MIAMI (WSVN) - A celebration was held on Wednesday night in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood for Versailles’ 50th anniversary.
The legendary restaurant marked the major milestone with dozens of members of the community in attendance.
“We’re celebrating 50 years of being open,” said Luly Valls, whose grandfather opened Versailles. “What has me most excited is that my grandfather, who founded it in 1971, is here with us today. He still comes to work every day, still is like the head of the family.”
Over the last five decades, Versailles has become a Miami landmark.
Community members came out to celebrate its latest milestone anniversary.
“I like the restaurant all the time,” said patron Angelo Rolan. “All my family and I always come here.”
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and United States Rep. Carlos A. Giménez were also in attendance.
Versailles became a meeting place for the exiled Cuban community, where people could go and talk about politics, especially Fidel Castro, or simply just catch up with old friends.
“It kind of just happened organically,” said Valls. “People come not only for celebrations [but] to protest, to have their voices heard. I love so much that the community feels that they’re at home here, the same way I feel like it’s my home.”
From the emotional saga that was Elián González to the triumph of the Florida Marlins winning a World Series, Versailles has been the backdrop for it all. However, it was always Castro who sparked the most heated debates.
“It feels like home,” said Versailles patron Caridad Borges. “Anytime you come here it just feels like you’re walking in your house.”
“The authenticity of the Cuban food, the being there so many years, the having it be part of your life as you’re growing up, a place where you always go when something breaks and you think of Cuba and you think of the people here in Miami, you think of where else to go but Versailles,” said Felipe Valls Jr.
Those who created the restaurant and those who keep it alive both said there is simply no other place like it.
“I consider Versailles a landmark,” said Sergio Canales. “It’s where all the Cubans originally come over here and discuss business and politics and et cetera, et cetera. It’s the place to hang out.”
Versailles rolled back all their menu items for the celebration to what they used to charge in 1971.
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