The capital is a Mecca for traditional Cuban cuisine, and you can find the flavorful Spanish and Caribbean fusion-inspired fare in restaurants reflecting the local culture and history.
Havana sunset (courtesy of Ellen McQueen)
It’s easy to get lost on a mesmerizing stroll through the old streets of Havana. The façade portrays the intricate history, and the UNESCO-protected Old District preserves its beauty. While the colorful 1950s cars whiz by with their tops down, you might notice whiffs of tostones (fried plantains), ropa vieja (shredded beef stew), or moros y cristianos (black beans and rice). It’s time for some classic Cuban cuisine.
While the major metropolis offers global grub in many restaurants, the sea air and Caribbean sunshine inspire a desire for good old-fashioned local food. There are countless Havana locations where you can have this culinary experience, many of which with creative fusion twists.
Put down the cigar and get ready for lunch. Here is a list of spots in Havana featuring mouth-watering Cuban food in the cutest Caribbean atmospheres.
OTRAMANERA
Nestled in the Miramar neighborhood, Otramanera is the perfect stop for a sun-soaked lunch on the cozy terrace or an elegant dinner indoors. The dedicated team struck inspiration on the Costa Brava Catalonia, but the international fare has an unmistakable Havana flare. The menu, designed by the Cuban founders, is divided into land (chicken pitu caleya, marinated beef skewers, sticky pork ribs) and sea (lobster salad, marinated sardines, baked snapper), and the decor depicts their prided attention to detail. This focus on quality is also evident in the freshness of the food, for many of the ingredients grow in the establishment’s garden.
Restaurante Otramanera, 1810 Avenida 35, La Habana, Cuba
LA GUARIDA
Lunch at La Guarida (courtesy of Ellen McQueen)
When the bright red convertible pulls up to La Guarida, you’re sure the taxi driver has the wrong address. An unassuming doorway opens to an empty lobby, albeit a spacious 20th-century one with spectacular tiles. A grand staircase leads to a second floor where white sheets dance from their wire with the gentle wind that whispers through the domed windows. The restaurant reveals itself on the third floor, a labyrinth of rooms that feel more like a royal manor than anything else. Old photographs and Cuban art don the sunshine-yellow walls, and the tables sport white tablecloths and burning candles. The establishment started as a paladar, the name for a privately-owned restaurant in someone’s home, and appeared in the only Oscar-winning Cuban film, Strawberries and Cream. The ropa vieja (flavorful beef stew) is the best in town, and it’s imperative to leave space for the helado artesenal, the homemade ice cream.
418 Concordia, La Habana, Cuba
COMEDOR DE AGUIAR
The stage for live shows (courtesy of Ellen McQueen)
The Hotel Nacional, a Cuban monument carrying a Memory of the World UNESCO title, is worth a visit even if you’re not hungry. After opening in 1930, it became a core meeting place for cultural figures like Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway and famous crime bosses like Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello. Comedor de Aguiar is a fine dining restaurant located inside the establishment. The decoration wows you from the start: a dazzling chandelier hanging from a high ceiling, long tables with white cloths, and ornate details that appear draped in gold. The service meets the expectations of any fine dining location in gastronomical cities like New York or Paris, and on special evenings guests are serenaded by opera emanating from the restaurant’s stage. An extensive wine list paired with meticulously designed dishes like rosas de salmon ahumado (smoked salmon), la langosta Hotel Nacional (lobster), or el chateaubriand con salsa bearnesa (steak and Bernaise sauce) will leave you deliriously satisfied.
Calle 21 y O, Vedado, Plaza La Habana, 10400, Cuba
BAR FLORIDITA
Bartender mixing a mojito (courtesy of Ellen McQueen)
You can’t think of “Havana” without thinking “Hemingway,” so why not stop for a snack at (one of) his favorite hubs? While perhaps not a particularly culinary destination, the bar has Cuban sandwiches with queso or jamón, as well as its signature Floridita: shrimp, smoked salmon, vegetables, ketchup, tartar sauce, and olives. Make sure to get something in your stomach because Cuban cocktails (made with Havana Club rum), like Cuba Libre, Cubata, or Mojito, are killer. The bar opened in 1817 with the name La Piña de Plata, and in 1931 Catalan immigrant and then-owner Constantino Ribalaigua Vert devised the Daiquiri. This invention and Hemingway’s love affair with the Papa Hemingway Daiquiri, not to mention his capacity to consume them, made this institution world-famous. Be sure to book a Hemingway tour with the bar to visit the author’s legendary house, favorite fishing port, and preferred places to hang out in Havana (while drinking Havana Club, of course).
4JPV+X36, Obispo, La Habana, Cuba
EL SHAMUSKIAO
This one’s for the vegetarians. Cuban food is usually heavy on meat and fish; think lechón asado (marinated roasted pork), picadillo (spiced ground beef traditionally served with fried plantains), and sopa de pescado (fish stew). Still, El Shamuskiao features only vegan and vegetarian-friendly favorites. There are international options like a veggie burger, quesadilla, or spaghetti, but also Cuban options, like fritura de malanga (fried malanga, similar to potato) and boronia (a traditional stew mainly made with eggplant). Magazine cutouts with vegetarian recipes decorate the walls, and the drink menu contains a list of local beers.
4JQQ+8VG, C. Consulado, La Habana, Cuba
EL COLONIAL
Live musicians on the terrace (courtesy of Ellen McQueen)
The famous Hotel Inglaterra is in Havana’s heart, right next to the Nacional Capitol and Martí Theater. El Colonial is the hotel’s main restaurant next to the lobby, featuring intricate neoclassical design from the Spanish colonial style ceiling to its ornately decorated windows with stained glass. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the air-conditioned space or on the sizable terrace overlooking the Parque Central. If it’s cool enough to enjoy your meal outside, you’ll be dancing in your chair to the Son Cubano beat, local music originating from the 19th century (think Buena Vista Social Club). Save room to stop in the hotel’s ice cream parlor, El London, and maybe grab a Cuba Libre at the rooftop bar beforehand.
EL DANDY
El Dandy is a bar and kitchen perfect for a night on the town in the heart of the old city. The intimate atmosphere has candlelit tables and walls covered in antique photos. It’s open all day, so you can enjoy a Cuban coffee looking out to the historical city streets, or experience the Cuban / Mexican / Spanish blended bites for lunch or dinner. Tourists, locals, and dandies (men who value physical appearance, refined language, and nonchalance) alike flock to this leisurely hangout.
4JPV+7RC, Teniente Rey, La Habana, Cuba