

Miami Little Havana Food & Culture Walking Tour
Guided Food Tour of Little Havana
Take a taste of the authentic Cuban treats offered at some of the most legendary and exciting spots in one of Miami’s most vibrant cultural centers, Little Havana. No matter your age or fitness level, Little Havana’s greatest treasures are concentrated into just a few blocks, making this a relaxed and fun Miami food and walking tour.
In a thrilling 2.5 hours, you’ll feast at legendary Little Havana culinary establishments such as Ball & Chain, Sala’o, Old’s Havana, Party Cake Bakery and El Cristo restaurant. The guided food tour includes the history of Little Havana’s most alluring restaurants and the stories behind their food, as well as an informative walking tour of the neighborhood’s most beloved landmarks including the famous Domino Park, Calle Ocho Walk of Fame, Bay of Pigs Memorial Park, an authentic cigar shop, and more.
All food samples are included in the ticket price. You can add a VIP Mojito Upgrade to any ticket (over 21 please) so you can sample the most popular alcoholic beverage in Cuba. Another upgrade is the VIP premium drink package which includes a mojito, a world famous daiquiri, and a premium Cuban lemonade.
Our food walking tour of Miami’s Little Havana is an active, VIP adventure through town; the perfect way to see and taste the area in a single afternoon!
What To Expect
The tour begins around the famous Domino Park, at El Cristo Restaurant.
Cubans love their dominoes, and that tradition made its way to America with the Cuban migration. Catch locals in one of their favorite gathering spots, Domino Park (Máximo Gómez Park) playing their beloved game. At this famous landmark on Little Havana’s main artery, Calle Ocho in the heart of Little Havana, you’ll meet your entertaining and energetic guide who will give you an introduction to Miami’s and Little Havana’s epic history, before observing some of our Cuban-American neighbors socializing over some serious game play.
Catch a glimpse of Ernest Hemingway’s Cuba at Sala’o.
We’ll sample some excellent Cuban cuisine at Sala’o, one of Little Havana’s finest restaurants, inspired by author Ernest Hemingway, who spent many years living in Cuba, and wrote two of his most famous books there, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Old Man and the Sea.” Imagine yourself floating on a boat in the calm, blue Caribbean with Hemingway and a fishing rod, but you won’t have to catch the big one for a tasty treat on our tour. Let Sala’o surprise your eager palate with its unique Cuban flavors. Those on our VIP beverage plan will enjoy a Cuban-favorite daiquiri, a special variety of which was named after Hemingway, himself.
Honor famous Cuban-Americans on the Walk of Fame.
“Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz, Miami Sound Machine’s Gloria Estefan, home run hitter Sammy Sosa and many more Cuban-American greats have graced the streets of Miami and Little Havana and billboards around the world. These talents made their names, and entered the hearts of Cuban and non-Cuban Americans alike. We’ll stop at some of their stars on bustling Calle Ocho, and honor these fine examples of Cuban-Americans who rose to the top of their games, and showed the world what the Cuban spirit is all about.
Get a taste of old Havana at Old’s Havana.
Bask in the vintage decor at Old’s Havana, and listen to classic Cuban tunes as the afternoon takes you back to the glory of Havana in its finest, pre-revolutionary days. Sample authentic Cuban cuisine with traditional flavors, while those on the VIP beverage plan experience why Old’s Havana is known as “La Casa del Mojito” (“The Home of the Mojito”), one of Cuba’s most famous and refreshing cocktails featuring sugar cane and mint leaves. When the weather is inviting, you could hardly find a more satisfying spot than Old’s Havana’s cozy terrace, although Old’s Havana always has the vibes, rain or shine.
Catch the Little Havana roosters – real and imagined.
Of the many landmarks along Little Havana’s colorful Calle Ocho, one cannot help but notice the giant rooster statues sculpted and popularized by local artist, Pedro Damian. Damian has sadly passed, but remains immortalized in the gaze of these magnificent roosters that adorn many corners of this vibrant neighborhood. At El Pub, we will sit beside two of these famous sculptures, as we sample traditional Cuban fare – perhaps Tostones Rellenos or flaky empanadas. Don’t be surprised if you catch side-eye from an actual, live rooster! Cubans love their roosters, and they run wild in the streets of Little Havana. Cock-a-doodle-doooo!
Get a firsthand glimpse of Cuba’s most treasured art – the art of cigar-making.
