Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Cuban Food*

Think about it: an island nation where the main crop is sugar cane. The result? Cuban desserts that come in three flavors: sweet, sweeter, and "you've got to be kidding!" Yes, Cubans have never been stingy with the sugar and Cuban desserts are among the sweetest in the world. In this section we guide you through some of the most popular Cuban treats, making your next trip to a Cuban bakery or restaurant a breeze!

Best Cuban beverages

Many new visitors to Miami have never had guarapo, the freshly squeezed juice of the sugar cane. It's just one of many traditional Cuban beverages that bewilder the uninitiated. Judging by the many tourists we see drinking Coca-Cola and Pepsi, this lack of knowledge is depriving them of a great taste treat. If you can't tell a Jupiña from an Iron Beer, don't despair! The Three Guys have prepared this short guide on the best Cuban beverages.

Guide to Cuban snacks

If you don't know a chicharrón from a mariquita, we've got the information you need to know. Step up to the counter in any Cuban place with confidence as you order these delicious Cuban snacks. A trip to Miami just isn't complete until you've tasted all of these!

Cuban pastries

Pasteles or "pastelitos" are Cuban pastries. They're a lot like the American turnover - a warm and flaky crust surrounding a fruit filling. But these have fillings that are typically Cuban. You're not going to be able to get these from Sara Lee! Unless that's the name of the girl behind the counter at your local Cuban bakery!

Best tamales in Miami

Walk into any small store or restaurant in Miami and you're going to find a real treat: tamales. Let's face it, you can hardly go anywhere in Miami without seeing tamales on the menu. They are a great appetizer or side dish and three make a very filling meal all by themselves. However, if you want the best tamale in Miami, you're going to need our help. We tell you all about the little out-of-the-way market that sells the best tamales in town!

Best Cuban bread

With a crisp crust on the outside and a lightly textured inside, a warm, fresh-baked loaf of Cuban bread is the next best thing to heaven. Although there are some limited areas of the country where you can get a decent loaf of Cuban bread – cities like Chicago and Union City New Jersey – the best Cuban bread is made in South Florida. But where to find the best loaf?

Best places to buy fresh fruit juices

You don't have to look very hard to find orange juice in Miami! However, we have a few favorite places in Miami for fresh squeezed juices! Why not try some fresh squeezed mango, pineapple, guanábana, or papaya? These are the juices you probably won't find at the local supermarket back home!

Check out this collection of recipes that are the result of 50 years of Cuban food evolution in the United States. These are the classics re-interpreted in the "Miami Style" to reflect not only an abundance of food in the United States, but also the many influences of other cultures in the melting pot of Miami. Brought to you by Three Guys who share a passion for good food, good conversation, and a great party.

How to order, drink, and enjoy Cuban coffee

Many visitors to Miami are a little intimidated by the many walk-up windows (ventanitas) serving Cuban snacks, sandwiches, and the ever popular Cuban coffee. For Cubans, sharing a coffee with friends is a social event – a daily ritual! It's an act of friendship. Learn a little bit about the traditions of drinking Cuban coffee and you will be quickly welcomed!

Cuban and Spanish takeout: "para llevar"

The big national chains are well represented in Miami. But why a waste your time at McDonald's when some of the best ethnic food in the country is available on just about every street corner? Let's say you want to sample some Cuban food, but you're not sure what you want. Maybe you find the menu at most Cuban restaurants intimidating. If you're unsure of what to order or just in a hurry to eat, go to a place where you can actually look at the food before you order it.

Don't leave Miami without eating a frita!

The Cuban hamburger, called a frita, is a delicious spiced hamburger patty served on a bun covered with lettuce, onion, shoestring potatoes, and plenty of secret sauce. You have to try a frita and there is one place you don't want to miss!

Cuban pizzas

Cuban pizzas combine the traditional tastes of Italy with a few Cuban variations things like plátanos, picadillo, Spanish-style chorizo and lobster. The Cuban style was born in Havana, but perfected at several shops that lined the beach at Varadero. Pizza in the Varadero style is the most popular in Miami, with a thicker crust, a heavier sauce, and a cheese blend that packs a little more bite. Hungry for pizza in Miami? Make it a Cuban pizza!

Cuban ice cream

There were always many ice cream parlors in the major Cuban cities. In the old days, you could order canoas (canoes or long sundae dishes) and ensaladas (five-scoop monsters) filled with your favorite tropical flavors and toppings. Mango, coconut, fruta bomba, mamey, guava, and pineapple were very popular.

Know your (Cuban) cuts of meat

If you're not Cuban, you may be baffled by the many cuts of beef that show up in Cuban and Spanish recipes or on the menu at your favorite Cuban/Spanish restaurant. If you don't know a Cañada from a palomilla, the Three Guys From Miami present this simple guide that will quickly make you a Cuban beef expert...

Best paella in South Florida

The Food Network's Tyler Florence came to Miami in search of the ultimate paella. And he found it in an unexpected place, practically in our own backyard!

Come to think of it, that IS our backyard!

The allure of canned vegetables in the Cuban kitchen

In Cuba, canned vegetables were essential staples of the home pantry. Canned asparagus and especially canned peas, known as "petit pois" were the most popular...

Caldo concentrado and vino seco

No Cuban kitchen would be complete without a supply of caldo concentrado (bouillon cubes) and vino seco, a dry red cooking wine. We show you why these traditional ingredients are for die-hard purists...

Cuban charcoal

"In Cuba, you had to make your own charcoal, a long and laborious process that involves starting logs on fire and partially burying them or placing them in a box called a carbonero so they smolder and burn incompletely...

Cooking on the Food Network

"Eventually, I find the Three Guys from Miami inside a fabulous pastry shop at the corner of 8th and 27th. Cubans make some of the world's most wonderful pastry, a legacy of the homeland's abundant sugarcane crop. Even so, dessert will come in its time; first, the Three Guys from Miami are going to prepare a fully loaded Cuban supper for me."

Visit All of Our Sites:

iCuban.com | Cuban-Food-USA.com | Cuban-Christmas.com | Three Guys From Miami

About Us/Contact Us | Legal and Privacy Policy

Three Guys From Miami:

Cuban, Spanish, and Latin American food recipes, Miami/Little Havana Travel Guide, Miami Restaurant Guide, Hispanic Culture & Food

The Three Guys From Miami are: Raúl Musibay, Glenn Lindgren, and Jorge Castillo

Check out The Three Guys From Miami's Google+ Fan Page