Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Cuba's national cocktail and Miami's defining warm-weather drink: white rum muddled with fresh lime, sugar and torn mint leaves, topped with sparkling soda water and crushed ice.
The mojito traces back to 16th-century Havana, when British naval surgeon Sir Francis Drake reportedly mixed a similar drink to combat sailors' scurvy on the Cuban coast. The modern formula codified in early 20th-century Havana at La Bodeguita del Medio, where Ernest Hemingway famously kept a regular table. Miami's Cuban exile community brought the cocktail north in the 1960s; today every Calle Ocho bar runs one, with Versailles and La Carreta among the canonical addresses. The canonical garnish is hierbabuena, a Cuban mint variety.
4 editor picks for Mojito in Miami, ranked by editorial score. All Miami signature dishes · Mojito across every city.
Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach is the 1913 South of Fifth seafood cathedral, serving chilled stone crab claws with mustard sauce from October 15 to May 1.
OrderJumbo or large stone crab claws with the mustard sauce and a side of creamed spinach.
TipNo reservations for dinner; arrive by 5pm or use the take-away counter next door for the same claws to-go.
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.
Yardbird in Miami Beach is the Lenox Avenue Southern table that put 27-hour brined fried chicken on the South Beach map and runs brunch through dinner daily.
OrderThe chicken n watermelon n waffles plate; the chicken alone is the order if you only want one bird.
TipBook the patio if it's open. Locals brunch Saturday before the queue takes the dining room past 1pm.
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.
Mojito makes more sense with someone from Miami explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Experience the thriving culinary scene of Miami's Little Havana and enjoy tasty, authentic Cuban cuisine. Learn about local history and culture as you explore one of M...
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Explore Wynwood, Miami, and discover one of the largest open-air museums in the world, known for its street art. Taste your way through this neighborhood while learnin...
Guided tour · 2 hours
Discover the vibrant heart of Miami on a guided tour of Little Havana. Learn about the history of the Cuban diaspora, see colorful art, and savor a "secret" tropical treat.
