El Pimiento Restaurant — Restaurant in Miami Lakes

El Pimiento is a Miami staple with a feel-good vibe and friendly service. The owner, Veruska Chalbaud, greets you with a warm smile and immediately makes you feel like a family member who has just arrived home for the holidays. The festive atmosphere gives way to roars of laughter from the tables around you and everyone always seems to be having a good time.

You won’t have to wait long for a glass of sangria and warm bread to whet the appetite as you peruse the menu – everything looks delicious so narrowing the choices can be a challenge. The Chef, a culinary transplant from Burgos, takes great care to ensure the authenticity of the dishes and even as international imports have become more difficult to find during the pandemic, the restaurant insists on serving certain items from Spain for flavors which cannot be replicated. For example, the Boquerones (a must have!) are Spanish anchovies marinated in white vinegar and finished with olive oil. These old-world delicacies are perfect on their own or with bread, but either way you’ll need that bread to lap up the last remnants of mouthwatering briny sauce they leave behind on the plate. Other menu items imported from Spain include the Chipirones, squid stuffed with buttery sauce, and the Chistorras, salty Spanish pork sausages that make several proud appearances throughout the menu. It would be difficult to pinpoint one standout dish, but the Jarrete de Cordero Al Vino is in the running. This slow cooked, bone in lamb shank braised in a tempranillo wine reduction is meltingly tender and the lamb falls apart with the touch of a fork. The richness of the meat is balanced by its slightly sweet and deep flavored, herbaceous wine sauce and is served alongside aromatic rice to soak up its juices.

I’ve had Spanish food at a number of restaurants in Miami and New York and while many of them are good, El Pimiento’s atmosphere and flavors are the complete transport to your favorite neighborhood restaurant in Burgos. My only criticism is that it’s difficult to leave room for dessert, and you should, because the dessert menu does not disappoint.

El Pimiento is a great spot for a dimly lit date, family gathering or celebration. The attention to detail, love for comfort food and interest in the community is what drives the restaurant’s staff to deliver an authentic experience. It’s easy to see why this place has such a loyal following.

Favorite dishes: Tortilla española, Huevos Rotos con Chistorra, Caldo Gallego, Tostones con Champis, Patatas Bravas, Boquerones, Chipirones, Croquetas de Bacalao, Piquillos Rellenos de Bacalao, Pulpo al Ajillo, Albóndigas Bravas, Chistorra Brava, Paella con Langosta, Paella Negra, Montaditos de Cerdo, Jarrete de Cordero al Vino, Crema Catalana, Flan de...

I can’t even say how upset this night was ....we made reservations for 8 adults 2 kids .... they only had 1 higher chair and they don’t have a kids menu but when we called they told us they did ... it took the 15 mins to ask if we wanted anything and only because we stopped a waitress.... we ordered appetizers and they sang happy birthday to my 80 year old grand mother before we even had bread felt like we where not wanted there because we had kids...tapas took 35 mins to bring out .... after we waited 45mins for someone to take the order for our mian dish after that order was taken 35 mins later they tell 4 of us that the steak we ordered had run out mind you the table next to us came after we ordered and had the meat on their table same that we had asked for my grandma mother asked for a soup and it was brought to her when the ones who had a dish to eat finished .... no one came to the table to say sorry or can we offer you something else when we asked for the check that took 30min then it took them 30 minutes to bring it back and our bill was $230.00 and we ordered 3 tapas 1 soup and a pitcher of sangria and 3 dishes all the size portion for a toddler and 4 of us didn’t eat it’s not about the money it’s about customer service there is none here at all will never go here again and I will make it known!!!!! This place ruined my grandma 80th...

What can I say about El Pimiento? Let’s start with the food. I’ve been here several times and each time I’ve had something different and they’re all AMAZING!

The olives are so tasty and pair well with salad and the patatas bravas! The sauce is slightly spicy and a little creamy but SO good! Also, the croquetas de manchego are creamy with the perfect amount of crunch (pro tip: these also pair well with the bravas sauce).

Last time I had the tortilla and again, incredible! But the star of this dinner was the vegetarian paella. OMG — to die for! The rice was cooked alongside a bunch of tasty veggies that are fragrant and flavorful…and filling! And did I mention how delicious it is? (See the pic to get an idea of what you’re in for).

Dinner wasn’t over until dessert was had. And boy was it the perfect end to the meal. The crema catalana with the torched sugar topping is creamy and smooth, and made of real egg custard — not the fake stuff sold in most Cuban restaurants across Miami. And if it’s available, get a slice of the Basque cheesecake (drool worthy) and not too heavy, but just right.

Annnnnnd, a special thanks to Liz who took special care of our table this and most times. She’s awesome, warm, and makes each meal the equivalent of spending it with family!

Gracias...