Enjoy international cuisine, deals this Hispanic Heritage Month

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Celebrate with ceviche, party with picadillo and get down with gambas.

Driving the news: Beginning Friday, Hispanic-owned restaurants across Miami representing all types of international cuisines are marking the annual holiday with special deals, letting you eat your way across the Spanish-speaking world in the name of cultural celebration.

Why it matters: Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated through Oct. 15, begins in the middle of the month because Friday marks the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

• Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence Saturday and Monday, respectively.
• Nearly 70% of Miami-Dade County residents are Hispanic or Latino, per census data.

State of plate: Latin Restaurant Weeks, which started in Houston in 2019 and expanded to Miami in 2020, features more than 70 South Florida restaurants this year.

• Notable names include Bulla Gastrobar, Club Tipico Dominicano and the Michelin-starred Elcielo.
• Participating restaurants offer a special menu for brunch, lunch and dinner, Miami New Times reports.

What they're saying: "I felt compelled to create a model for Latinos because they're the backbone of the culinary industry," event co-founder Karinn Chavarria-Luckett told New Times.

• One in four U.S. food workers were Hispanic in 2022, per a recent report.

What's happening: When you're done eating, hit up one of these Hispanic Heritage Month events during the monthlong holiday:

• This weekend, check out the Miami Beach Salsa Festival and Siempre Flamenco's Festival de Cante, or watch a screening of "Good Things Will Come: No Hay Mal Que Por Bien No Venga," a documentary about Operation Pedro Pan.
• The Hispanic Heritage Doral Art Exhibit is now on display through Oct. 23 at the Doral Cultural Arts Center.
• Celebrate Orgullo, a nearly two-week festival celebrating the Hispanic and indigenous LGBTQ+ community, starts Oct. 1

If you go: Here is the full list of participating restaurants and more events over the next month.