Life in Miami has its benefits; lots of sun, warm waters, and plenty of delightful Cuban food. Those wonderful people who have made the strong, dark and sugary cafecito a staple of South Florida’s culinary and social scene have also hooked us on pastelitos, medianoches, and lechon asado, just to name a few. In the hands of the Yaniz family at Havana Spice Cuban Café, you can indulge in all your favorites and get introduced to some innovative dishes that blend the best flavors from the kitchens of Cuba and the U.S.
Havana Spice, located on Dixie Highway in Pinecrest for eight years, moved to a new location in the Dadeland North shopping mall in July 2013. With their relocation to the mall came a new concept to provide fast service in a casual atmosphere at affordable prices. What hasn’t changed is their dedication to fresh food lovingly prepared.
“We had an idea for a new concept in a location that has plenty of parking and the Dadeland North Metrorail station right across the street,” said Jessica Yaniz- Muniz.
With the goal of keeping the price of individual dishes below $10, the Yaniz family believes they can best serve their loyal customers from the Pinecrest days and the new customers in search of a great lunch or dinner. They also do a thriving take out business that specializes in full dinners, holiday menus, and the recently added breakfast menu, available on Saturdays and Sundays.
Rene Yaniz and his wife Sonia, have decades of experience in the food business. Their daughters Jennifer, Jessica and Janessa and their son-in-law Jonathan Torrel work together with them to make the café a success. The Yaniz daughters have added social media to the promotional mix. Look for the Cuban Café on Facebook, Yelp and Foursquare.
Havana Spice serves up soups and salads, sandwiches, and full meals with a selection of side dishes. In addition to the midnight, Cuban, and roast pork sandwiches, they offer the Cuban Philly, with a Caribbean twist to the City of Brotherly Love’s classic steak sandwich. Another take on a Cuban classic, the skinny croqueta features four ham or chicken croquettes, but leaves off the slices of ham that normally comes with a croqueta sandwich.
If you are in the mood for roast pork, Palomilla or Vaca Frita, those favorites are available, as well as the Cuban version of pulled pork, slow roasted in guava barbeque sauce.
Breakfast is now being served on Saturday and Sunday, with the café opening at 8:00 AM. In addition to their complete take-out meals for you, the entire family or the entire office, the café will fix a breakfast tray for 15 people that includes egg, bacon or sausage, potatoes and Cuban toast and plenty of café con leche for just under $100 (available on the weekends only). And don’t forget the pastries by the dozen: empanadas, croquetas and tequenos (cheese pastries).
Cuban Café s holiday hours will be 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day.Make Noche Buena extra special and extra easy by ordering from the holiday menu which includes honey-glazed spiral ham and platters of roast pork, pork shoulder or leg of pork.
Cuban Café is located at 8322 S. Dixie Hwy,Miami in the Dadeland Station North Mall (Target, Best Buy). Contact them at 305-670-5591 or visit their website at www.havanaspicecafe.com. The café is open Monday thru Friday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm and Saturday/Sunday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm.
