Tropicana Food by the Pound

I love this place! Is usually my ‘go to’ cafeteria during weekdays! The food tastes as if it was home made. Here I’ve had the best chicken soup of the area!!!
They have lunch specials for every day too. And remember you should never leave this place without having one of their delicious flans!

Tropicana has been open for as long as I can remember. I don’t think there has been a name change or anything like that, making it a long standing food service. A while back I lived in that neighborhood and I frequented Tropicana, specially in the days when Miamians showed little interest in gastronomy. It used to be a good source of Cuban food without having to go to La Carreta or Versailles, which at the time weren’t that great anyway.
This place is mainly used for takeout, although there are a few tables available inside. There is also a cafeteria window, where people buy coffee, lottery tickets and cigarettes, the joy of the poor and destitute. At the window there is also a large orange Gatorade tank full of cold water for those roaming aimlessly.
The food in Tropicana has always been pretty good. It is no better than a restaurant, but it is better than any Cuban influenced food by the pound joint. I specially come here when I am craving carne con papa, because it is the best I have had in Miami. Anything else is really OK, sometimes surprisingly good, but most of the time just average. Here, you will never get up and throw the food in the garbage, or leave any left overs. The food is very simple yet very tasty and better than any fast food place.
Now, this place is not cheap. A full meal will run around $ 8, but it comes with soup and salad or side. There are no lunch specials, but the food is plenty and well cooked. Also, they have desserts available, and I recommend the flan, which is really good.
Certainly not a place to seek out, or to get out of your way to reach it, but a good decent place where you will be served good food and won’t be disappointed. They also cater, so if you have an event they will supply the food. And also, the best carne con papa in Miami.