Cuban Croquetas in Miami: What They Are & Where to Get Them

What a Cuban croqueta actually is

A Cuban croqueta is a small, fried, log-shaped fritter. The inside is a thick béchamel sauce loaded with finely chopped ham — sometimes chicken, sometimes bacalao (salt cod), sometimes spinach and cheese. The outside is rolled in breadcrumbs and fried until the shell is golden and shatters when you bite. Two bites. Maybe three.

It is not a Spanish croqueta, and it is not the same as a French croquette either. Cuban croquetas are smaller, softer inside, and almost always made with ham. The Cubans took the idea from Spain and turned it into a Miami breakfast staple. Wikipedia has the long history if you want it. What matters here is what they taste like and where to get a good one.

Why croquetas outsell everything else

Croquetas are cheap, fast, portable, and you can eat one while driving on the Palmetto without spilling anything. They are perfect for a 9 AM Cuban coffee run, a 10:30 AM snack between meetings, or a "feed the office" platter when somebody volunteers you to bring something in. At Cafeteria Miami they are the runaway top seller — hundreds of them go out the door every week, more than any other single item.

The math is simple. They are under two dollars each. They are ready in seconds. And one is rarely enough.

How to spot a real one

• Shape and size. A real Cuban croqueta is log-shaped, roughly the length of your thumb, not a ball.
• Crust. Crisp, golden, audibly cracks. If it is pale and floppy, it was fried hours ago.
• Inside. Soft and creamy with visible flecks of ham. If the inside is dry or pasty, it was reheated.
• Heat. A real croqueta is hot. If yours is room temperature, send it back.

How to order croquetas in Miami

Order them in pairs. One is never enough and three is one too many on a workday morning. Pair them with a colada if you are sharing with the office, or a cortadito if it is just you. A piece of tostada on the side turns the snack into a small breakfast. If you are ordering for a meeting, count two per person and round up — they go fast.

We pack croquetas hot and seal them so the crust does not soften in the bag. If you are ordering for pickup, the breakfast window from 8 AM is the freshest batch of the day. For pickup or delivery near Miami International Airport, we will have your order in the bag in under ten minutes.

The short version

1. Order in pairs. Two minimum.
2. Eat them hot. The crust softens fast.
3. Pair with cafecito. Colada for the office, cortadito for you.
4. For a meeting? Count two per person, round up.

Ready for a couple of croquetas? Order online from Cafeteria Miami → or call (786) 558-5374.