Burgers and $40 Bottle Service at this Airport Hidden Gem
Who needs bottle girls when you have scratch tickets?
Some people come to Miami and budget thousands of dollars for bottle service. Locals know there’s a place you can do it for under fifty. Meet Airport Café and Liquors, a liquor store just north of Miami International Airport, where in addition to creative, chef-driven food you’ll also find a huge selection of liquor, beer, and wine you can drink at your table for a small fee. Yes, you read that right.
Now, you won’t be surrounded by scantily clad bottle girls or world-class DJs. But some might say that’s a good thing.
It’s the creation of Miami native Ruben Ruiz, who appeared on Food Network Star Season 10 back in 2014. Rather than opening in Wynwood and charging $40 for a plate of spaghetti, he set up shop in Miami Springs serving a menu of creative Latin American food and burgers, with a side of lotto tickets and cheap cigars. It’s also the odd restaurant where you can order wine or booze and not triple your check, all while surrounded by a colorful cross section of the people who make Miami great.
Wait, so you can just buy a bottle of booze at liquor store prices and drink it at your table? How in the name of Roman Jones is this even legal?
I’m not sure, and nobody at Airport Café and Liquors seemed eager to tell me. But since they had no problem with us filming, I’m guessing they have pictures of some guys at the liquor control board with goats. It’s Miami, don’t ask questions. The corkage fee is only $4 for wine, $6 for a bottle of liquor. That’s a marked departure from “bottle shops” who charge $25 if you dare drink their wine while eating their food.
The space: Feels like a roadside bar somewhere along the road to the Keys, where you’d expect to find dollar bills pinned to the ceiling. Except instead of the ocean behind you, there’s the tarmac at MIA. The crowd is a perfect cross section of Miami, where old gringos who’ve been here since the 50s are sitting next to guys who just arrived from Central America, next to guys still in their ramp jackets after a morning shift at the airport. It’s the old, quirky, gritty Miami we remember, where you’ll never hear the word “Crypto” and J&B is talked about more than AI.
What to eat and drink: An ex-mayor of Miami Springs who I happened to chat up here told me the daily burger special is great every time. After trying the chimichurri-and-Doritos-crusted-mozzarella burger the day I went, I concurred. Though the basic burger is a flame-broiled masterpiece I’d take over 95% of restaurants. There’s a big menu of Latin food, too. The maduro steak sandwich and the Medianoche both came highly recommended. We also tried some shredded chicken tacos that were good, though they needed corn tortillas.
The healthy menu was surprisingly spectacular, with a teriyaki steak and quinoa bowl I’d go back for if I’m ever in the area. There wasn’t a single weak spot among anything we tried, and Airport Cafe would be a winner even without the bargain bottle service.
Don’t miss: The daily burger special. Whatever it happens to be.
Perfect for: Any meal where you feel like drinking; An in-the-know date spot where you want to look cool and not drop a car payment
Expect to pay: About $20 each if you don’t drink. Add $40-ish if you want to split a bottle of booze or wine and some mixers.
How’s the parking: Easy, there’s a lot out front.
@airportcafemiami // 4427 NW 36th St., Miami Springs