Community Bites
Street foods that are fueling connection and community in Miami.
Suadero Taco at Wolf of Tacos | Photos: Will Blunt and Alexander Zeren
In a city like Miami, where people from around the world and all walks of life put down their roots, communities— big and small—thrive. And, inevitably, food follows suit. Across the city, restaurants, small businesses, and pop ups are lending their spaces—or creating new ones—to support their communities the best way they know how; through accessible, personal, and craveable meals.
“We build a community here,” says Vanesa Suhr, Chef Owner of SUR. The cafe brings Argentine small bites, sandwiches, and pastries to the Little Haiti neighborhood. “I try to put [out] the flavors that I grew up with to show who I am to the people.” Nothing speaks more to Suhr’s culinary mission than her empanadas. Her offerings range from the less traditional—like her mushroom, gouda, and truffle empanada—to something you would find on the kitchen table in a typical Argentine home. Her hand-cut beef empanada with hard-boiled eggs, raisins, and green olives is common in Northern Argentina, but less so in Miami. After the empanada is formed, Suhr sprinkles sugar on top before it's baked for a sweet and savory bite. “I chose [to cook] empanadas because it was hard to find empanadas like the ones back in Argentina.”
Since its opening in 2017, Suhr’s cafe has become a meeting place for Miami’s Argentine community. “Maybe 50-percent of customers are Argentine.” But, SUR is also a place for all of Little Haiti inhabitants to come together, connect, and feel at home. “We know everybody that comes here. We know their names and what they like. We take care of them, and they take care of us too.”
Down the street, Chef-Owner Eduardo Lara and Owner Operator Pablo Reyes of The Wolf of Tacos cook for another community. The pop-up started off in Lara’s driveway as a way to pay the bills and share his all consuming love for tacos. “Anything and everything I talked about was tacos. Family meal: tacos. Favorite food: tacos. Everyone knew how I felt,” says Lara.
At The Wolf of Tacos, Lara brings Mexico City-style tacos to the streets of South Florida, weaving in his Mexican background and experience cooking in kitchens across Miami. His suadero taco highlights the fly shaker, or matambre, muscle of the cow, which is seasoned, seared, and braised until tender. But, Lara mixes it up. “We fold in gelatinous pieces of ribeye fat and all of it gets a second cooking on the plancha to get crisp. That’s what makes mine different from Mexico and the States.”
The pop-up was created as a way to realize Lara’s passion for tacos, but the duo soon discovered they were catering to a community they hadn’t necessarily intended. During the pandemic lockdown, Lara says The Wolf of Tacos became a “watering hole” for restaurant industry professionals. “There was nowhere to eat or drink, especially after service.” Reyes and Lara would set up shop at nine in the evening and roll out tacos until about five in the morning. “They all came and supported us.”
Tsukune at Yakitori Yatai
Empanadas at Sur
In Coral Gables, late night bites are served by Chef-Owners Arrel Pluviose and Roberto Small at Yakitori Yatai. The Japanese pop-up started in 2023, with the goal of bringing an accessible version of omakase to Miami diners. “We wanted to spread the idea of yakitori,” says Pluviose. “Omakase is about $100 to $200 per person, plus tax and drinks. It becomes a nice chunk of change. I think the average person cannot afford that. That was the main reason we decided to do skewers.”
Pulling from his time working at Hiden and Shingo, Pluviose curated a menu of craveable, approachable skewers that run the gamut from “quintessential yakitori,” like the negima with chicken thigh and scallions, to vegetarian options like black truffle butter coated potatoes or shiso-ponzu butter grilled corn. One of Pluviose’s favorite dishes is the tsukune. “It’s very traditional for yakitori.” Chicken, red miso, and a healthy amount of scallions are formed into meatballs, grilled, and then dipped in a tare sauce. The chefs keep the skewers in line with the classic preparation, but introduce some lemon pepper, paprika, and citric acid to the mix. “People love stronger flavors here.
Like The Wolf of Tacos, Yakitori Yatai caters to the hospitality community and those in need of late night food. “We wanted to be available to the community. We stay open to almost four in the morning sometimes. The majority of our guests are people from the culinary community. We’re trying to be there and give them a hot meal before bed,” says Pluviose.
Throughout the 305, chefs are feeding their communities and fostering connection. “It's not only about food, it's about people,” says Suhr. “I cook for clients that become friends. I cook for them like [I would] my family.”
