served in small shots; café con leche is the Latin version of a latte; cortadito is small and robust; and colada is exceptionally potent and designed to be shared.
Recogerlo - Scoop it up!
Calle Ocho’s colorful array of shops and markets beg to be explored, and you’ll find T shirts, postcards, hats and souvenirs from any number of stores like the popular Little Havana Gift Shop (1522 SW 8th St.). For a stop that everyone in your gang will eat up, visit Los Pinarenos Fruteria, in business for over 100 years. This neighborhood market features local produce and Latin American-inspired, handmade smoothies bursting with fresh fruit.
Calle Ocho is home to an array of family-owned cigar shops specializing in small batch, hand-rolled cigars, including El Titan de Bronze, Cuban Crafters, Cuba Tobacco Cigar Company and Little Havana Cigar Company.
Tradition rolls on
Make sure to explore one of the family-owned cigar shops, where the tradition skill of rolling perfect cigars has been passed down through the generations. El Titan de Bronze, Cuban Crafters, Havana Classic Cigar and Cuba Tobacco Cigars are only a few of the boutique shops that craft premium handmade cigars, created in small batches from special, hand-selected tobacco leaves with an enormous emphasis on quality and distinguished, complex flavor.
Canvas the neighborhood
Calle Ocho is a hotbed for Cuban and Latin painters, sculptors, and jewelry makers, and there’s no better place to search for a unique memento of your trip than its glorious art galleries—or to feast your eyes on incredible, unique pieces. Molina Fine Art Gallery and Studio immerses you in Afro Cuban folklore, revealing the serene splendor of the Cuban country people; Futurama 1637 Art Galleries, conceived as a creative work space in the heart of Little Havana with 12 art studios and the headquarters of Viernes Culturales, offers a vast array of original art; and Latin Art Core showcases the works of numerous world-famous artists.
But even if you don’t step inside a gallery, you can enjoy Calle Ocho’s art; it’s all around you. Murals festoon numerous walls, animated with roosters, dance scenes, beautiful women and swirling colors. Favorites include the Little Havana Mural and the Celia Cruz Mural.
Giant, decorative roosters, part of the 2002 ‘Rooster Walk’ project, brighten the street as well. These birds are embellished with fantastical hues, and you’ll even find one dubbed ‘the Cuban-American rooster,’ painted with both the U.S. and Cuban flags, at SW 16th Avenue and Calle Ocho.
Calle Ocho Commemorative
Reflect and remember on Cuban Memorial Boulevard, situated at the intersection of Calle Ocho and Southwest 13th Avenue. This four-block parkway, framed with trees, pays tribute to Cuban soldiers who fought in the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban War of Independence. Meander the path through the grassy mall that separates its center to discover memorials that include three markers at the simple, moving Bay of Pigs Monument, crowned by an eternal flame, as well as monuments honoring Cuban independence fighter Antonio Maceo Grajales and anti-communist crusader Tony Izquierdo.
Paseo de las Estrellas
Remember to look down between 12th Avenue and 17th Avenue, where Calle Ocho's Walk of Fame features five-pointed stars engraved in the sidewalk that showcase more than 20 celebrities that include Spanish superstar Julio Iglesias and the late Celia Cruz, nicknamed ‘the Queen of Salsa.’
The domino effect
A historic mural, domino-decorated tilework and a perimeter fringed with spectator benches set the stage for epic domino and chess games between the locals at Máximo Gómez Park in Little Havana, nicknamed Domino Park for obvious reasons. While the park is tiny, its personality is oversized, with laughter, jokes and trash talk highlighting the games.
Cafe Versailles is the epicenter for Cuban food in Little Havana.
A taste of Havana
When it’s time to refuel, Calle Ocho delivers a potent, authentic Cuban array of options, from sizzling street food to elegant sit-down meals. Here are some favorites.
Situated in a miniscule shopping center on Calle Ocho, Sanpocho Restaurant promises comfort food, Latin style, with offerings that include arepas (flat, round, cornmeal cakes), whole fried fish accompanied by abundant rice and beans, and oh-so-fresh el jugo de mango—that’s mango juice, for you gringos.
The celebrated Versailles Restaurant has to be atop any list, famed for more than five decades for reasons like their massive menu and fabulous tender, shredded beef --ropa vieja—paired with white rice and sweet plantains.
