La Colada Gourmet

I was walking Calle Ocho in Little Havana when a sign that read "Cuban Coffee" caught my eye across the street. I thought this was exactly that I needed, but I was already on my way to get a Cuban sandwich. The age-old question then came to my mind - why not both? So I set a mental note to circle back after my sandwich adventures for a little pick-me-up.

I could tell before even entering that La Colada is a popular tourist spot - not only because it's located on Calle Ocho, but also because I noticed a few walking tours mention Cuban coffee. I was a tourist, though, so that didn't deter me. Upon entry I was greeted by a mid-sized cafe with tables scattered throughout the space and a lot of interesting decor on the walls. There were a lot of wood tones and soft music playing in the background.

I was approached by one of the staff who directed me to the coffee bar towards the back to sit. She asked if it was my first time and since I said yes, asked how I like my coffee. I said I handle strong, so she suggested the bombon which was a mixture of espresso and sweetened condensed milk. I really enjoyed the coffee - it wasn't overly sweet despite the condensed milk, and had the right amount of bite. The cookie they served with it was great to dip mmmm.

Service was great - everyone was super friendly and made sure I was enjoying my coffee. Overall, this may be a tourist trap but La Colada did an excellent job making me feel welcome, providing a comfortable environment, and serving some good coffee. I would definitely make a return trip if I find myself in the area again.

I am a big coffee connoisseur as I absolutely love the independently owned and operated coffee shops more than anything. And one thing I have not really had the opportunity trying much of is Cuban coffee. This is where "La Colada Gourmet" comes in. Ever since they opened in 2017, this place has had hundreds of positive Yelp reviews as well as being one of the best authentic spots for gourmet Cuban coffee.

Located on 8th Street (a.k.a. "Calle Ocho") and tucked in between SW 15th & 16th Ave. in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, the exterior boasts a black awning complete with burnt red brick walls and lettering that says "The House of Cuban Coffee". After a delicious breakfast at a different business, I parked a few blocks away and was in need for my caffeine fix. I must say that the interior is so nicely decorated. It is packed with artwork, figurines, and so many cool knick-knacks that truly represent Cuba but the entire Caribbean. In fact, every square inch has a very cool look to it; front to back and side to side.

I also wanted to point out that there is a huge coffee bean roasted that is visible for the public to see. And even though this place is fairly small, they do offer abundant seating throughout. My significant other and I arrived roughly at around 12:30pm on Sunday 3/17/2024. Since it was an unusually warm 84°F day in Miami, I decided on trying something cold and refreshing. I asked one of the employees what is recommended and she mentioned their "Iced Tres Leches Cafe" drink (priced at $9) would do the trick. This delicious drink is Cuban coffee with sweetened condensed milk, 2% milk and topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It also included a little butter cookie to go with it. I also opted for their "Guava Pastry" (priced at $1.20) which was the perfect addition to my drink.

I will say that the service here is spot on as the employee seated us right away. Even though you can take your food and drink to go, I highly encourage everyone to enjoy the ambiance and hospitality inside if you're not in a hurry. I also wanted to let everyone know that since it is small, it can get crowded and a seat is not always guaranteed. However, I was absolutely impressed with how big the flavor is in such a small place. With that said and done, I am giving "La Colada Gourmet" a perfect five-star rating.

This is a cute little coffee shop that can get pretty busy. I enjoyed the different decor and the service was excellent. The employees were very friendly and checked in on us throughout our stay.

I ordered the tres leches café because it seemed to be one of the more popular items. It was alright. I prefer a stronger coffee. My partner ordered a cortadito and it was also not very strong.

I'd say this place is a cute stop but be forewarned about the prices.

La Colada is a must-try if you are in the Little Havana area. This place has a unique coffee menu mixed with a bold Cuban heritage. They have different types of coffee for everyone; whether you like it sweet, strong, or somewhere in the middle. I tried the Tres Leches coffee, cortado, and Little Pink Havana, which were all amazing.

