A Dream Plated
on Calle Ocho
When Chef Marco Vidal signed the lease on 2841 SW 8th Street in the spring of 2021, the building had been a clothing store, a furniture warehouse, and most recently, empty. What Marco saw was a room full of potential — high ceilings, an exposed brick wall along the south side, and a corner lot that could frame a beautiful outdoor terrace.
He spent seven months renovating by hand alongside his brother Diego — laying terracotta floors, hanging pendant lights sourced from an estate sale in Coral Gables, and painting every inch of the dining room himself. The result is a space that feels lived-in and luxurious at once, a rare combination in Miami's restaurant scene.
Casa Blanca opened its doors in October 2021 to a line around the block — not through any marketing or press push, but through word of mouth in the neighborhood. The community had been watching the renovation for months, and they were ready. Three years later, that same community remains our most loyal table.
"I didn't open a restaurant to win awards. I opened it because I missed my grandmother's kitchen and couldn't find anything in Miami that felt the same. The award was just confirmation that other people missed it too."
— Chef Marco Vidal, Founder
Marco Vidal
Marco Vidal was born in Miami's Little Havana to Cuban parents who had emigrated in the early 1980s. As the youngest of four children in a household where the kitchen was the center of all life, Marco absorbed the flavors and techniques of his mother's Cuban cooking alongside the diverse Latin influences that define Miami's food culture.
He trained formally at the Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, then refined his technique under Chef Carlos Soto at the acclaimed Versailles Catering Group before moving to New York to study under Colombian chef Adriana Millán at her Michelin-recognized restaurant, Raíces. There, Marco learned to treat Latin cuisine not as comfort food to be simplified, but as a sophisticated culinary tradition deserving every technique in a chef's arsenal.
After five years in New York, he came home to Miami with a clear vision: a restaurant that would honor the flavors of his childhood while pushing them forward. Casa Blanca Kitchen & Bar is the result — and three years in, Marco shows no signs of slowing down.
Our Philosophy
Locally Sourced
We partner with Florida farmers, fishers, and purveyors to keep our ingredients as close to home as possible. Our produce changes with the season — and so does our menu.
Made From Scratch
There are no shortcuts in our kitchen. Every sauce, every stock, every empanada dough is made in-house, daily. It takes longer. It tastes better. It's the only way we know how to cook.
Community First
We are a neighborhood restaurant before anything else. We hire locally, source locally, and give back locally — including our monthly community chef's table for Little Havana families.
Honest Heat
Latin cooking is bold by nature — but balance is everything. We coax heat, smokiness, and acidity into harmony so that every dish invites you back for another bite, not just one.
Awards & Press
"Chef Marco Vidal has built something rare in Miami — a restaurant that feels both rooted in its neighborhood and completely ahead of its time."
"The Ropa Vieja Moderna should be on every Miami food bucket list. We said what we said."
"Casa Blanca proves that the future of Cuban-Latin cuisine is in exactly this kind of careful, passionate, uncompromising cooking."
Meet the Team
A kitchen is only as good as its people. We're proud to have assembled one of the most passionate, dedicated teams in Miami's restaurant scene.
Marco Vidal
Sofía Reyes
Diego Vidal
Valentina Cruz
Come Taste Our Story
Every dish on our menu carries a piece of Chef Marco's history. We can't wait to share it with you.