This Little Havana Bar Is the Fifth Best Bar in America

Little Havana's Cafe La Trova has been ranked fifth on Food & Wine's 15 Top Bars in the U.S. list.

Food & Wine has ranked Cafe La Trova as number five on its list of 15 Top Bars in the U.S. thanks to its authentic atmosphere, delicious Cuban cocktails, and high-quality cuisine by James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein.

The article reads, in part, "[Cafe La Trova] boasts a retro atmosphere that makes you feel almost as if you flew into Havana in the 1950s. Julio Cabrera and his talented team of tastemakers will whip you up one of the finest mojitos or daiquiris you’ve ever tried. Afterwards, you can navigate through iconic dishes crafted by James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein."
Owned by Julio Cabrera, who is also a talented bartender and mixologist, he tapped longtime friend and local legend chef Bernstein to offer her modern take on traditional Cuban cuisine. Between Cabrera's daiquiris and chef Bernstein's fare, there's something uniquely Miami about Cafe La Trova.

At Cafe La Trova, visitors are transported to the island of Cabrera's birth. The restaurant is part of his promise to his family to open a restaurant like the one they lost during the Cuban Revolution. Cabrera remembers spending time with cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles at his father's establishment as a child. It was open 24 hours a day, functioning as a coffee shop, restaurant, and bar that would transform into a late-night spot for live music, beer, wine, and cocktails.

Cabrera's cantineros (bartenders) take pride in the art of drink making. The cantineros are clad in dinner jackets and offer expert service as they perform before patrons with shakers and strainers. If you've never been, it's worth a trip to experience the performance that comes with classic Cuban cocktails like the "Floridita's Hemingway Daiquiri," the "Cantineros' Special," and the "Trio Matamoros" (single-barrel rum served neat with a cafecito and cigar).

Here, they "throw" daiquiris, tossing the precious liquid from shaker to shaker to create an arch in the air before spontaneously bursting into a choreographed dance number.
Bernstein's comfort food is all-around tempting. She works to meet the foodie fantasies of her guests, whether they're in search of elaborate dishes or a traditional tres leches dessert. Menu items range from Cuban sandwich empanadas with brown butter and melting cheese and mushroom risotto croquetas filled with pecorino and truffle aioli to Cuban classics like a skirt steak ropa vieja and picadillo.

But as with all things Magic City, this establishment isn't fueled solely by good food and drink: At any given time of the day, expect guayabera-clad musicians or jazz trumpet players to fill the air with their vibrant tunes from a stage whose backdrop is the weathered façade of an Old Havana edifice.

Cafe La Trova. 971 SW Eighth St., Miami; 786-615-4379; cafelatrova.com.