The brainchild of a quartet of Miami food and beverage veterans, including Michelle Bernstein and David Martinez, the duo behind several of Miami’s favorite spots including Cafe La Trova, Sweet Liberty & newly opened Sra. Martinez, La Cañita is a spirited restaurant and bar concept featuring a bold, flavorful menu of Latin-Caribbean staples and innovative specialties. La Cañita is also home to a top notch bar program and a vibrant ambiance anchored by bright colors and lively music. Lending much flavor to the new year, the flagship location of this concept will open its doors in February 2025 at the Palms of Town & Country in the heart of Kendall.
The name, La Cañita, which translates to “little sugarcane” in Spanish reflects the heart and soul of the restaurant. It embodies its vibrant essence and rich backstory honoring the menu’s bold and exciting flavors while paying tribute to the spirited rum culture throughout the islands, from Cuba and Jamaica to Haiti, Puerto Rico and points between. To that end, La Cañita offers an extensive drink menu with crafted cocktails. Highlights include a classic Mojito made with four year Flor de Caña, lime, sugar, mint, soda, and bitters; the Presidente – Banks 7, Ferrand dry curacao, Comoz, housemade grenadine; the Brownie Old Fashioned, crafted with Rye, Strega, brownie port, and house bitters, among others.
Created by Miami James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein, the menu will feature dishes that showcase Latin and Caribbean cuisine along with influences from Central and South America. Dishes in development for the restaurant include a wide array of creative and delicious Croquetas and Empanadas; Oxtail Lasagna; Trifungo with camarones; Lechon Asado with steamed yuca, crunchy pork belly and mojo de ajo and locally caught Snapper with ginger mojo de ajo and toasted coconut rice. More menu details to come.
“La Cañita is truly a labor of love for the team behind it and we’re so excited to bring this fully realized incarnation to Kendall,” says partner David Martinez in a statement, who co-owns the concept with Chef Bernstein and fellow industry veterans Davide Borgia and Orestes Pajon. “We were fortunate to bring a smaller, streamlined version of La Cañita to Miami’s Bayside Marketplace in 2021 and the response has been tremendous. The La Cañita Bayside menu was created to include all of the local Caribbean flavors not just from Cuba, Puerto Rico but Haiti and all of the amazing cultures that contribute to the local flavor of Miami. For those who have never experienced these flavors, the menu is curated so dishes are approachable and enjoyable for all. Our goal was always to give our guests an exciting, fun experience that was reasonably priced without compromising flavor, quality or ambiance. We’ve thrilled to see the concept take root at Bayside and are so excited to bring the new flagship location to the Palms of Town & Country.”
Located at 8405 Mills Drive, Suite 203, La Cañita Kendall will seat close to 180 people between the al fresco patio, spacious dining room, private dining area and the bar. The work of Locus Architecture and featuring an interior design curated by Chef Michelle Bernstein’s sister, Nicolette Bernstein, the 5,434 square-foot restaurant space echoes the look and feel of an island-kissed rum distillery.
