A sandwich with ham, cheese, and beef is served with French fries in a basket lined with newspaper-print paper.
Milanes Cuban Corner's Cuban Sandwich, $16.50. (Photo by Jasmine Cho/Pittsburgh's Public Source)

🍽️ Restaurant: Milanes Cuban Corner
📍 Location: 112 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks
⏱️ Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wed-Sat | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun | Closed Mon-Tues
🌐 Links: Facebook

❤️ Best $15ish meal(s): The Sloppy Jose or Beef Empanadas paired with their Guava Lemonade, one of their housemade cookies or tres leches cake (The Banana Pudding Cookie and Key Lime Tres leches are highly recommended.)

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Why go?

Milanes Cuban Corner is run by husband and wife team Carlos Milanes Jr. and Collyn Milanes. The menu is inspired by their family’s Miami-Cuban recipes, including housemade Cuban bread for their sandwiches. Some unique offerings include guava chicken bites ($12, boneless chicken bites tossed in housemade guava bbq) and yuca fries ($10, crispy fried yuca with mango mojo). Their desserts are not to be missed. Check out their giant cookies and the variety of tres leches cake flavors they offer.

A slice of tres leches cake topped with whipped cream, green syrup, and brown crumbs in a clear plastic container on a wooden surface.
Key Lime Tres Leches Cake, $6. (Photo by Jasmine Cho/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

If you’re inclined to support small businesses, know that Milanes Cuban Corner’s brick-and-mortar restaurant was something of a community effort, with support from Trinity Commercial Development, the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation and nonprofit Food21. The restaurant is part of a broader push to strengthen the borough’s food economy and bring more dining options to a community where 32.1% of residents live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

What to order 

Sloppy Joe with melted cheese and pickle slices in a bun, served with a side of French fries on newspaper-style paper.
Sloppy Jose, $16.50, features ground beef and queso dip. (Phot by Jasmine Cho/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

The Sloppy Jose at $16.50 is a hefty sandwich featuring seasoned ground beef with queso and pickles. All of their sandwiches come with fries.

For more of a snack, get an order of beef empanadas (2 pieces for $8) and pair it with their housemade guava lemonade ($6) or one of their desserts ($4-$6).

Two beef empanadas on newspaper-style paper in a cardboard tray, one cut open to show the filling, with a small cup of white dipping sauce on the side.
An order of Beef Empanadas (2) for $8 from Milanes. (Photo by Jasmine Cho/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

Good to know before you go

Milanes Cuban Corner is within walking distance of the Roxian Theatre, so if you’re catching a show, make plans to stop by for some Cuban eats.

A black plastic tray with pieces of glazed fried chicken and a small container of dipping sauce on a wooden surface.
Guava Chicken Bites, $12. (Photo by Jasmine Cho/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

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