La Frita Cubana, or just Frita, holds an exceptional place in my heart. If you’ve never eaten one and are a fan of burgers, you should probably get with the program.
The Frita is a regional South Florida specialty. Large Cuban communities like Miami and Tampa, Florida, and parts of California and New Jersey are the best areas to find Fritas. On some menus across the U.S., the sandwich goes by Cuban Burger or Hamburger.
The frita was born as Cuban street food, served out of small “puestos” (food stands) much like American hot dog carts. After migrating to Miami in the early 1960s, it found a second life, thriving in specialty shops like Fritas Domino and Morro Castle, where the spiced burger patty would become an obsession for anyone lucky enough to take a bite.
If you want to explore La Frita Cubana‘s history further, check out my post about its history.
This Best Frita List was not just thrown together throughout one night. I retried all the Fritas here on the list and many others who didn’t make it. I take this Top Frita list very seriously because I know that folks do indeed use them as guides.
One side note: if the restaurant did not make its julienne potatoes, they were never even considered for best. No canned potato sticks were allowed.
Amelia’s 1931
Eileen Andrade is a giant fan of fusing flavors; in this case, it’s Korean and Cuban. Her other restaurant, FINKA, is all about that, with some Peruvian flavors thrown in.
The Amelia 1931 Frita is no different and comes topped with sweet plantains (maduros), white cheddar, housemade shoestring fries, and Huacatay mayo with a side of truffled potato wedges. The Korean BBQ Frita is the most unique frita to make my list.
Amelia’s 1931
13601 SW 26th Street
Miami, FL
(305) 554-4949
Bored Cuban
It’s probably the heftiest Frita available anywhere. Two quarter-pound beef and pork patties are smashed with diced onions, then topped with Swiss cheese, homemade matchstick potatoes, and Guava Sriracha Ketchup on a toasted Cuban roll.
Bored Cuban
831 NW 42nd Avenue
Miami, FL
(305) 642-0323
Chug’s Diner
Chug’s Diner does have regular Fritas on the menu, but this Frita Patty Melt blows my mind. I’m a giant Patty Melt fan and the merging of the Frita and Patty Melt worlds is genius.
While I’m not a big fan of thousand island dressing on burgers of any sort, on this fella with Swiss cheese, papitas, caramelized onions on Rye bread, it kills. If a delicious Patty Melt is not your thing, order Pop’s Frita with blue cheese salsa, caramelized onions, and mojo ketchup; another winner…big time!
Chug’s Diner
3444 Main Highway Suite 21
Coconut Grove, FL
(786) 353-2940
Cuban Guys
There are two things I look at before eating a frita. First is making their small shoestring julienne fries, and second, if it comes on a proper Cuban roll.
Cuban Guys has been a longtime fixture on this Best Frita List but they recently switched to brioche roll. But, make no bones about it; Cuban Guys’ frita tastes the real deal; it’s legit. Judge Burger Beast has not made a final ruling if they will be disqualified.
Cuban Guys
10801 Sunset Drive
Miami, FL
(786) 882-9420
Cuento Sandwiches
The Frita Cubana is known as the Sancho Panza on the Cuento Sandwiches menu. This guy is well-seasoned (bien sasonada) beef patty, Swiss or American cheese, malanga (starchy vegetable) sticks, shallot compote, and guava ketchup. Swiss cheese is the way to go; I know cause I’ve tried both versions. Those julienne malanga sticks are game-changers. Please sell these in to-go bags.
Cuento Sandwiches
4237 NW 107th Avenue
Doral, FL
(305) 400-8374
El Mago de las Fritas
El Mago’s frita is straight-up lean ground beef with spices; don’t let your palate fool you. This frita has a very distinct flavor and will cause a flavor explosion in your mouth. And don’t order your frita with cheese unless you want to look like a tourist. Fritas purists frown upon adding any cheese to the sandwich.
El Mago de las Fritas
5828 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL
(305) 266-8486
El Rey de las Fritas
When it comes to Miami’s most iconic bites, the Frita Cubana reigns supreme—and no one does it better than El Rey de las Fritas. For many folks around town. this family-run institution perfected the spicy, beefy, crunchy masterpiece, aka the frita. If you’ve never had a frita from El Rey, are you even living?
El Rey de las Fritas
1821 SW 8th Street
Little Havana, FL
(305) 644-6054
Morro Castle
Let’s clarify a bit of Frita history while we’re at it: the Morro Castle in Hialeah and the now-closed one in Little Havana were owned by relatives but there were some subtle differences. This particular Morro Castle means a lot to me.
It’s where I tried my first Frita Cubana, courtesy of my dad. He called it a “Cuban Hamburger,” which was clever—he knew I’d be down for a burger but maybe not something unfamiliar-sounding like a frita. Spoiler alert: It worked.
This fella comes on a hamburger roll but in their defense, they’ve been around since 1966, before Cuban rolls were readily available in South Florida. It has a very pronounced chorizo taste and the crunch from their papas jullianas is unmistakable.
Morro Castle
1201 W 44th Place
Hialeah, FL
(305) 556-4252
BEST FRITAS IN MIAMI MAP
Here’s a Best Fritas Map to make your choosing that much easier.
