Pastelito Showdown: Guayaba vs. Carne vs. Queso (A Miami Guide)

If you've worked an office job in Miami for more than a week, someone has dropped a box of pastelitos in the break room and the room has briefly stopped being about work. It happens at team breakfasts, baby showers, Friday morning kickoffs, and the random Tuesday when somebody's tía sent them in. The question is never if they're good. The question is which one to take first.

Here's the honest ranking, with notes on when each one actually wins.

1. Pastelito de Guayaba (the gateway)

What it is: Flaky puff pastry filled with thick, jammy guava paste. Sometimes guayaba y queso, where the guava is paired with cream cheese — that's a different conversation, see below.

Why it wins: The pink-orange color is unmistakable, the flavor is sweet without being cloying, and it pairs perfectly with a cortadito or colada. If you only know one Cuban pastry, it's this one. It's also the most travel-stable — guayaba won't get soggy in a tray for an hour.

When to order it: Always. If you're sending a tray to a Miami office and you're nervous about picky eaters, lead with guayaba. Nobody hates it.

2. Pastelito de Guayaba y Queso (the upgrade)

What it is: Same flaky shell, but now you've got guava plus a stripe of cream cheese tucked in. The hot/cold contrast — sweet jammy guava against cool, slightly salty cream cheese — is the move.

Why it wins: It's the most balanced flavor in the lineup. People who claim they "don't like sweets for breakfast" will eat two of these and pretend it didn't happen.

When to order it: Friday morning. Mother's Day weekend. Any time you want to look like you know what you're doing.

3. Pastelito de Carne (the savory pick)

What it is: Same puff pastry, filled with seasoned ground beef picadillo — onions, peppers, a touch of sweet from olives or raisins depending on the bakery. It's a small empanada in pastry's clothing.

Why it wins: When breakfast is doubling as lunch, carne pulls the weight. Two of these, a croqueta, and a coffee, and you're set until 3 PM. Office sandwich-tray skeptics will eat carne pastelitos all day.

When to order it: Anytime breakfast is being served past 11 AM, or any pre-meeting setup where people haven't had lunch yet.

4. Pastelito de Queso (the underrated)

What it is: Cream cheese filling, flaky shell, sometimes with a light dusting of sugar. Plain. Simple.

Why it loses (a little): Without the guava contrast, it's a one-note pastry. People who love it really love it. Most people grab one, then go back for guayaba.

When it wins: Coffee accompaniment. A queso pastelito with a cortadito at 9 AM in a quiet office is a small Miami miracle. Just don't make it the only flavor on the tray.

Honorable mention: Pastelito de pollo

Shredded chicken, sometimes with sofrito, sometimes with a little cheese. Less common than carne, but if a Cuban bakery does it well, you order it. Hialeah and Little Havana spots are usually where you'll find a real one. Florida's Cuban food scene gets the deep-cut treatment in the Visit Florida food guide for a reason.

How to order a pastelito tray for an office in Miami

• Plan for 2 per person if it's the only food. 1 per person if there's also coffee + croquetas.
• 50/30/20 split works for mixed teams: 50% guayaba (or guayaba y queso), 30% carne, 20% queso.
• Order them warm. A pastelito reheated badly is sad. Pickup or scheduled delivery within 90 minutes of bake.
• Pair with a colada for any team over 6 people. Small Cuban espresso cups, one big foam pour, everyone gets one. It changes the room.

Where to get them near our cafeteria

We're at 1150 NW 72nd Ave, Suite 160, 5 minutes from MIA, 10 minutes from Doral. Pastelitos are in the case from 8 AM Monday through Friday. We do trays of 12, 24, or 50 for offices, with delivery across Miami. Order a catering tray by 3 PM for next-morning drop-off, or order online for pickup in under 10 minutes.

Mother's Day weekend is coming. Friday morning is the move. Order pastelitos from Cafeteria Miami →