Latin Restaurant Weeks Returns to Miami to Celebrate Hispanic Small Business Owners

More than 70 South Florida establishments have signed on to participate in the two week promotion.

With Hispanic Heritage Month just around the corner, you may be looking for ways to celebrate and explore Latin culture through food. Thankfully, Latin Restaurant Weeks is here to help.

The campaign begins in Miami on Friday, September 15, and will run through Friday, September 29. The two-week promotion seeks to raise awareness of Latin-owned culinary businesses nationwide. During the promotion, guests dining at participating restaurants can order from special menus available for brunch, lunch, and dinner, often complemented by cocktail promotions from the participating restaurants.

This year, more than 70 South Florida-based businesses are participating, with concepts ranging from fine-dining establishments and cafés to sweet shops, food trucks, and humble neighborhood restaurants.

"We're all about showcasing the diversity of Latin America in each city," the event's cofounder, Karinn Chavarria-Luckett, tells New Times.

Founded in 2019 by Karinn Chavarria and Warren Luckett, Latin Restaurant Weeks first launched in the couple's hometown of Houston in response to a void Karinn noticed when attending major food events: Only a handful of the businesses she encountered had Hispanic ownership.

In response, the duo says they designed an event aimed at amplifying the visibility of Latino entrepreneurs and professionals in the culinary industry, a mission that has since expanded to New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami in 2020, encompassing more than 250 Latin-owned culinary businesses since its inception.

"There was not a lot of representation during national restaurant weeks for Latino cuisine, and I felt compelled to create a model for Latinos because they're the backbone of the culinary industry," she says, adding the platform also serves as an educational tool to show local consumers the abundance of cultural cuisine offerings available within their communities from regions including Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Indeed, according to the Multicultural Food Service and Hospitality Alliance, one in four food service workers in the United States in 2022 were Hispanic. That's especially true for Miami, where nearly 70 percent of Miami-Dade County residents identify as Hispanic.

"Because Miami is very Latin-centric, the challenge has been making the message resonate," Karinn says. "Latinos are not the minority. It can be hard to remind Miamians that their demographic dominance is not the norm in the rest of the country."

The goal this year: continue the momentum seen over the last few years as businesses report a steady increase in foot traffic due to the promo.

To get the most out of the promotion, participants are encouraged to offer a meal deal, special offering, or prix-fixe menu to draw new customers. Menus are listed on the event's website, where customers can see what's available at each participating business.

The only rule for a participating restaurant is that it must have Latin or Hispanic owners — no exceptions. Other than that, anything goes, says Chavarria-Luckett. This year, offerings range from a $79.99 taste of ancestral El Salvadorian dishes for two people at El Atlakat to a three-course lunch for $30 a person at the new Argentinian restaurant Chimba.

This year, restaurant registration is free. Those interested in taking advantage of an additional marketing push can opt for premium registration priced at $250, which includes more social media promotion, a Latin Restaurant Weeks window decal, Latin Restaurant Weeks posters, a custom social media flyer, Latin Restaurant Weeks tents, Latin Restaurant Weeks buttons for staff, and year-round exposure on the Latin Restaurant Weeks social media accounts.

Restaurants on the 2023 Miami list range from the Michelin-starred Elcielo to local favorites such as Club Tipico Dominico in Allapattah and Havana Harry's in Coral Gables. There's even an Irish pub on the list, the beloved John Martin's, which came under new ownership in 2021.

Additional participating restaurants include the Side Chick Miami, Madrid Tapas y Vinos, Fuego y Agua, 26 Sushi and Tapas, Tacology, Un Pollo, Pisco y Nazca, Bulla Gastrobar, El Atlakat, Whiskylucan, Mi Fondita, La Latina Autentica Taqueria, La Tiendita Taqueria, El Chinito Latino Bar, Ecléctico Restaurant & Bar, Casa 305, Cana Wine Shop, Morelia Gourmet Paletas, El Floridita Seafood Restaurant, Amigo Grill Casual Steak House, Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine, Ku-Va Restaurant & Bar, Sabores Argentinos, Colombian Extreme Food, Green Tomato, La Catrina, La Burguesa, Bohemian Kitchen, A-Mari-Mix, La Señal Miami, La Mesa Miami, ConSentido Restaurant, Guayaba Restaurant, Pinecrest Bakery,
Che Grill, Manta, Bahari, 305 Peruvian, La Hormiga de Oro, SuViche, Chimba, and Pia's Not Just Pizza.