Neighborhoods

Where France meets Cuba in Hialeah

Hialeah’s probably the last neighborhood where you’d expect to find excellent French cuisine, but about five years ago, La Fresa Francesa popped up — and it’s très bon.  It’s owned by a young couple, Benoit Rablat and Sandy Sanchez, who met while working at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Los Angeles. He’s a French chef, and […]

/ November 13, 2019

The proof is in the pastrami

Henderson “Junior” Biggers remembers his first day on the job. He wanted to be an auto mechanic, but the employment agency sent him to Stephen’s Deli in Hialeah, where he started working as a dishwasher. That was nearly six decades ago. Today, he slices corned beef and pastrami by hand at Florida’s oldest deli and will celebrate […]

/ November 13, 2019

Allapattah’s bean-to-brew roasters

Gannon Mennis is serious about coffee. He’s showing us how he transforms green beans sourced from Ethiopia, Cameroon and Brazil into brew by guiding us through his coffee-roasting process. “The more coffee I get to taste and work with, the happier I am,” says Gannon. Take a peek inside Deco Coffee Co. in our video […]

/ November 13, 2019

Half a century of Goodwill

There are more than 475,000 people of working age living with a disability in Miami-Dade County and for decades Goodwill of South Florida has worked to train and employ people with disabilities here in the 305. They provide job training in apparel manufacturing, custodial and laundry services. And at their headquarters in Allapattah, they manufacture military uniforms […]

/ November 13, 2019

A “typical” Sunday in Allapattah

So you think you can dance? Well, at Club Tipico you can show off your bachata, salsa, merengue or reggaeton moves seven days a week — always for fun, and sometimes for cash. This is the spot in Allapattah, a.k.a Little Santo Domingo, where locals have been coming to do something typically Dominican — eat, […]

/ November 13, 2019

Lechón y reggaeton

Papo Llega y Pon is one of Allapattah’s oldest businesses, and it’s serving up one of Miami’s biggest pan con lechon sandwiches. Take their Cuban flautas for example. They sell for $16, are about two feet long, and can serve up to four people. So whether you come for the pan con lechon or stay […]

/ November 13, 2019

Jackfruit and canistel and mangosteen, oh my

Even if you’ve lived in Miami your entire life, Robert is Here has a selection of tropical fruits you may never have heard of before — and milkshakes worth adventuring into Homestead for. If you hop off the 35 or 344 bus at S. Redland Rd. And W. Palm Dr., you’ll find Robert is Here […]

/ November 12, 2019

Levitation? Electromagnetism? Ancient Aliens?

Everyone has theories about how Coral Castle was built, but none have actually been proven. What we do know is that Edward Leedskalnin moved from Latvia in 1923 and spent 28 years building Rock Gate Park as a monument to the love of his life.  Edward only worked at night and no one ever saw […]

/ November 12, 2019

Ernesto’s: Fresh and flavorful in Cutler Bay

Across the street from the Busway & SW 200 St. bus stop in Cutler Bay, there’s a Mexican restaurant that’s been in business for more than 20 years: Ernesto’s Taco Shop.  Its kitchen manager, Carlos Bedoya, never thought he’d work in a Mexican restaurant, but this November will be his eighth year working at Ernesto’s. […]

/ November 12, 2019

You don’t have to travel north for the arts

When Hurricane Andrew devastated Cutler Bay and surrounding areas, the federal government set aside money to help rebuild the southern end of the county. The South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center was born as part of these rebuilding efforts. Since 2011, it’s been the mission of the SMDCAC to provide various opportunities for the community to […]

/ November 12, 2019