Much like the art of winemaking in places like Burgundy, France or Napa Valley, California, cigar-making is a subtle art. The temperate zone, the amount of rain, the composition of the soil – so many factors affect the quality of the tobacco, and the final cigar. Due to trade regulations, Cuban tobacco and Cuban cigars may not be imported to the US, but Little Havana artisans have found ways to honor the Cuban tradition as closely as possible, sourcing tobacco from Cuban seed, and cultivating it in places with conditions as close to those in Cuba as they can get, like Nicaragua and Honduras. Watch the best, local cigar-rollers make magic, as they roll cigars, in the traditional Cuban style, right before your eyes. We will also sample a shot of traditional Cuban coffee or “café cubano” at our cigar stop. You will leave refreshed!
Enjoy the vibes and flavors at one of Miami’s most historic haunts.
Prior to the Cuban migration, historic Ball & Chain hosted the likes of Chet Baker, Count Basie, Billie Holiday and other musical greats. The Rat Pack and Jackie Gleason were regulars at this vibey Miami original, which was reinvented with a Cuban flair for the 21st Century. Chow down on an authentic Cuban sandwich, which few know is a Florida creation, largely modeled after the medianoche or “midnight sandwich” invented in Havana. Enjoy the beats of live, Latin music from exciting, local acts. VIP beverage package participants will sip on one of Ball & Chains fabulous cocktails, and we’ll all let a beautiful, Little Havana day sink in.
They don’t make ‘em like they used to.
Opening in December 1926 in pre-Little Havana, Miami, the Tower Theater was the finest state-of-the-art movie theater in the South. It opened at a very interesting time, in the year that Miami experienced a historic housing market crash and the devastating “Big Blow” hurricane. It served as a sanctuary for locals to forget their troubles, as Miami entered a stagnant period of growth that would not correct until after the Great Depression and World War II.
End with a sweet, juicy taste of Cuba.
Locals come to humble Los Piñarenos Fruteria to satisfy their sweet tooth the healthy way – fruit! We’ll end our tour with a sip of traditional, Cuban juice of sugar cane, guava or mamey, depending on what is in season at the time of our visit. Sometimes it’s the simple things that make a special impact. We hope you leave with a sweet taste in your heart, as well as on your tongue.
The walking food tour will conclude with some suggestions for the rest of your visit and other great places to eat in the Miami area.
Guests who are over 21 can add-on the VIP Mojito upgrade for only $9.99, which includes one Mojito from one of Little Havana’s finest restaurants. Or upgrade to our Premium VIP package which includes 3 drink pairings along the route; a mojito, a world famous daiquiri, and a premium Cuban lemonade.
What To Bring
- Please bring an ID
- Please bring a bottle of water. A few restaurants will serve water, but not all of them. So it’s highly recommended to bring a bottle of water.
- Wear comfortable clothing/shoes
What’s Included
- Tour prices include all food samples. Craft drink samples can be added for an additional fee.
- Add on 1 Mojito or Upgrade to the VIP Drink Package
- Storied history of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood restaurants and landmarks
- Additional Costs might be incurred for restricted diets or changes to menu items.
- Please arrive 15 minutes before scheduled tour time!
- Tours run rain or shine!
Departure Locations
- El Cristo (Restaurant) – 1543 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135
The best way to see Little Havana is from the streets. Whether you are visiting for the first time or you have lived here your entire life, there are places on our city tour you would probably never find on your own. This tour will give you a unique look at the city from a foodie’s perspective.
Chefs and restaurants often give our guests off-menu samples and specials that restaurant-goers don’t usually get to order. Plus, when you embark on our Little Havana Food Tour you know you’ll be burning calories as you stroll through town — so feel free to load up your plate!
- Expert guides who keep you engaged and amused while on the tour
- Outstanding stories about and insights into Miami and the Little Havana culture
- A chance to stimulate all five senses as you walk around town
- Accessible to people of any fitness level
- Perfect for all ages
- Please arrive 15 minutes before scheduled tour time!
- Tours run rain or shine!
Little Havana was born out of the ruins of Fidel Castro’s Communist Revolution in Cuba. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled for refuge with most ending up in close-by Miami. Cuban refugees were processed downtown at the former headquarters of the Miami News which became known as the “Freedom Tower,” which is kind of the Ellis Island of Miami. Many of these newcomers settled downtown but they eventually spread south into the Riverside neighborhood. The neighborhood was dubbed “Little Havana” and became the hub of Cuban culture in Miami. It is now 98% Latino with the vast majority being Cuban.