For the best sandwich of your life in an atmosphere that steps back into another time, take one of only 25 seats at Sanguich de Miami. Its croqueta preparada is a medley of ham, lechon, two croquettes, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread. The pan con bistec is equally yummy and melty, a concoction of thinly sliced sous vide steak, mojo rojo, fried string potatoes, and Swiss cheese.
For a delicious cool down, head over to Azucar Ice Cream Company, boasting an innovative array of over 100 tropical flavors of artisanal ice cream that includes seasonal offerings like Mango and Sweet Cream Corn as well as year-rounds treats such as Café Con Leche (coffee with milk), Plátano Maduro (fried plantain) and the Elvis –which is peanut butter and banana, naturally.
When the sun goes down…
No one ever accused Cubans of not knowing how to have a good time, and the nightlife on Calle Ocho vigorously upholds the Latin reputation for fun. Here are some options you won’t want to miss.
Cuban ex-pat and master mixologist Julio Cabrera teamed up with James Beard award-winner Michelle Bernstein to create Cafe La Trova, named one of the world's 50 best bars, 2021 as well as one of GQ's Best New Restaurants in America, promising a new, delectable take on Cuban cuisine. Imagine fresh fish sautéed in mango-lime butter, smartly attired bartenders ‘throwing’ classic drinks, and nightly live entertainment, and you’ll start to understand this haunt’s recipe for success.
El Santo, which encompasses El Santo Restaurant, El Santo Taqueria and Don Diablo, a tequila speakeasy, looks like a derelict church that’s been restored to life as a trendy place to enjoy cocktails and top-of-the-line food made from simple, fresh ingredients. Don Diablo’s DJ booth is nestled behind a wooden coffin; its walls are embellished with murals showcasing Día de los Muertos-style skeletons; and its ceiling features wooden beams dripping with vines. The vibe isn’t all that’s special about it; wait until you sample its exclusive assortment of mezcal and tequila.
While you may have heard the Latin phrase Carpe diem, translated as ‘seize the day,’ Bar Nancy’s motto of Carpe Noctem- ‘seize the night,’ is decidedly more fun. This nautically-themed craft cocktail bar is a beloved neighborhood escape, offering live music, tasty drinks and a porthole from a sailing vessel that leads to an outdoor courtyard.
Festivals
On the third Friday of every month, Viernes Culturales invites you to join their street party, a popular tradition since 2000 that celebrates music, art, culture and the wonders of Little Havana. Expect local arts and crafts; art galleries; live street music; dancing under the stars; domino games; cigar rollers; and street performers.
For over 40 years, the annual, one-day super-fiesta known Calle Ocho Music Festival has marked the end of Carnaval Miami each March, and it’s a blockbuster, with bragging rights as the largest Latin music festival in the nation and drawing over a million people. This street party dominates Calle Ocho for 15 blocks, promising epic entertainment and music --reggae to salsa to méringue and hip-hop—as well as international food, sampling sites and folkloric dances.
When you go…
Getting there and getting around
Head to the heart of Calle Ocho using this address in your GPS: 1501 SW 8th Street, Miami FL 33135. You can park in metered parking on the road. But instead of parking meters, you’ll need to download the mobile parking app, Pay by Phone, onto your device to pay for parking in the designated areas. You can find free parking behind Domino Park (801 SW 15th Ave.).
If you don’t have a car, hop on Miami’s free trolley; join a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour; or use a taxi or ride sharing service. Still another option is pedaling; a Citi Bike docking station (#610), an hourly public bike-sharing program, is located on Calle Ocho at 819 SW 10th Avenue.
Walking, soaking up the vibe and investigating anything that piques your interest is a fine way to explore, but if you prefer more guidance, Little Havana Tours will lead the way with a smorgasbord of tours that reveal the area’s history, politics, food, art, music, cigars, coffee and rums.
For brochures, maps, event calendars and personal advice, drop by the Little Havana Welcome Center, sited between Domino Park and McDonald's (1442 SW 8th St.). Hours vary; call (305) 643-5500.
And there's more!
For more information about Calle Ocho, check out www.miamiandbeaches.com/things-to-do/attractions/explore-calle-ocho-in-little-havana .
