(Photo credit: Caja Caliente)
Owner, Monica “Mika” Leon, has announced the opening of Caja Caliente’s second location, this one in Coral Gables.
Starting as a small food truck in 2016, Caja Caliente quickly expanded into a bigger location in the heart of Wynwood with an eclectic outdoor seating area. The “Instagramable” Wynwood location became an overnight success, with the help of rave reviews by loyal customers, social media influencers, food bloggers and celebrities.
In 2018 Caja Caliente was one of two Florida restaurants featured on Cooking Channel’s Seaside Snacks & Shacks. Numerous national and international TV shows have since filmed at the location. Caja Caliente was also one of a select group of restaurants to be featured in both the 2018 and 2019 South Beach Wine and Food Festival.
“I’ve always had a passion for Cuban and Latin food, yet I felt all the Cuban restaurants were the same, massive portions with little imagination,” Leon said. “I wanted to share my family recipes in a fast-casual space with an array of menu options, where quality and freshness are the priority.”
Caja Caliente in Coral Gables consist of a 1,500-square-foot space that seats 40-50 people and has a “Tranquilo y Tropical” theme to it. In fact, many of the pieces that were used for decor came from various islands, including Cuba. As guest step into Caja Caliente they will be welcomed by Mika’s family alongside hues of pink, aqua and nostalgic pieces adorning every nook, including family portraits. Each seating area will carry a fun yet classic ora carried over from the Wynwood location.
“When I designed the menu and interior decor of the restaurant, I wanted it to be an extension of me, my personality and even my home.” Leon said.
One of the bigger additions to the Coral Gables space is a tropical themed beer & wine bar. While the new location will include new dishes, Caja Caliente will keep its original recipes and customer favorites such as Lupitas’ pan con lechon, the tamal and of course the famous Original Cuban tacos. Where quality and quantity go hand in hand and with the freshest ingredients, it’s safe to say this is not your average taco.
What’s new on the menu? Gator tacos, weekend brunches by Monica herself and arroz con pollo made by her mom Lupita.
Caja Caliente is set to bring a new energy to the neighborhood as they will be open late, making it one of the only eateries with late night hours in Coral Gables. In addition, vibrant promotions await such as live music, $4 tacos and beers on Tuesdays, $9 tamal on Thursday, and many more. Caja Caliente, located at 808 Ponce De Leon, will be opening its doors to the public on May 11, at noon. For more information visit www.caja-caliente.com or @Caja_Caliente on social media.
