OPEN 7 DAYS
Welcome Home
What began as an experiment in the fusion of Cuban and American diner culture has evolved into a Coconut Grove institution. You’re pancakes and pastelitos, harina con huevo and masitas, rice and beans and pollo a la milanesa. So are we. Chug’s is the morning-noon-or-night eatery by Chef Michael Beltrán that brings the Miami Cuban-American experience to life with food that speaks our language.
My name is Michael Beltran, but my friends call me “Chug” (maybe I’ll tell you the story someday, between bites of fritas or sips of a cortadito). Chug’s Diner is the embodiment of childhood memories, like my Cuban family gathering around the Caja China, slamming dominos and yelling “pollooooonnnna” all night. But it’s also about my love for a good old American diner — the kind I really came to appreciate when I left Miami for a while. I cook with my heart, and my heart is in Chug’s, where we’re treating our roots with the respect and skill they deserve in the kitchen. There’s comfort in a cast Iron pancake at 6 a.m. or 11 p.m.; is there ever a bad time? Or sit down to my Abuela’s platter or a Mac N Cheese skillet. Whatever you’re in the mood for, take a seat, enjoy the music, and make yourself at home.
