The Versailles Restaurant Cookbook

“One sip of their Cuban coffee will keep you up for a week, which is perfect—that way you can have their delicioso desayuno every day.”—Sunny Anderson, Food Network

“Now—finally—this wonderful collection of insightful stories and priceless recipes . . . Qué maravilla!”—John Quiñones, ABC News

“If you haven’t tasted Versailles, you don’t know Miami.”—Pamela Silva Conde, Univision

“How brilliant to be able to take Versailles home!”—Daisy Olivera, former Miami Herald columnist

“What is a trip to Miami without a Cuban sandwich from this Little Havana landmark?”—Chef Art Smith

Featured on the Food Network, the Travel Channel, and CNN and named by Time as one of the top ten places to visit in Miami, Versailles Restaurant has been at the heart of the Cuban-American community for decades. Presidents, politicians, and pop stars routinely stop in for a meal and a photo op.

In 1971, Felipe Valls Sr. opened Versailles in Miami’s Little Havana, fulfilling his vision to create a Cuban hub—a place where friends and families could get together to enjoy high quality food at affordable prices. The restaurant’s success still hinges on this premise.

The Versailles Restaurant Cookbook features some of the most beloved recipes from this Miami institution, including fried yuca, vaca frita (shredded beef with onions), lechón asado (roast pork), ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce), guava pie, and, of course, the one, the only, the original Cuban sandwich. The simplicity of Cuban cuisine makes it surprisingly easy to prepare these bold and savory dishes for which the restaurant is renowned.

Ask the die-hard patrons of Versailles why it is their favorite restaurant for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a post-party snack at 2 a.m., and they’ll tell you they keep coming back for the tortilla (potato omelet), the plantain chips with mojo, the croquettes, the moros (mixed black beans and rice), and the rabo encendido (oxtail stew). These flavorful recipes have been passed down through the Valls family for generations; they are the traditional dishes abuela used to make.

Versailles is indeed more than just a celebrated restaurant. For many it is a home away from home—a place where people from all backgrounds congregate to enjoy great food while discussing work, politics, and daily life. This amazing cookbook helps amateur chefs everywhere re-create that same warm feeling right at their own dinner tables.