Habana Vieja
If you're down to your last few Cuban convertibles, want something quick and simple, or fancy a proper Cuban sandwich without the Miami glitz, drop into…
Must-see restaurants in Havana
Habana Vieja
On Havana’s answer to Route 66, corner spot Chacón 162 features motorcycling motifs mixed with 1950s memorabilia on the bar and inviting alfresco tables…
Vedado
Havana's celebrated ice-cream parlor, housed in a flying-saucer-like structure in a Vedado park, is as celebrated as much for its queues as for its ice…
Havana
Belonging to one of several Spanish aid societies in Havana (in this case the Asturianos), Nardos looks like another distressed Havana tenement from the…
Havana
Popularly considered to be Havana's best 'Chinese' restaurant, Flor de Loto has one major caveat: it isn't actually that Chinese at all. Sure, the…
Habana Vieja
Aiming to lure in spice-starved tourists (especially curry-loving Brits) and educate Cuban palates in the nuances of Indian food, the Buena Vista Curry…
Havana
There are many unusual juxtapositions at this Swedish-Cuban restaurant, hidden inside a battle-scarred tenement, where the cool Scandinavian-style…
Vedado
Clinging to its perch close to the Malecón, this sleek sports bar looks as though it has floated across the straits from Florida like a returning exile…
Vedado
The dark, bluesy interior is backlit by a fabulous 3D mural of Havana’s Morro castle and the waitstaff are all working actors from Cuban TV (check their…
Vedado
You don't have to be a very important person to eat at VIP Havana, but it probably helps. This is Havana posing as Miami, with a large central bar, drink…
Havana
Spanish cultural societies have long had special legal status in Cuba, meaning that their restaurants (even in tougher times) have been able to offer…
Vedado
A decade ago Cuba and vegetarianism were about as compatible as Ronald Reagan and Leonid Brezhnev (ie: not very), but tastes have developed and the times…
Havana
Lebanese food has recently gained traction in Havana, with several new openings, including this restaurant in a tranquil glass-fronted house that evokes…
Habana Vieja
Don’t expect fondue and chocolates. This quick-fire cafe on Habana Vieja’s main drag is named for one of the building’s former owners rather than the…
Outer Havana
One of Havana's more unusual restaurants, Las Ruinas sits atop the mossy stone ruins of a sugar mill, with classical statues, elegant staircases and a…
Vedado
Havana was once something of a desert for desserts – bad news for travelers who can’t live without a 4pm appointment with a slice of chocolate cake. But…
Havana
Adding a Miami-esque flourish to the time-ravaged streets of Centro Habana, Barbra is a highly ambitious private restaurant that leaves a vivid impression…
Vedado
Allying themselves with the granja a la mesa (farm-to-table) movement and utilizing a couple of agricultural co-ops in Guanabacoa, the Med serves…
Havana
A hole-in-the-wall eatery on iconic Paseo de Martí, Tatagua features flavorful food and affordable cocktails. The two-story colonial building has been…
Vedado
It's not anywhere near the cathedral, nor does it look particularly ecclesial – but no matter. The best thing about La Catedral is that, by offering very…
Habana Vieja
This aptly named restaurant in Habana Vieja’s ‘barber’s alley’ is run by the grandson of the former chef to Meyer Lansky. He’s revitalized the notorious…
Habana Vieja
Esto no es un café (this is not a cafe); it's a restaurant conjuring up thought-provoking dishes that pay homage to art icons. Try the Pollo Pollock …
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
On the eastern side of the harbor in the small community near the forts, this private eating option gets filled up with tourists on their way to the…
Habana Vieja
Located in a restored colonial mansion on the outskirts of Old Havana’s oldest quarter, Jíbaro is a great option for authentic Cuban food and much-praised…
Vedado
A three-way explosion of Cuban, Italian and Spanish cuisine is guaranteed at this salubrious spot slap-bang in the middle of Vedado's hotel quarter. Bank…
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
Unsignposted, hard to find and consequently almost 100% local, this is a rare private restaurant in Guanabacoa, where the food culture doesn't seem to…
Havana
A huge place next to the Pabexpo exhibition center that sprawls beneath a series of open-sided thatched bohíos (traditional Cuban huts), Palenque offers…
Havana
Ocean-flavored dishes such as ceviche, red snapper and grilled octopus are served in a fern-filled patio or a cooler indoor dining area; this doctor is…
Havana
Once considered one of Havana's finest government-run restaurants, along with El Aljibe, El Tocororo has lost ground to new private competition in recent…
Havana
Less a conventional eating space and more a tourist complex, Dos Gardenias sports two main restaurants (choose between a grill and a pasta place), a…
Habana Vieja
Relocated from Miramar’s residential area to bustling Calle O’Reilly, Tabarish is housed in a restored colonial building with high ceilings and wrought…
Vedado
In a country where ordering food used to be a rather taxing experience, Woow makes it incredibly easy. It combines a handy location on Vedado’s main…
Vedado
This two-piece restaurant has an open terrace upstairs (Motivos) with a barbecue and a no-frills international menu, and an air-conditioned space…
Vedado
Cuba finds solidarity with Iran in Havana's first and still only Iranian restaurant, corralled in a lovely colonnaded mansion on arterial Calle 23. Sit on…
Café del Ángel Jacqueline Fumero
Habana Vieja
Guarding the small, heavenly square behind the Iglesia del Santo Ángel Custodio, minimalist Fumero (all white walls and clear plastic chairs) is run by a…
Havana
There's all sorts of stuff going on at this joint at Marina Hemingway, from beer-swilling boatmen to warbling American Idol wannabes hogging the karaoke…
Habana Vieja
Sheltered in the Lonja de Comercio building with seating outside in Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, El Mercurio flirts with elegance (waitstaff in…
Havana
Small, discreet Miramar house turned Italian restaurant, with indoor and outdoor front-porch seating as well as a bar set up in what was formerly the…
Habana Vieja
Habana 61's menu features Cuban classics with a fresh twist. The lobster is among its most popular dishes, but the traditional ropa vieja (shredded beef)…
Habana Vieja
This attractive state-run restaurant has a resplendent interior filled with memorabilia from the building's previous incarnation as a printing works. The…
