Updated March 9th, 2021
For the uninitiated, Cuban pizza is basically a pan pizza that has a thick crust and an impressive amount of cheese, which melts to create a perfectly crispy cheese halo that circles the pizza like a crown. And like many of the best things in Miami, it’s a transplant.
Cuban pizza does, in fact, have roots back in Cuba, where many family-owned restaurants (called “paladares”) serve it mostly to-go. Over there, people tend to fold their pizza in half like a taco and eat it standing outside or while walking to one of the public wifi spots. In Havana, they prefer a thinner dough that is optimal for folding, but outside the city, the dough can be a bit denser. And in Miami (specifically Hialeah, where most of the places on this guide are located), you tend to see a little of both styles, especially at some of my personal favorites, like Star Chiguas or Polo Norte.