Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Audio By Carbonatix
Memorial Day weekend is here, and families across Miami are getting ready to battle (head to Publix). Somewhere right now, someone’s primo is loading a cooler with Publix Pub Subs, someone’s dad is preparing a TED Talk about grilling burgers, and an aunt is showing up with enough Cuban pastelitos to feed a small village. Between boat days, beach days, backyard barbecues, Nixon Sandbar excursions, and the annual pilgrimage through Key Biscayne traffic, Miamians take their Memorial Day food very seriously.
As a first-generation American born and raised in Miami to parents who were born in Cuba, I’ve spent my entire life training for this moment. I’ve eaten crushed Pub Subs from the bottom of coolers, survived on cafecito before 8 a.m. boat calls, argued over the last Flanigan’s rib roll, and watched grown men passionately debate the merits of various cuts of meat while standing around a grill they refuse to let anyone else touch. If there’s a quintessential Miami Memorial Day food, a beloved family snack, or a beach-day staple worth knowing about, chances are I’ve eaten it, probably more than once.
So consider this your official 305 summer survival guide. Send it to your mother, your suegra (mother-in-law), your cousin who never knows what to bring to the cookout, and your friend who somehow shows up empty-handed every year. From old-school Cuban classics to South Florida institutions and boat-day essentials, these are the foods that define a Miami Memorial Day weekend. Happy Memorial Day, Miami. Stay hydrated, don’t forget the sunscreen, and God bless the 305. Dale.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
A soggy Pub Sub
A Pub Sub your cousin grabbed at 10 a.m. from the Edgewater Publix and then buried beneath three bags of melting ice might not look pretty by lunchtime, but that’s part of the experience. By the time you’re anchored at the sandbar or finally found parking in Key Biscayne, the bread is slightly soggy, the lettuce has surrendered, and somehow it still tastes like summer in the 305. No matter how many trendy sandwiches come and go, a crushed Pub Sub pulled from the bottom of a cooler remains one of South Florida’s most reliable delicacies. (Check out our guide to the 7 Best Pub Subs Ranked.)
Sports Grill photo
Chicken wings from Sports Grill
No Miami Memorial Day weekend is complete without a tray of Sports Grill wings. Whether you’re loading up a cooler for a boat day, heading to the beach, or showing up to a backyard barbecue, the special grilled wings are a crowd-pleaser that somehow disappears before anything else on the table. Sticky, smoky, and coated in that signature sauce South Floridians have loved for decades, they’re as much a part of a Miami summer weekend as traffic to Key Biscayne and a cooler full of cold beer. (Check out our guide to the Best Chicken Wings in Miami.)
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
A tray of cold yet great Publix Popcorn Chicken
A giant cold tray of Publix popcorn chicken might not be fancy, but it’s one of the greatest gifts a Miami Memorial Day party can offer. Pair it with a container of buffalo sauce for dipping, and suddenly everyone is hovering around the platter, grabbing “just one more” every five minutes. By the time you’re a little sunburned and a little tipsy from a long day on the boat or at the beach, spotting that square Publix tray feels less like a snack and more like a lifesaving act of public service.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Box of Cuban pastelitos that save the day
A Miami beach day, boat day, barbecue, or family hangout isn’t complete without a box of pastelitos. Whether you reach for the classic guava and cheese, savory carne, sweet coconut, or simple cheese, there’s a flavor for every mood and every member of the family. Flaky, buttery, and dangerously easy to eat three or four in one sitting, pastelitos are one of those Miami staples that somehow disappear the second the box is opened.
Ricky’s Meats photo
Your show-off primo’s steaks and burgers from Josh’s Premium Meats, Ricky’s Meats, or Lomelo’s Meat Market
Memorial Day weekend means your dad, primo, brother, brother-in-law, and father-in-law are all about to assume their annual positions around the grill and transform into self-proclaimed pitmasters. For the next several hours, you’ll hear passionate speeches about Wagyu beef, burger technique, charcoal science, and the precise timing of flipping a cheeseburger, regardless of whether any of them actually know what they’re talking about. Whatever you do, don’t ask if they need help because the answer will always be no; this is their moment to shine, and they’re determined to own that grill from start to finish, even if every burger ends up a little more well-done than planned.
