Española Cigar Bar & Lounge, Miami Beach, Florida
Some cigar smokers of a certain age remember the days before smoking bans were prevalent, the times when cigars were welcomed in restaurants, bars and so many other places. If you find yourself yearning for a more genteel era when a lit robusto on your dinner table didn’t draw scorn, consider a visit to Española Cigar Bar & Lounge.
I was in Miami for the Big Smoke Florida in early May. After a day of travel and some catch-up work in my hotel, I was considering an early night with, perhaps, some room service. But as dinner time approached, I was getting hungry, and I really was in the mood for a cigar. A quick search of the Cigar Aficionado Where to Smoke database showed that I was only a short drive from Española, which boasted a full dinner and drinks menu. I jumped in an Uber and headed out for a visit.
Española is a complete cigar bar and restaurant located on the northern part of South Beach, a few blocks west from the water where Española Way intersects Washington Avenue. It’s a busy, touristy area, with shop after shop, restaurant after restaurant. I made my way down the walkway where Española sits. Inside is a full bar with plenty of seats, and restaurant tables throughout the room, which also includes cigar retail space. The room was lively and didn’t smell smoky, despite the fact that virtually everyone inside had a lit cigar. It looked inviting, but it was a lovely evening and I turned my attention to Española’s large, outdoor seating area, which has about a dozen tables under umbrellas. I sat down, put my cigar case on the table and very soon a waitress came over to take my order.
The spirits list is solid, and I was in the mood for a cocktail, so I started with a smoked Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned, delicious and bracing, as I lit the aged Padrón Soberano I had brought from home. You can bring your own smoke if you wish, but there is a cutting fee, as the lounge has a well-stocked humidor with cigars from Oliva, Plasencia, Fuente, Altadis and General Cigar, along with Liga Tridente and a few other smaller brands. There’s plenty to choose from.
The appetizers are standard bar fare (think coconut shrimp, chicken wings) and I truly enjoyed my entrée, a very good ribeye steak slathered in garlic butter. The portions are generous. Claudio Torres, the managing partner and general manager, estimates that about 70 percent of the patrons who visit here choose to smoke.
As I puffed my cigar and enjoyed the oh-so-rare combination of smoking and dining, it brought a smile to my face. Dining at Española was in many ways like stepping into a time machine and returning to the days when cigars were a more common sight in restaurants.
Española Cigar Bar & Lounge
409 Española Way
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 604-3432
espanolacigarbar.com
Monday through Sunday: 12:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.
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