MIAMI – It’s time to celebrate Latin culture and food.
From now until next Friday, some of your favorite restaurants have created a special menu for Latin Restaurant Weeks.
This year, they have more than 100 places participating.
And the great thing about Latin Restaurant Weeks is it’s not just restaurants participating. It’s also food trucks, bakeries and coffee shops -- all types of Latin-owned businesses giving you a taste of the culture.
“Our mission is to really bring awareness to who we feel is the backbone of the culinary industry, so Latinos,” said Karinn Chavarria-Luckett, co-founder of Latin Restaurant Weeks.
The fourth annual Latin Restaurant Weeks is a chance to try some mouth-watering specials from a new spot or see what special menu an old favorite has created during the celebration.
“One of our themes is El Tour de Sabore, which means taking a tour of all the different flavors of Latin America,” Chavarria-Luckett said.
Chimba is a great way to explore, as they feature food from all over Latin America.
“We bring food from Peru, food from Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. And that’s what we bring to our customers here at Chimba,” executive chef Kevin Acosta said.
Acosta created the entire menu at Chimba.
“Chimba is something that can be very interesting or very good in South America,” Acosta said.
He’s bringing the good or “chimba” flavors to Miami. They also have two locations in Argentina and one in Mexico.
But during Latin Restaurant Weeks, there are new things to try and there’s no limit for flavors as there’s items for vegetarians and meat and seafood lovers.
“Very colorful -- very colorful and very fresh,” Acosta said.
Latin Restaurant Weeks is a way you can try something new while supporting the community.
“One of our key pillars is to educate the consumer that Latin restaurants or just Latin foods are not just a monolith -- we have so many different types of Latin food offerings,” Chavarria-Luckett said.
Latin Restaurant Weeks in Miami ends on Sept. 29.
But the support doesn’t stop there. They also have a non-profit called “Feed the Soul Foundation” that gives back educational support and business grants.