25 caribbean rooms worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Black Bean Deli ★ 4.7 · Orlando
mills-50 · 1835 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
Black Bean Deli on East Colonial Drive in Mills 50 is the family Cuban counter since 2001, with pressed Cuban sandwiches, ropa vieja and a Winter Park branch.
Ariete ★ 4.6 · Miami
coconut-grove · 3540 Main Highway, Miami, FL 33133
Ariete in Coconut Grove is Michael Beltran's Michelin-starred Cuban-American room on Main Highway, holding a star four years running since 2022.
Tip: Tuesday burger night is a hard ticket; book the brunch service if you want the kitchen at full curiosity.
Kaya ★ 4.6 · Pittsburgh
strip-district · 2000 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Kaya on Smallman Street in the Strip District serves Caribbean cooking from big Burrito in Pittsburgh. Jerk, plantains and rum cocktails in a bright room.
Tip: A big Burrito Group room good for groups. The brunch and rum list are draws.
Jambo Cafe ★ 4.6 · Santa Fe
cerrillos · 2010 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Chef Ahmed Obo cooks Swahili-inflected East African and Caribbean stews at Jambo Cafe in Santa Fe's College Plaza on Cerrillos Road, open since 2009.
Brocato's Sandwich Shop ★ 4.6 · Tampa
west-tampa · 5021 E Columbus Dr, Tampa, FL 33619
Brocato's on East Columbus Drive in Tampa has built Cuban sandwiches, deviled crabs and stuffed potatoes since 1948 from a neighborhood storefront.
Tip: Cash and card both work; the party finger sandwiches (mini Cubans and mini deviled crabs) are the catering pick.
Versailles ★ 4.5 · Miami
little-havana · 3555 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135
Versailles in Miami is the Calle Ocho Cuban institution that has poured cafecito since 1971 and remains Little Havana's political water cooler at 3555 SW 8th.
Tip: The dining room queues at lunch; the ventanita pours cafecito from 8am and pastelitos run all day.
Brasa Premium Rotisserie ★ 4.5 · Minneapolis
northeast · 600 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Alex Roberts's Brasa on East Hennepin has run a wood-fired rotisserie counter in Minneapolis since 2008. Slow-roasted pork, the city's casual favourite.
Tip: Order at the counter, find a seat. Family-style pans serve four; gluten-free options across the menu.
Arepa Lady ★ 4.5 · New York City
jackson-heights · 77-17 37th Avenue, Queens, NY 11372
Maria Piedad Cano started selling arepas under the 7-train tracks in Jackson Heights, New York City in the 1980s. Priced at $. Kitchen leans caribbean.
Tip: Cash only at the counter. Take the arepas to the park benches across the street for the full Queens lunch.
The Jerk Shack ★ 4.5 · San Antonio
west-side · 10234 TX-151 Suite 103, San Antonio, TX 78251
The Jerk Shack is a Bib Gourmand Caribbean spot on the West Side where jerk chicken is the signature and the curry goat sells out; the lunch lines build fast.
Tip: Lines build at lunch. The jerk chicken is the signature, but the curry goat sells out, so go early if it is what you want.
Columbia Restaurant ★ 4.5 · Tampa
ybor-city · 2117 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605
The Columbia Restaurant on East Seventh Avenue has plated 1905 Salad and Cuban sandwiches in Ybor City since 1905 and is Florida's oldest restaurant.
Tip: Book the flamenco performance nights Monday through Saturday; the restaurant spans an entire city block with 15 dining rooms.
La Teresita ★ 4.5 · Tampa
west-tampa · 3246 W Columbus Dr, Tampa, FL 33607
La Teresita on Columbus Drive in West Tampa has run a Cuban counter and dining room since 1972, owned by the Capdevila family across two generations.
Tip: The counter (west door) runs 6am to midnight Friday and Saturday; the dining room next door takes reservations.
La Teresita ★ 4.5 · Tampa
west-tampa · 3246 W Columbus Dr, Tampa, FL 33607
La Teresita on Columbus Drive has run a Cuban counter and dining room in West Tampa since 1972, owned by the Capdevila family across two generations.
Tip: The counter side runs 6am to midnight Friday and Saturday; the dining room takes reservations next door.
