Karnitas 71st: A Place Where Everyone Knows Your Name

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually, from September 15 to October 15, to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. The September 2023 Miami Beach Economic Development Business Newsletter spotlights Karnitas 71^st, an Argentinian restaurant, owned and operated by Christian and Maja Fernandez, located at 954 Normandy Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33141.

Christian and Maja met in 2010 when they were both waiters at Café Prima Pasta, a Miami Beach culinary staple. There they learned the importance of customer service, understanding and treating guests with respect, showing guests you care and that guests are valued, and training staff on how to provide a positive and memorable dining experience. They moved to the Miami Beach North Beach neighborhood area ten years ago, when they fell in love with the Normandy Plaza/Fountain area and decided to bring their homemade culinary concepts to the community. They wanted to create a place where everyone knows your name, feels comfortable and are surrounded by friends and family.

“Karnitas 71^st is an excellent addition to the Normandy Fountain neighborhood! Christian and Maja serve delicious food with a big side of warm smiles and friendly conversation!” shares David Sexton, President of the Normandy Fountain Business Association.

What makes Karnitas 71^st stand out, amongst the growing array of new and inviting North Beach restaurants, is that it is an Argentinian bodegon, a place to eat homemade and delicious cuisine that  combines Spanish, Italian and German food all in one place. According to gastronomic critic Pietro Sorba, a bodegon is “the transmission of a feeling of belonging to the city, the accessibility of the food, and the abundance of atmosphere.” When you enter Karnitas 71^st, you will see the distinct decorations that make you feel happy and comfy, walls showcasing an Argentinian soccer fan’s love of the sport with “football” pennants. Then there is a display honoring the Argentinian food, with racks of hams and salami hanging from ceilings, together with old penguin jugs and assorted vintage gadgets.

Everything offered by Karnitas 71^st is homemade by Maja daily, from family recipes and is locally sourced or shipped directly from Argentina (dough) and Italy (coffee, cornettos, croissants, etc.).  Their most famous dishes are homemade empanadas. The empanadas are perfected with the dough imported from Argentina and offer an assortment of tastes for every palate including picanha, chorizo, molleja, ham and cheese, morcilla, chicken, spinach and cheese, bondiola and roasted vegetables. Specialty desserts include alfajores (shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche).

Recently, a special milanesa, Mila Messi, named after famed Inter Miami soccer star Lionel Andrés Messi, was added to the Karnita 71^st menu. Mila Messi is a breaded, fried slice of chicken and ham, with tomato sauce, cheese, and eggs on top. A traditional version of the milanesa includes two eggs, however Karnitas 71^st opted to top Mila Messi with three eggs to mark Argentina’s three World Cup championships.

Christian’s and Maja’s cooking technique is to keep everything simple. They use olive oil versus sunflower oil, and Christian personally hand picks all the fruits and vegetables used in their dishes. They also accommodate all types of dietary restrictions and personal preferences and offer gluten free options such as milanesa made with potato rice and assorted salads.

Karnitas 71^st is a new mainstay of the Normandy Fountain neighborhood for breakfast and lunch and they are excited to share their food and flavors, and celebrate their one-year anniversary and their first National Hispanic Heritage Month with the Miami Beach community.

For more information, please visit: https://www.instagram.com/karnitas71st