Tinta y Café in Miami Shores Serves Award-Winning Cuban Sandwiches with Heart

Tinta y Café, which means “ink and coffee” in Spanish, has mastered what many restaurants fail to do: making a real link with the community while serving delicious Cuban-style food.

Ask the Gervin family.

“It’s great, it’s friendly, it’s the community, it’s alive and full of life.” Sarah Gervin, a repeat customer, said, “It’s a great place.”

Adam Gervin, her son, agreed.

“You can’t get a better Cuban sandwich anywhere, and you can’t get a better café con leche either,” he stated.

A daily service of a family tradition

Tinta carries on the work of its founder, Neli Santamarina, which began 20 years ago. Her children, Malu and Sachi, now run the café. They are in charge of the front of the house, while their cousin Carlos does magic in the kitchen.

“I knew that Miami Shores needed something like this, and when my mom found this location, we were like, ‘yes’,” said Malu Statz, who owns it. “The community really needed it and loved it so much that this location, in four short years, has done so well because of the community.”

A big sign on the wall at Tinta y Café says, “NO WIFI, NO LAPTOPS.” That’s the only rule.

Co-owner Carlos Santamarina said, “There is no WiFi or laptops just so you can come enjoy the food and have a good time.”

Michelin likes Cuban classics that have been improved.

Because Tinta is so good, Michelin wrote about it this year.

The Madurito burger at Santamarina is one of sixteen on the menu. It has sweet plantains, pork, Chorizo Cantimpalo, Swiss cheese, and other things.

Their famous baguette sandwich is called “Signature” and it has pork, prosciutto, Manchego cheese, roasted red peppers, and caramelized onions. With soft meat, fresh, warm bread, and melty cheese, it’s a “chefy” sandwich.

The Caleña sandwich, which is made with turkey, prosciutto, and Manchego cheese, is another great choice.

The flavors in each sandwich are different, but they are all filling, juicy, and made with great care. The freshly baked baguettes are filled with lots of good ingredients that make each bite special.

Tinta y Café is open every day for breakfast and lunch, and they have deals during the week that keep people coming back.