24

Café La Trova

Miami

Café La Trova is a legend in both the Cuban expat and craft cocktail communities. Conceived by the iconic Julio Cabrera, La Trova is an ode to the rich culture of his native island. Within the bright room in Miami’s Little Havana, a rumba band plays while Cuban families revel alongside swank visitors. The headlining act can be found behind the bar. Donning smart dinner jackets, cantineros – the famed Cuban school of bartending – flamboyantly shake, stir and salsa through an impressive repertoire of drinks. The emphasis is on Cuban standards like the Hotel Nacional (pineapple rum, apricot liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice). The cantineros’ skill is apparent in their additional mastery of stateside staples like the Vieux Carre (VS cognac, rye, whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters). In the kitchen, James Beard Award winner Michelle Bernstein conjures delicate takes on classics including Miami’s best empanadas. From music to mouths, La Trova offers Cuba’s best in exile.

Contact