These new Cuban-Americans, of course, brought their beloved national traditions with them. To this day, you can see cigars rolled by hand in the authentic Cuban style at a neighborhood cigar shop; sip on a brisk “cafe cubano” (Cuban coffee) for a quick pick-me-up; watch locals in the traditional, 4-pocket cubavera shirt playing their treasured pastime of dominos, in Domino Park on Calle Ocho; refresh yourself on pure sugar cane juice at a local fruit vendor; and watch the unofficial bird of Little Havana, the rooster, strut freely around the urban streets.
You’ll visit historical landmarks like the Tower Theater, the finest state-of-the-art movie theater in the South at the time of its opening in 1926 when Little Havana was still called “Riverside,” and there was not a Cuban in sight. We’ll also visit Ball & Chain which hosted musical greats like Chet Baker, Count Basie and Billie Holiday in the pre-Little Havana days, and was revived in the early 2000s after it served over 2 decades as the failed Futurama furniture store.
We’ll honor the fallen soldiers at Bay of Pigs Memorial park where an eternal flame burns in the heart of Miami’s Cuban enclave. Plus, we’ll honor local Latin celebrities (not all Cuban) as we gaze at their stars on the Calle Ocho Walk of Fame.
If you choose this tour we know you love to eat and we will be sure to feed you samples of delicious Cuban and Cuban-American foods from Little Havana’s best purveyors of Cuban cuisine; like the local favorite Cuban sandwich (actually invented by Cuban immigrants in Florida), and flaky empanada pastries which are filled with various meats, cheeses, and almost anything a hungry Cuban could think of. We’ll also feast our eyes on some great Cuban art, including sculptor Pedro Damian’s famous, giant rooster statues. We did all the research for you so you can relax and trust that Bobby’s Bike Hike does not take lightly the responsibility to make sure our tour guests leave our tours well-beyond satisfied, and perhaps ready to take another adventure with us in another exciting Miami neighborhood.
For those who booked the VIP Craft Drink Package, you’ll enjoy some of the finest, Cuban favorite drinks, like the mojito or the daiquiri. At the end of the tour, we hope to leave you full of local knowledge, great food and drink, and fond memories of the fun we had together.
Our Restaurant Partners (Please note: none of the following restaurants can be guaranteed, we stop at 5 restaurants listed below)
Sala’o – An homage to the more than two decades Ernest Hemingway resided in Cuba , writing two of his most famous novels there, charming Sala’o focuses on seafood and one of Cuba’s favorite cocktails, the daiquiri. A variety of daiquiri known as the “Hemingway Special” or “Papa Doble” was created in honor of Hemingway.
Old’s Havana – Known as “La Casa del Mojito” (“The Home of the Mojito”), Old’s Havana brings the tastes and feel of Havana in its finest, pre-revolutionary days. With it’s pleasant vintage decor, cozy terrace and fine Cuban cuisine, Old’s Havana is always a pleasure to visit.
Ball & Chain – Before Little Havana was a thing, Ball & Chain was a popular gathering spot where locals could catch the hottest musical acts of the day, like Count Basie, Billie Holiday and Chet Baker. During its Little Havana rebirth, Ball & Chain has been reinvented with a Latin and Cuban flair, featuring great Latin bands, a fabulous Cuban sandwich, and a delicious, refreshing mojito.
Los Pinarenos – We go to the humble market where locals go to shop for fruit or enjoy a traditional juice made from sugar cane, or Cuban favorite fruits like guava and mamey.
El Pub – Sitting on a busy Calle Ocho corner that hosts two of Little Havana’s giant rooster statues, popularized by local sculptor Pedro Damian, open-air El Pub cooks up authentic Cuban fare with a feeling like you’re a stone’s throw from a Cuban beach on the Caribbean.
Havana Classic Cigars – This authentic purveyor of cigars hand rolled on the premises in the Cuban tradition offers only cigars, but also some incredible Cuban coffee roasted on the premises and mixed into their own house blend. Havana Classic also features an exciting art collection, including a back room full of rooster art, and incredibly detailed etchings on tobacco leaves.
(Discount Online Rate includes All Food Samples)
Price: | Fri-Sun | Mon-Thurs |
---|---|---|
Adults | $69.99 | $64.99 |
Youth (Ages 4-11) | $59.99 | $54.99 |
Infants (Ages 0-3) when sharing w/ adult | $10.99 | $9.99 |
VIP Adult 1 Mojito Upgrade $9.99 | ||
VIP Adult Drink Package Upgrade $19.99 |
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