Versailles Restaurant

Versailles Restaurant (commonly referred to as simply Versailles), cafeteria and restaurant, is a landmark eating establishment located on Calle Ocho in Little Havana, Miami. The large restaurant has ornate etched glass and statuettes and features a bakery, a takeout area, a counter window and the ability to host banquets and parties.Eric Asimov, [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9501E5D91E3BF935A25752C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all CHOICE TABLES; A Fresh Breeze Sweeps Miami's Restaurant Scene] , "The New York Times", January 16, 2000.] Versailles is a popular restaurant among locals and tourists for its high quality and reasonably priced Cuban cuisine.

Political significance

For decades, Versailles has been ground zero for the Cuban-American exile community in South Florida. The restaurant has been a gathering point for anti-Castro protesters and the press wanting to cover their opinions.Kirk Semple, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/us/20miami.html For Cubans in U.S., Views Have Evolved] , "The New York Times", February 20, 2008.] [cite web|url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/miami/D41492.html|title=Versailles in Frommers Guide]

During Fidel Castro's hospitalization in August 2006, the news media set up a small tent city outside the restaurant in case news would break from the locationDavid Gonzales, [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/us/04prensa.html From Miami, News Agency Fields Reports From Cuba] , "The New York Times", August 4, 2006.] Cuban-American politicians, including those from out-of-state like New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, often hold fundraisers and rallies at the restaurant.David W. Chen, [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/28/nyregion/28menendez.html Menendez Plays to His Base, in South Florida] , "The New York Times", September 28, 2006.]

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