30 editor picks across United States.
30 caribbean restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Blue Heaven is Key West's chicken-crossed Bahama Village courtyard, Michelin Recommended in the 2026 Florida guide for pancakes, shrimp and key lime pie.
OrderKey lime pie with the towering meringue
TipThe courtyard closes for a holiday each September and reopens in October, so check ahead if you visit in hurricane season.
5 Brothers Grocery has pressed Cuban mixes and poured con leche at Southard and Grinnell in Key West since 1978, a family corner store with a bench crew.
OrderCuban mix pressed hot, plus a bag of bollos
TipThe Bench Crew of regulars holds court outside each morning; come before the 06:30 rush clears the pastry case.
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.
OrderCuban sandwich, Picadillo
Mo's Restaurant cooks made-from-scratch Haitian Creole food on White Street, the only kitchen of its kind in Key West, with oxtail and goat stew as anchors.
OrderOxtail stew with rice and richly seasoned gravy
TipIt sits by Bayview Park away from the Duval crowds and closes Sundays; carryout runs until 21:30 on open days.
Sandy's Cafe is the laundromat lunch counter of Key West, pressing Cuban mixes and pouring con leche at a White Street walk-up window from 05:00 daily.
OrderCuban mix with a large cafe con leche
TipOrder at the window, eat on the stools facing the street; the buchi shot is the fastest caffeine on the island.
Ariete in Coconut Grove is Michael Beltran's Michelin-starred Cuban-American room on Main Highway, holding a star four years running since 2022.
OrderThe croqueta de jamon to open, then whatever the chalkboard says is being aged that week.
TipTuesday burger night is a hard ticket; book the brunch service if you want the kitchen at full curiosity.
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.
OrderA jerk plate, fried plantains and a rum cocktail.
TipA big Burrito Group room good for groups. The brunch and rum list are draws.
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.
OrderCoconut goat stew, Jerk chicken sandwich, East African curries
Brocato's on East Columbus Drive in Tampa has built Cuban sandwiches, deviled crabs and stuffed potatoes since 1948 from a neighborhood storefront.
OrderThe Cuban sandwich with a deviled crab on the side.
TipCash and card both work; the party finger sandwiches (mini Cubans and mini deviled crabs) are the catering pick.
El Siboney is Key West's bilingual Cuban dining room on Catherine Street, ladling roast pork, rice and beans at prices the neighbourhood can still afford.
OrderRoast pork with black beans, rice and plantains
TipThe Paella Valenciana needs at least an hour's notice, so call ahead if you want it; everything else moves fast.
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.
OrderVaca frita with maduros and a cafecito at the walk-up ventanita.
TipThe dining room queues at lunch; the ventanita pours cafecito from 8am and pastelitos run all day.
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.
OrderSlow-roasted pork plate with yuca, collards and cornbread on the side.
TipOrder at the counter, find a seat. Family-style pans serve four; gluten-free options across the menu.
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.
OrderArepa de choclo with mozzarella, sweet corn cake.
TipCash only at the counter. Take the arepas to the park benches across the street for the full Queens lunch.
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.
OrderJerk chicken, curry goat and festival dumplings.
TipLines build at lunch. The jerk chicken is the signature, but the curry goat sells out, so go early if it is what you want.
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.
Order1905 Salad tableside, Cuban sandwich with the house Cuban bread, and the Spanish bean soup.
TipBook the flamenco performance nights Monday through Saturday; the restaurant spans an entire city block with 15 dining rooms.
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.
OrderPalomilla steak with yellow rice and black beans, a side of yuca fries, and a cafe con leche at the counter.
TipThe counter (west door) runs 6am to midnight Friday and Saturday; the dining room next door takes reservations.
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.
OrderPalomilla steak with yellow rice and black beans.
TipThe counter side runs 6am to midnight Friday and Saturday; the dining room takes reservations next door.
Kaya Island Eats crosses Caribbean jerk with Pacific poke on Duval Street in Key West, chef Scott's Hawaii training behind the tuna nachos and rasta pasta.
OrderAhi poke nachos, then the jerk chicken
TipThe kitchen also runs a hook-and-cook service, so charter anglers can bring in the day's catch for dinner.
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.
Chef Eben Shillingford brings Dominican-Caribbean cooking to Tulsa's Arts District, with jerk chicken, oxtail stew and rotating fresh fish landing daily.
OrderJerk chicken, Stewed oxtail, Lump crab
El Meson de Pepe plates ropa vieja and lechon asado beside Mallory Square in Key West, run by the Diaz family with salsa bands playing at sunset.
OrderRopa vieja with black beans and plantains
TipTime dinner around the Sunset Celebration next door; the patio band starts as the crowds gather on Mallory Square.
Frita's Cuban Burger Cafe keeps a Key West lunch under $15 with Havana-style fritas, tacos and yuca fries on a bright patio just off Southard Street.
OrderThe traditional frita with its crown of fried potato strings
TipOwner Marcia Weaver built the recipe on trips to Cuba; the churros and Cuban coffee finish the meal properly.
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.
OrderThe jerk chicken roti plus a glass of rum punch, with the rum cake as the late finish.
TipFind the entrance through Roast Deli's back hallway; the HiFi parlour plays vinyl most nights and the back-patio seating fills first.
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.
OrderJerk chicken roti plus a glass of rum punch and the rum cake.
TipFind the entrance through Roast Deli's back hallway; the HiFi parlour plays vinyl most nights.
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.
OrderPernil, Tostones, Empanadas
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.
Elie's Chinchorro on 16th Street is one of few Puerto Rican restaurants in the Great Plains, serving traditional food largely absent from city food coverage.
OrderTraditional pernil: slow-roasted pork shoulder, the most frequently cited dish in local food coverage.
Cha Cha Chicken has smoked jerk chicken under the palms on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica since 1996, a family-run Caribbean shack steps from the beach.
OrderJerk chicken plate with fried plantains
TipIt runs one of the most lenient BYOB policies in town; bring a bottle and eat coconut fried chicken outside.
Le Gourmet cooks Haitian family recipes on South Broadway, bringing poulet pane, grilled fish and slow beef stews to Lexington seven days a week until late.
OrderPoulet pane, Grilled fish
TipOpen until 23:00 nightly, Sunday from 14:00; portions are generous, so order the soup only if sharing.
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.
OrderLechon asado with moros y cristianos and a side of tostones.
TipThe ventanita pours strong cafecito at any hour; the dining room is quieter than Versailles next door.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Discover the Cuban and Caribbean influences on Key West food and culture. Enjoy a small-group tour with stops at 5 locations including tastings.
75 minutes - 2 hours
Savor the flavors of Key West with a cooking demonstration with dinner meal. Watch as expert chefs bring classic island-inspired dishes to life before your eyes.
Water activity · 6 hours
Experience 10 watersport activities in one all-inclusive trip! Jet ski, snorkel, parasail, kayak & more, plus lunch, drinks, and unlimited beer after the fun. Key West...