Bocadito sandwiches from a Cuban bakery
Few sights are more comforting at a Miami family gathering than walking into your aunt’s, mom’s, or primo’s kitchen and spotting a fresh tray of bocadito sandwiches waiting on the counter. Filled with creamy ham spread and tucked inside pillowy-soft rolls that practically melt in your mouth, they’re the perfect handheld bite for everything from backyard barbecues to beach days. Slightly sweet, slightly salty, endlessly satisfying, and requiring almost no effort to eat, bocaditos have been quietly carrying Miami parties on their backs for generations.
La Carreta photo
Cafecito around the clock
No Miami Memorial Day weekend gets off the ground without cafecito. Before you’ve wrangled the kids, coordinated with your suegra, packed the cooler, and fought your way through traffic to the marina or beach, you’re going to need that little cup of Cuban rocket fuel to get moving. Sweet, strong, and capable of turning a sleepy morning into a productive one in minutes, cafecito remains the unofficial energy drink of South Florida summers.
Flanigan’s photo
Joe’s Rockin’ Rib Rolls and curly fries from Flanigan’s
Few foods are more iconic to a Miami summer weekend than a tray of Flanigan’s rib rolls. Show up to a Memorial Day barbecue, beach day, or boat party with a box of these deep-fried beauties, and you’ll instantly become the most popular person there, if only for the next five minutes before they’re completely gone. Stuffed with rib meat, pulled pork, cheddar cheese, onions, and barbecue sauce, they’re the kind of South Florida delicacy that inspires friendships, starts arguments over the last one, and somehow tastes even better after a day in the sun.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Batido de mamey (mamey shake)
A batido de mamey might be old-school, but on a sweltering Miami Memorial Day weekend, there are few things more satisfying. Thick, creamy, and packed with the sweet, earthy flavor of mamey, it somehow manages to be refreshing enough for a scorching afternoon while still feeling like dessert after a day of salty snacks, grilled meats, and cold beers. And because it’s made with fruit, you can at least pretend you’re making a healthy choice while cooling off between trips to the grill or the beach.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Mandatory fish from Boater’s Grill
No boat day to Nixon Sandbar is complete without a stop at Boater’s Grill. Tucked away on Virginia Key, the waterfront institution has fueled generations of Miami boaters with grilled fish, seafood platters, conch fritters, sandwiches, and cold drinks best enjoyed with a salty breeze and a view of Biscayne Bay. Whether you’re grabbing lunch before anchoring at the sandbar or refueling after a long day on the water, Boater’s Grill is as much a Memorial Day tradition as the boat itself.
Photo by Deyson Rodriguez
A “PK3,” aka “Painkiller 3,” from Monty’s
After a long boat or beach day, heading to Monty’s to end Memorial Day weekend strong is a solid choice. For those wanting to have a little too much fun, the “PK3,” aka the “Painkiller 3,” is a tale as old as time. The rum punch is notoriously blended with three different types of rum. Good luck.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Cubano sandwiches
A great Cuban sandwich might just be Miami’s ultimate handheld food: crispy pressed bread, salty ham, melty Swiss cheese, tangy pickles, and slow-roasted pork all working together in perfect harmony. It’s portable enough for a beach day, filling enough for a boat ride, and, depending on who you ask, might even be better than a Pub Sub, though that’s a debate best left for another day.
Mariquitas Classic photo
Mariquitas (plantain chips) from Publix, Sedano’s, or Winn-Dixie
A true Miami holiday tradition. No boat day, beach day, or backyard barbecue is complete without someone popping out one of these bad boys into a plastic serving bowl.
Bocadito spread with saltine crackers or Ritz from Publix
Just like the beloved bocadito sandwiches found at every Miami family party, Publix’s ham spread deserves a spot on your Memorial Day snack table. Grab a container from the deli, pair it with Ritz crackers, Club crackers, or, even better, a sleeve of Cuban crackers, and you’ll quickly understand why generations of Miamians swear by it. Fair warning: if you’re a dip lover, this creamy, savory spread might become your new obsession; if mushy textures aren’t your thing, however, consider this your official warning to turn back now.
Photo by Cari Garcia @theflavorhedonist
A block of guava paste to eat with queso blanco and Cuban crackers
Honestly, this should probably be much higher on the list because few Miami snacks are as simple and satisfying as guava paste, queso blanco, and a stack of crackers. Pick up a block of guava paste from Sedano’s or Publix, pair it with a salty white cheese like queso Mambí, and pile it onto a Cuban cracker or even a Ritz for the perfect combination of sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy. Is it the greatest appetizer, snack, and dessert ever created? As a Cuban, I am legally obligated to say yes.
