El Vecino, a cigar and cocktail bar, opened its doors this month as part of Miami’s landscape of upscale lounges. The 1,600-square foot space features a deep cigar menu and wide cocktail and wine offerings.
The El Vecino is the third establishment from Miami’s Ariete Hospitality Group at Miami Worldcenter.
“Miami has a casual, familiar relationship with cigars, so curating the selection at El Vecino has to be about deepening that relationship without packaging the smoking experience in pretense,” Nicolás Jiménez, director of cigar programming for El Vecino said in a press release. “I can’t imagine any company being better equipped to deliver a cigar bar experience that’s both uncommonly elevated and naturally Miami than the Ariete Hospitality team. That this group puts a premium on substance has made curating the cigar selection a lot of fun. The goal is to demystify cigars and make this world approachable to novice smokers while also taking an approach to the selection that seasoned cigar people will deeply appreciate,”
El Vecino will offer corporate and individual memberships that include private lockers, exclusive invitations to members-only events, and concierge service offering preferential access to Ariete’s locations.
“I was born in Miami and being of Cuban descent, cigars are a big part of my heritage,” Michael Beltran, founder and owner of Ariete Hospitality, said in a press release. “Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a holiday with family or just a Friday night, a great cigar is always part of the picture. Cigars are part of the ritual of community that I grew up with and I want to bring that sense of connection to El Vecino.”
