The Shelborne South Beach Lunches Cafecito Pop-Up by David’s Cafe
The Shelborne South Beach is bringing back a famous Miami institution, Cafecito pop-up by David’s Cafe. Serving authentic Cuban cuisine for over 44 years, the family-owned, small business opened a pop-up location on March 18th in the hotel’s lobby, providing guests and locals with a classic Miami experience throughout the summer and a fresh, new ambiance with outdoor seating on the hotel’s exterior.
“In Cuban culture, Colada is deliberately served with little cups for sharing and to bring the community together,” explained Adrian Gonzalez, owner of David’s Cafecito and son of the original owner, Alfredo & Maria Gonzalez. “We look forward to continuing our 44-year tradition of serving South Florida with our famous cafe con leche, guava pastelitos, Legendary cuban sandwich and much more.“
David’s Cafe began serving authentic Cuban treats in 1977. The original owners, Alfredo and Maria Gonzalez, opened the business on South Beach to cater to the area’s ever-changing community. The locally-celebrated business’s previous, standalone location in Miami Beach was forced to permanently close as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown.
“As an iconic South Beach hotel, we wanted to give our guests a taste of what true Cuban cuisine and Miami culture is like,“ explains Steven Hiblum, General Manager of Shelborne South Beach. “David’s Cafecito is a thriving family business that has made its mark in the local Miami community and we want to help continue the 44-year-long tradition.“
At Shelborne, the menu consists of breakfast and lunch offerings, including the traditional Cuban Sandwich, a flavorful stack of ham, slow roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread, in addition to other sandwich variations. Breakfast items include the Tostada Cubana, a Cuban Breakfast Wrap with egg, sausage and cheese and the Avocado and Salmon Tostada. Other highlights include a collection of coffee drinks and fresh juices, including traditional Batidos, a Cuban-style milkshake with fresh fruit such as passion fruit, papaya, apple, banana and more. Finally, it wouldn’t be a trip to a traditional Cuban cafe without a selection of Pastelitos. David’s Cafe serves Guava and Cheese Pastelitos, a selection of Empanadas and Croquetas.
The space operates within the lobby of the Shelborne, which was originally built in 1940 and designed by famed Art Deco architects Igor Polevitsky and Thomas Triplett Russel. It was embellished in the 1950s by Neo-baroque design master Morris Lapidus. The Shelborne was the epitome of classic South Beach glamour and opulence throughout the 1960s and still stands today as an iconic Art Deco gem in South Beach.
The David’s Cafecito pop-up is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m and will run throughout the summer.