Sobre Mesa ★ 4.4 · Oakland
uptown · 1618 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612
Top Chef contestant Nelson German's Afro-Latin cocktail lounge on Franklin in Uptown Oakland runs seasonal small plates and a Dominican-roots cocktail list.
Madame Fortune Dessert and HiFi Parlour ★ 4.3 · Tampa
ybor-city · 1930 E 7th Ave Unit C, Tampa, FL 33605
Madame Fortune in Ybor City runs Caribbean food and a vinyl record bar from a back room of Roast Deli and Bakery on East Seventh Avenue. The room fills.
Tip: Find the entrance through Roast Deli's back hallway; the HiFi parlour plays vinyl most nights and the back-patio seating fills first.
Madame Fortune Dessert and HiFi Parlour ★ 4.3 · Tampa
ybor-city · 1930 E 7th Ave Unit C, Tampa, FL 33605
Madame Fortune in Ybor City runs Caribbean food and a vinyl record bar from a back room of Roast Deli and Bakery on East Seventh Avenue. The room fills.
Tip: Find the entrance through Roast Deli's back hallway; the HiFi parlour plays vinyl most nights.
Boricua Soul ★ 4.2 · Durham
american-tobacco-campus · 705 Willard St, Durham, NC 27701
Boricua Soul at American Tobacco Campus fuses Puerto Rican cooking with Southern soul food. Empanadas, pernil and rice-and-beans are made from scratch daily.
Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi ★ 4.2 · New York City
midtown · 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
Chef Kwame Onwuachi's Lincoln Center room holds one Michelin star in New York City. Afro-Caribbean cooking, jollof rice with curry goat, oxtail pepper-pot.
La Carreta ★ 4.1 · Miami
little-havana · 3632 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135
La Carreta in Miami is the Calle Ocho Cuban diner at 3632 SW 8th Street, a sister room to Versailles serving abuela-style plates and cafe con leche from 8am.
Tip: The ventanita pours strong cafecito at any hour; the dining room is quieter than Versailles next door.
La Carreta ★ 4.1 · Miami
little-havana · 3632 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135
La Carreta in Miami is the Calle Ocho Cuban diner at 3632 SW 8th Street, a sister room to Versailles serving abuela-style plates and cafe con leche from 8am.
Tip: The ventanita pours strong cafecito at any hour; the dining room is quieter than Versailles next door.
Sergio's ★ 4.0 · Miami
coral-gables · 3252 SW 22nd St, Miami, FL 33145
Sergio's in Coral Gables is the original family Cuban diner at 3252 SW 22nd Street, serving abuela-style Miami plates since 1975 across South Florida.
Tip: Open early for breakfast, late for after-show plates. The Coral Way location is the founding room.
Sergio's ★ 4.0 · Miami
coral-gables · 3252 SW 22nd St, Miami, FL 33145
Sergio's in Coral Gables is the original family Cuban diner at 3252 SW 22nd Street, serving abuela-style Miami plates across South Florida since 1975.
Tip: Open early for breakfast, late for after-show plates. The Coral Way location is the founding room.
Miss Lily's ★ 4.0 · New York City
east-village · 109 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Miss Lily's on Houston Street has run Jamaican island food in SoHo, New York City since 2010. Jerk chicken from the wood smoker, daiquiris from the back bar.
Tip: DJ nights run loud past 22:00. Brunch is the calmer service if you want to talk.
Back A Yard Caribbean Grill Downtown ★ 4.0 · San Jose
Downtown · 457 E San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112
Back A Yard has served authentic Jamaican comfort food in San Jose since 2004 with signature jerk chicken and oxtail drawing a devoted following.
Back A Yard Caribbean Grill Downtown ★ 4.0 · San Jose
Downtown · 457 E San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112
Back A Yard has served authentic Jamaican food in San Jose since 2004 with smoky jerk chicken, tender oxtail, and festival bread to a devoted following.
Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Capitol ★ 4.0 · San Jose
East San Jose · 1011 E Capitol Expy, San Jose, CA 95121
Back A Yard's East San Jose Capitol location serves authentic Jamaican oxtail, jerk chicken, and festival bread in a neighborhood setting on Capitol Expwy.