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Food tours in Miami: what to eat and which tour to book
Miami eats in Spanish first. Cuban food is the base layer: a cafecito or colada from a walk-up window (ventanita), pastelitos and croquetas for breakfast, a Cuban sandwich or a frita at lunch. On top of that sit Venezuelan arepas in Doral, Peruvian ceviche, Colombian bakeries, Haitian griot in Little Haiti, Nicaraguan fritangas in Sweetwater, and Florida seafood, with stone crab claws in season from mid-October to May. The best value is in neighbourhood bakeries and cafeterías; the worst is on Ocean Drive in South Beach.
Use this page to decide what to order and where. The dishes and areas below say what each place does well and when to go. The tours listed are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and schedules change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Miami
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuban coffee cafecito / colada / cortadito | Very strong, sweet espresso whipped with sugar (espumita). A cafecito is one small cup; a colada is a larger cup meant to be shared in thimble-sized plastic cups; a cortadito adds steamed milk; café con leche is the breakfast version. | Ventanitas (walk-up coffee windows) at Cuban bakeries and restaurants, especially along Calle Ocho in Little Havana, Westchester and Hialeah. | about USD 1.50–3 (€1.30–2.60) |
| Cuban sandwich cubano | Cuban bread layered with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, pressed flat on a hot plancha. The medianoche is the same on a sweeter egg bread. | Cuban cafeterías and bakeries across Miami-Dade, Little Havana included. | roughly USD 9–15 (€8–13) |
| Pastelitos and croquetas pastelitos / croquetas | Flaky puff pastries filled with guava, guava and cream cheese, or picadillo (spiced ground beef), and small fried croquettes of ham or chicken. The standard breakfast or snack with a coffee. | Cuban bakeries (panaderías) throughout the city; party orders by the dozen are common. | about USD 1.25–2.50 each (€1.10–2.20) |
| Frita frita cubana | Cuban-style burger: a seasoned beef (often beef-and-chorizo) patty on a soft roll topped with a pile of thin crispy shoestring potatoes and onions. | Small frita counters in Little Havana and along Calle Ocho further west. | roughly USD 7–12 (€6–10) |
| Stone crab claws stone crab | Florida stone crab: only one or both claws are harvested and the crab is returned to the water. Served cold, cracked, with mustard sauce. The legal season runs from 15 October to 1 May. | Seafood restaurants and fish markets; Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach, open since 1913, is the most famous and the biggest buyer of claws. | sold by size; roughly USD 40–90+ for a portion depending on size (€35–80+) |
| Ceviche | Raw fish cured in lime juice with onion, chilli and coriander, in the Peruvian style with corn and sweet potato; Miami has a large Peruvian community. | Peruvian restaurants in Little Havana, Doral, Kendall and Miami Beach. | roughly USD 16–26 a plate (€14–23) |
| Arepas arepa | Venezuelan corn-flour patties grilled and split, filled with shredded beef, black beans, cheese or the reina pepiada (chicken and avocado salad). Colombian arepas are flatter, often topped with cheese. | Doral (nicknamed 'Doralzuela' for its Venezuelan community) and Venezuelan and Colombian spots across the city. | roughly USD 8–14 each (€7–12) |
| Key lime pie | Tart custard pie made with lime juice (traditionally small Key limes) and condensed milk on a graham-cracker crust, a Florida dessert. | Seafood restaurants and bakeries; the Florida Keys are a long drive south. | roughly USD 7–12 a slice (€6–10) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Little Havana and Calle Ocho
SW 8th Street is the centre of Cuban Miami: ventanitas, bakeries, cigar shops, fruit stands and frita counters, with Domino Park (Máximo Gómez Park) where older men play dominoes. Versailles, at SW 8th Street and 36th Avenue, is the best-known Cuban restaurant.
Wynwood
Former warehouse district covered in murals, now full of breweries, restaurants, food halls and bars; lively at night but expensive and visitor-heavy.
Doral
Suburb near the airport with the largest Venezuelan community in the US: arepas, cachapas, tequeños and bakeries in strip malls.
Little Haiti
Haitian restaurants serving griot (fried pork), fried plantains, pikliz (spicy pickled cabbage) and legim, plus bakeries; one of the few places to try Haitian cooking easily in the US.
Coconut Grove and Coral Gables
Leafy older neighbourhoods with sit-down restaurants, a Saturday farmers' market in the Grove and Miracle Mile restaurants in Coral Gables; calmer than South Beach.
South Beach (Ocean Drive)
Famous for its art-deco hotels and beach, not for food. Ocean Drive restaurants are the city's main tourist trap; a few blocks back on Washington and Collins and around Española Way, prices are more normal.
Food tours in Miami compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami: Little Havana Food Walking Tour with Tastings | 2.5 hours | from €62 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Miami: Little Havana Cuban Food and Culture Walking Tour | 3 hours | from €61 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Miami: South Beach Food Tour | 2.5 hours | from €67 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| South Beach Tour des Forks: Eat Like a Local | 3 hours | from €67 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Miami: Wynwood Walls Street Art and Food Walking Tour | 3 hours | from €71 per person | — | First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go. | Check dates |
| Miami: South Beach Food & Fun Art Deco Walking Tour | 3 hours | from €71 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Miami: Little Havana Food Walking Tour with Tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Miami Culinary Tours
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €62 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 1,299 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Tower Theatre
Miami: Little Havana Cuban Food and Culture Walking Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Bobby's Bike, Hike & Food Tours - Miami
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €61 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 343 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- El Cristo Restaurant
Miami: South Beach Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Miami Culinary Tours
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €67 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 163 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Food and drinks All applicable taxes Gratuities
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Meet your guide at the Bolivar restaurant. Please make sure to confirm your attendance with the activity provider by email.
