A Taste of Miami in Charlottesville, Virginia
A Trip to Miami While Still in Cville
Who would expect to find a taste of MIami in the heart of Charlottesville? That is exactly what you get when you step foot inside Guajiros Miami Eatery. From the sunny decor to the delicious food inspired by Miami and South Florida, you can’t help but feel a bit more cheerful when you eat here.
Walking into Guajiros you instantly feel like you are being welcome into someone’s home in the best way. You’re immediately greeted by the Frida Kahlo wall, an homage to not only Frida herself, but also to Co-Owner Harvey Mayorga’s mom, a fan of the painter. The Frida wall sets the tone for the vibrant artwork found throughout the rest of the restaurant.
Beyond the decor, the food is honestly like a warm hug. Serving breakfast and lunch from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Thursday - Tuesday (closed Wednesdays) the menu showcases Cuban dishes with Central & South American flare as noted on their website. I love the fact that you can order breakfast all day - along with a magical Cafe Con Leche (or a Bloody Maria depending on what kind of day it’s been).
Pictured: Frida Kahlo wall and more artwork; Iced Cafe Con Leche; Avocado Toast with Egg & El Cubano
Guajiros After Dark
Of course, Guajiros has been known to dabble in the nightlife. Lately they’ve been reintroducing their Guajiros After Dark on the weekends where they stay open later and Harvey shows off his talents for curating cocktails to match the food. Most recently on February 19th they hosted a pop-up event featuring food from Mother’s Best Fried Chicken with cocktails to match. It’s a fun way to change things up in Cville. You can make an entire weekend of it - enjoy your Saturday night and treat your hangover Sunday morning all in one place!
Pictured: Speedy Guajiros & the Not So Old Fashioned; Po Boy, Tenders Basket, Mess of Greens, “World Famous” Velvet Potatoes & Gravy, Pork Belly Diry Rice
If you want to learn more about how Guajiros came to be and how awesome the Mayorga family is in general read this great piece from C-VILLE Weekly.
The Details
Location: 817 West Main Street
Style: Miami style eatery with Cuban influence
Insight: Open until 3:00 every day but Wednesday, this is a great breakfast and/or lunch spot (they serve breakfast all day) but don’t forget to check out their After Dark events. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating.