The shop is small but inviting with Cuban decor and memorabilia. They have seating but it gets packed if you visit on a weekend or holiday. I suggest coming on a weeknight.

Service is good and the staff is very friendly.

If you're in Little Havana you need to have a little colada with a big punch.

South Florida has some of the best Cuban spots and you can get colada anywhere, even at a random gas station. What makes La Colada stand out is they don't just make coladas, they make pretty and fancy coffee drinks too!

Of course, it's a tourist stop but the staff here is ready to serve you and welcome you into their home. That's how it feels.

Because we were just doing a quick stop for coffee and trying different little spots we didn't grab anything else besides a quick tostada (hubby's fave).

You can enjoy over 20 coffee recipes and even pick up a bag (or two) of their delicious coffee blends.

Tres leches coffee was okay, nothing to write home about. The store inside carried a lot of trickets for sale. Came on a weekday evening and no one was there. Service was decent.

Felt touristy but what in this area isn't lol

While visiting Little Havana, we stopped in for coffee at La Colada. This is a cute, little coffee shop. Service was helpful and friendly. There used to be indoor and outdoor seating. We decided to sit on the patio to enjoy the nice weather. Our group had the tiramisu latte, coffee, and guava pastries. I highly recommend this authentic Cuban coffee shop!

Beware!! It's really sad. I went into this coffee shop so happy to buy some Cuban coffee cups. The young man who came up to me was so nice and friendly and helpful but when I went to pay the lady at the cash register tried to sell me a package of coffee...in a little bit pushy way.. and when I said "no thank you", she tried to shortchange me by $5 after I paid. I told her she gave me the wrong change and she tried to say that she didn't, but I stood my ground, and she finally gave me back the correct change. It was so upsetting and left a very bad taste for this place which almost ruined my visit to Calle Ocho. I don't like cheaters. So please be careful because it made me wonder how many other people she had done this to. Very sad.

Be prepared to experience long lines no matter what time you go, however, it's worth it. We were lucky enough to get a table for our large party. Bc of our large party, we were able to taste a good amount from their menu. We got some fresh juices, coffee, a few desserts and sandwich. The fresh guava juice was amazing! Lightly sweet but oh so fresh. For desserts, we tried the rice pudding, guava pastry, tiramisu, and the rum cake. We ordered tres leches cake instead of the rum cake, but the wrong order was sent out and we didn't feel like sending it back, but it's ok because they were all delicious!

This is a must stop at when I return.

While a friend was visiting from out of town I just KNEW this was the first place to take her on our journey through Lil' Havana. Also what better start to a culinary adventure than with coffee?

The establishment itself is decked out from head to toe in artistry either inspired by or directly from Havana, Cuba itself. It has a real feel like you are in that country and out of the United States which is such a great cultural aspect right off the bat. There are a plethora of coffees one can order and our waitress did a great job at recommending something for each of us depending on our specific taste preferences. There are a few coffee drinks that are served with alcohol for those who partake and they do have certain foods and desserts; we tried the flan this time that was scrumptious.

Also important to note that you can actually buy an expresso maker for your pleasure at home. Definitely make La Colada Gourmet your first stop on your Cuban exploration day or evening!

After running an errand, my husband and I wanted a treat; everyone I know that comes to visit Miami comes here...so I was like, why not try it out. It definitely is a bit of a tourist trap - with your coffee ranging from $5-10 and various Miami art and coffee cups to purchase.

I will say, I didn't love that there was no menu - but our waitress told us they have 20+ different types of Cuban coffee, with and without liquor. Because there was no menu, we just described our preferences and she recommended options for us.

I got the tres leches - which was definitely sweet - but delicious. Honestly, unsure which one my husband ended up ordering, but it was a bit more on the bitter side.

Overall, we did enjoy the coffee as a fun treat - but they definitely tried to push us to buy art, coffee beans, etc.