South Beach Tour des Forks: Eat Like a Local
On GetYourGuide · run by Miami Food Tours
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €67 per person
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ from 68 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Tastings of delicious food & drink through 5 different restaurants and cafes, enough for lunch Guided city tour Gratuities
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- 927 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA
Miami: Wynwood Walls Street Art and Food Walking Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Bobby's Bike, Hike & Food Tours - Miami
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €71 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 50 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go.
- Starts
- Coyo Taco
Miami: South Beach Food & Fun Art Deco Walking Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Bobby's Bike, Hike & Food Tours - Miami
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €71 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 21 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
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Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Miami's street food is the ventanita: a walk-up window at a Cuban bakery or cafeteria where you order coffee, pastelitos and croquetas standing on the pavement. Food trucks gather at weekly events in different neighbourhoods, and there are taco and fritanga trucks in the western suburbs.
Sit-down meals
Cuban cafeterías are cheap, fast and open early, often with long counter seating. Seafood restaurants, Latin American places and chef-run restaurants in the Design District, Brickell and Miami Beach are much pricier. Florida sales tax plus local taxes add about 7–9% (more in Miami Beach), and many restaurants add an 18–20% service charge.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Miami are mostly Cuban or Latin themed (empanadas, mojitos, Cuban classics) or run by cooking schools; they are less common than food walks. Check whether you cook hands-on and whether a meal and drinks are included.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | USD 35–50 (€30–43): ventanita coffee and pastries, a Cuban sandwich lunch, casual dinner |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | USD 90–130 (€78–115): sit-down lunch and dinner with a drink, including tax and tip |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | USD 200+ (€175+): stone crab in season or a tasting menu with drinks |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Cuban food is meat-heavy, and black beans may be cooked with pork, so ask. Vegetarian and vegan restaurants are common in Wynwood, Miami Beach and the Design District, and Venezuelan and Colombian places usually have cheese and bean arepas.
Halal: Limited: there are halal Middle Eastern, Turkish and South Asian restaurants scattered around the county, mainly in the suburbs, but Cuban staples rely on pork. Ask for chicken (pollo) or fish dishes and check cooking fats.
Gluten-free: Arepas (corn) and many Peruvian and Latin dishes (ceviche, rice and beans, grilled meats) are naturally gluten-free. Cuban bread, pastelitos and croquetas are not, and fried foods often share fryers. Awareness is good in Miami Beach and newer restaurants.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Ocean Drive restaurants with hosts pulling people in, giant cocktails costing USD 30–60+, and bills that include an automatic 18–20% gratuity plus a second blank tip line. Ask for prices before ordering drinks, read the bill for 'gratuity' or 'service charge' before tipping, and eat a few blocks inland.
- Stone crab and fish sold at 'market price' with no number given until the bill arrives. Ask the price per claw size or per pound before ordering, and order a smaller size if you want to try it.
- Double tipping: service charges added to bills are common across Miami, and card terminals still suggest 20% or more on top. Check the bill; if a service charge is already included, you do not need to tip again beyond rounding up.
- Paying top prices for 'fresh' stone crab between May and mid-October, when the claws can only be frozen stock. Fresh Florida stone crab is only legal from 15 October to 1 May; outside that period, ask whether it is frozen and expect a lower price.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
What is the difference between a cafecito, a colada and a cortadito?
A cafecito is a single small cup of strong sweet Cuban espresso. A colada is several shots in a larger cup with small plastic cups for sharing among colleagues or friends. A cortadito is espresso with a little steamed milk, and café con leche is a larger milky coffee for breakfast, often with buttered Cuban toast for dipping.
When is stone crab season in Miami?
The legal season for Florida stone crab is from 15 October to 1 May. Claws are sold by size (medium, large, jumbo, colossal), and prices change during the season with the catch. Outside the season you will only find frozen claws, and some seafood restaurants change their hours.
How much should I tip in Miami?
About 18–20% at table-service restaurants, but check the bill first: many Miami restaurants add an automatic gratuity or service charge, especially in Miami Beach and for groups, and leave a tip line open anyway. If it is already included, extra tipping is optional. At ventanitas and counters, a dollar or small change is fine.
Is Little Havana worth visiting for food?
Yes, especially in the morning for coffee and pastelitos and at lunch for Cuban sandwiches, fritas and plates of roast pork with rice and beans. The strip of Calle Ocho around 15th Avenue and Domino Park is the busiest. It is touristy in places, but the cafeterías and bakeries are still used by locals, and prices are far lower than Miami Beach.
How much should I budget for food per day in Miami?
On a budget, about USD 35–50 (€30–43) covers Cuban coffee and pastries, a sandwich lunch and a simple dinner. A comfortable day with two sit-down meals and a drink is roughly USD 90–130 including tax and tip. Drinks in South Beach, and seafood, push costs up fast.
Do I need a car to eat around Miami?
For Little Havana, Wynwood, Brickell and Miami Beach, ride-hail and the free trolleys are enough. For Doral, Hialeah, Little Haiti and the western suburbs where many of the best Latin American restaurants are, a car or ride-hail is much easier, since public transport is limited and distances are long.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.