(51 posts)

Luna Star Cafe’s owner puts the mom in ‘mom ‘n’ pop’

Alexis Sanfield puts the “Mom” in Mom ‘n’ Pop. The Luna Star Cafe has been in business since 1996 and Alexis he considers herself as “out of the box” as her regulars, most of whom have been going for 20+ years. And some on a daily basis.  The cafe has a selection of more than […]

North Miami / July 22, 2019

Meet your local cheesemakers

Ten years ago, Bruno Ponce started making mozzarella from home with the help of YouTube and his friend Mimmo. Just a few years later, he opened Mimmo’s Mozzarella Market and Cafe, where he makes fresh cheese from scratch, and by hand, on the daily.  Stop by and you’ll find up to 30 selections of specialty […]

Food / July 18, 2019

NoMi’s coffee roasters (and pizza makers)

Ever seen a Sivetz in action? This fluid-bed coffee roaster works overtime at Alaska Coffee Roasting Co. in North Miami where your cup of joe is roasted and brewed to order. First established in 1993 in Fairbanks, Alaska, Michael Gesser decided to bring what he’s coined “The Wine of the Tropics,” well, to the tropics, […]

Food / July 9, 2019

The little bookstore that could — and did

Little Haiti’s Libreri Mapou has been recognized as a Haitian cultural institution by the Library of Congress, and has one of the largest collections of Haitian literature, poetry, and history books outside of Haiti. What started out as a 300-book booth from Jan Mapou’s personal library is now a bookstore with more than 7,000 titles […]

Little Haiti / July 5, 2019

Meet Miami legend Serge Toussaint

Serge Toussaint is a Haitian-born artist and muralist who’s been painting storefronts and walls around the 305 since 1994. If you don’t already know him by name ($erge), you’ve definitely seen his work if you’ve ever driven through Little Haiti, Overtown, or Wynwood. It started with an illustration of a sandwich outside a “boutik” and […]

Art / June 19, 2019

Flavors of the Caribbean

Sheir and Nafeeza Ali have owned and operated Little Haiti’s B&M Market and Roti Shop for over 25 years. Nafeeza’s the chef while Sheir runs the register, and the grill.  They serve Caribbean cuisine, and Nafeeza makes everything from scratch on a daily basis.   While you wait for your homemade curry, soup or roti, you […]

Food / June 10, 2019

In the city, off the grid

Almost half a century ago, Ray Chasser bought a small piece of land in Little Haiti that was just big enough for him to play volleyball and have a garden. Today, Earth ‘n’ Us Farm is a three-acre tropical oasis with three organic gardens, a rentable treehouse, and lots of exotic animals.  They’re all rescues, […]

Little Haiti / May 31, 2019

What’s up in Little Havana: Life House

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Little Havana THE PLACE: Life House Hotel is Little Havana’s first boutique hotel, and it’s not just for travelers. It’s for locals who want to live like they travel here. The courtyard feels more like a backyard with its plants, hammock, and edible garden. The cafe, Parcela, offers a modern take on Latin cuisine—inspired […]

Business / May 8, 2019

Avocado toast on pan cubano? Yes, please

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Little Havana THE PLACE: Old Station Cafe is bringing that Miami flair to Calle Ocho without those Miami prices. The colorful patio is hard to miss and their food is hard to resist. The guac toast (just $4.50) is served on Cuban bread with all the fixings, their pan con lechon ($5) is slow-roasted […]

Drink / May 2, 2019

Los Pinareños Fruteria is Little Havana’s best-kept secret

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Little Havana THE PLACE: Los Pinareños Fruteria is an open-air fresh fruit and juice market: a true mom-and-pop shop that’s been family-run for more than 50 years. It’s also home to Chucha, a pot-bellied Vietnamese pig who sleeps and eats behind the market. Guillermina Hernandez and her late husband were born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba (hence […]

Cuba / April 29, 2019