Little Havana
La Pequeña Habana
Cuban coffee, cigar rolling, Domino Park and vintage cars along Calle Ocho make this the heart of Miami's Cuban exile community.
Little Havana took shape in the 1960s, when exiles from the Cuban Revolution settled here. The main street, SW 8th Street (Calle Ocho), runs for one kilometer from 12th to 17th Avenue and is the core of the visitor area. Highlights, in order: Máximo Gómez Park (Domino Park), where older Cuban men play dominoes all day. You're welcome to watch, but avoid taking close-up photos so you don't disturb them. The sidewalk 'Latin Walk of Fame' has stars for Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan and others. Handmade cigar shops such as Cuba Tobacco Cigar Co. and Little Havana Cigar Factory let you watch cigar rollers at work. Ball & Chain, a legendary bar that opened in 1935 and where Louis Armstrong once performed, offers free live salsa bands in the afternoon. Azucar ice cream and Los Pinareños sell tropical fruit juices from their orchard stands. Versailles, the landmark restaurant, is the 'political center' of the Cuban community. At its walk-up window (ventanita), you can stand and drink a very sweet cafecito (about 2 USD) with a Cuban sandwich. The neighborhood also has painted rooster sculptures, the Bay of Pigs Memorial Plaza (honoring those who died in the Bay of Pigs Invasion) and the Our Lady of Guadalupe church. You can join a local food walking tour (about 2.5 hours, 60–80 USD, with 6–8 snacks). Getting there: Metrobus 8 runs directly from downtown along Calle Ocho, or take an Uber, which takes about 10 minutes. The free Trolley's Little Havana route also passes through. Notes: the side streets away from the main road are quiet at night, and many old shops accept only cash.
Opening hours
Open all day; most shops 10:00-22:00
Nearby sights
- Brickell
- Freedom Tower
- Bayside Marketplace / Downtown Miami
- Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
- Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
- Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
- Wynwood Walls
- Miami Design District