After 37 years of serving cafecitos on South Beach, David's Café is closing.
The restaurant that provided sustenance on a 24-hour basis to everyone in Miami Beach -- from ragged hospitality workers needing a strong cup of energy on a graveyard shift to club kids not wanting to end the night to tourists getting their first sip of Miami's famous strong, black coladas -- is shutting its doors Sunday, April 20, at 8 p.m.
See also: David's Cafe II Closes Monday With Free Cafecitos and Pastelitos
The closing announcement was made today on the café's Facebook page:
On Behalf of The Gonzalez Family and The David's Café Family
We would like to Thank You For 37 Years of Loyal Patronage.
This Chapter Where It All Started In 1977 Has Coming To A End, But The Story Is Far From Over...
We Will Be Closing The Doors of
David's Café on 1058 Collins Ave on
Sunday April 20, 2014 at 3pm
We Invite You To Come Celebrate 37 Years of
The American Dream
Sunday April 20, 2014
5pm to 8pm
The reason for the closing was not divulged. However, the massive street construction that's taken over much of Collins Avenue's hotel strip between Fifth and 15th streets might be to blame. The restaurant's owners recently posted a complaint about the construction (along with a notice saying they are still open despite the conditions) on Facebook April 2:
Good Morning Amigos & Happy Hump Day! I find the necessity to inform our customers that we are open 24-7 even if we may look closed thanks to Florida Department of Transportation that seems to have no consideration for local residents & small local business in Miami Beach. We the David's Cafe Family always welcome change & more importantly progress, but not at the expense of my family business. Yesterday we experience first hand how they treat local business. I was treated poorly by works, supervisor and basically after they rued my floor tile that if I didn't stop them it would have been much worse. I told the worker to stop drilling and he tells me who going to pay the works to standing around doing nothing??? Hum let me think... I do as a taxpayer!! It would have been better to just shut down for the day. Sorry for venting to you all, but someone need to say something! These pictures are of what it looked like during and currently during this construction. Hope you all have a Cafecito Day!
Since its opening in 1977, David's Café has seen Miami Beach transform from a ravaged seaside burg inhabited by the elderly and dangerous into a vibrant city. The café has seen much success, with everyone from Gloria Estefan to Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson dining there. A second location, David's Café II, opened right off Lincoln Road in 1993.
That location also had its share of controversy. In 2012, a group of former employees at David's Cafe II claimed the restaurant's owners owed them nearly $80,000 in back wages.
See also: David's Cafe Allegedly Owes $80,000 in Wages to Former Employees
The restaurant famously closed its Lincoln Road location in July 2012 after 19 years, with owner Adrian Gonzalez saying he just couldn't afford the high rent in the trendy dining and shopping area.
David's Café will host a party Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m., allowing us a chance to have one last cafecito for the road.
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