closing last week on Instagram<\/a>, thanking customers for decades of support. \u201cAfter 45 years serving the downtown Miami community, nine under our tenure, the day has come where we must shut our doors for the final time,\u201d the post read. \u201cWithout you, we could not have made it this far.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2024-01-15-copy.jpg\")
The 33-seat cafeteria became a morning stop for coladas and tostadas<\/p>\n
A Downtown Fixture Since 1980<\/p>\n
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Opened in 1980, Las Palmas built a loyal following for its classic Cuban and Latin comfort food. The 33-seat cafeteria became a morning stop for coladas and tostadas and a lunch destination for ropa vieja, vaca frita, pan con bistec, and carne con papas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Magalhaes family purchased the restaurant in 2016. Mario Ferrari Magalhaes and his mother, Carla, took over after his father was diagnosed with cancer and sought a business that would keep the family stable. Before owning Las Palmas, they ran a travel agency in downtown Miami for more than 30 years. Mario grew up nearby and remembered visiting Las Palmas with his father before it was theirs. When the family took over, they kept the menu nearly identical to the original, adding only small Brazilian influences to reflect their heritage. On Fridays, Carla often prepared Brazilian dishes alongside the traditional Cuban fare.<\/p>\n
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Las Palmas in downtown Miami was a destination for ropa vieja, vaca frita, pan con bistec, and carne con papas. <\/p>\n
Under the Magalhaes family, Las Palmas remained both a community space and a restaurant. The family organized fundraisers for victims of natural disasters and children with terminal illnesses, provided meals for the homeless, and hosted local events, including comedy nights and small concerts. \u201cIt has been a communal Brazilian meeting point to hear the gossip and talk of the town,\u201d Mario told the Miami Herald.<\/p>\n
Regulars often described the restaurant as one of the last places downtown where people from every background could share a counter. Prices stayed low, with coffee still under a dollar and full plates that rarely topped ten.<\/p>\n
Why It\u2019s Closing<\/p>\n
Las Palmas survived hurricanes, economic downturns, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but 2025 brought new financial challenges. Rising food costs, higher rent, and slower summer business made it difficult to stay open. \u201cThe last three weeks have been record days,\u201d Mario said. \u201cBut it\u2019s too little, too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carla, 65, said she plans to rest after decades behind the counter. \u201cI have good memories of this place, and I made a lot of friends,\u201d she told the Herald. \u201cBut I\u2019m tired, and my son has to make his own life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Las Palmas Cafeteria. 209 SE First St., Downtown Miami. Closes Friday, November 14.<\/p>\n
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