In Miami, the cafecito is a revered and highly respected ritual. It has its own rhythm, its own roots. It brings together all walks of life to pause, connect, and take in the small things that make life worth living. And the illustrious altar for such a sacred act? The ventanita. So when Tigre partnered with Tinta y Café, Chat Chow TV’s Gio Gutierrez, DJ Jigue, Grammy-winning percussionist Brenda Navarrete to bring the Ventanita Rave to life, it wasn’t just another chance to get down (though we did do some of that)—it was an activation of the soul.
Held in the heart of Coral Gables at Tinta y Café, a beloved neighborhood café and recent Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient, this Cuban-led collaboration was less of a party and more of a pulse—an afternoon fix that turned Miami’s most iconic cultural symbol, la ventanita, into a portal between generations, traditions, and sonic frontiers.
A Rompecabeza of Culture
The idea began, fittingly, over a conversation.
“Isabella called me weeks ago with this idea,” says Gio Gutierrez, Cuban community ambassador and the mind behind Chat Chow TV. “Little by little our brains got to work as we put the pieces of this rompecabeza together.”
Gio, who’s made a name for himself by blending Cuban heritage into every cocktail he pours and menu he brilliantly crafts, saw the possibility for something deeper—a chance to add “that extra sazón” by fusing modern-day Miami vibras with the timeless textures of his roots.
With beats provided by DJ Jigue, founder of the only independent label out of Havana spinning Afro-Cuban Tech, and Brenda Navarrete, whose voice and percussion breathe fire into folkloric rhythms, the music moved bodies and told stories.
Tinta: Where Culture is Always Brewing
Walk into Tinta y Café and the first thing you feel is home. Founded by the Statz family and lovingly run by a mother-daughter duo, Tinta has always been more than a coffee shop. From day one, it was designed as a gathering place—a “Coffee House y Más”—with the soul of a 1960s café and the soundtrack to match.
“The inspiration came from my personal desire to elevate the ventanita experience and invite people inside to chill, unwind and indulge,” says mama Statz, the café’s matriarch. “Miami has had our own coffee culture way before Starbucks. We just wanted to highlight that in our own way.”
And highlight it they did. The Ventanita Rave was buzzing from the jump—carajillos (powered by Licor 43 and Beyond The Agency) flowed endlessly, music spilled from the sidewalk to the sky, and people from all corners of Miami’s cultural map came together under one beat.
“We fashioned Tinta after those old-school coffee houses where poetry, literature and music were part of the experience,” she continues. “This rave felt like a modern remix of that exact vision.”
Miami’s Rave Reimagined
As executive chef Sachi Statz puts it, the “coffee rave” flips the script.
“Rave culture usually comes with a party stigma—late nights and benders. But the coffee rave? That’s a perfect addition to your day without the sleepless night,” she says. “And in Miami, with our ventanita culture already embedded in us, it just makes sense. It’s where we come together, talk, gossip, share a cafecito… so why not add some good music?”
This event proved that a global phenomenon can find its most authentic version when it’s rooted in real culture, led by the community it’s meant to serve. With DJ Jigue on the decks, the man behind the vinyl-only music festival, Havana RPM, and the independent music label, Guampara, Caribbean beats were well taken care of. Local artists like Gaiya and Yoli Mayor found their way to the microphone, and Brenda was joined by acclaimed gaita player and percussionist, Tato Marenco—transforming the afternoon into an all-out jam.
From the beats to the brews, the Ventanita Rave was a love letter to Cuban heritage, Miami flair, and the power of music to connect us all—one espresso shot at a time.
Or as Gio puts it: “No matter what, I always add a sprinkle of love. An ingredient we’re all thirsty for.”
Hit the playlist below to relive el Jigue’s soul-stirring Afro-Tropical futuristic sounds.
