Varadero
Varadero town has traditionally been a little light on breakfast options, so all hail this engagingly modest joint almost hidden behind greenery on…
Must-see restaurants in Cuba
Havana
One of the few authentic Chinese restaurants in Barrio Chino, Tien-Tan (Temple of Heaven) is run by a Chinese-Cuban couple and serves an incredible 130…
Habana del Este
Another shrine to the ghost of Hemingway, La Terraza specializes in seafood and does a roaring trade with the hordes of Papa fans who are bused in daily…
Las Terrazas
One of Cuba's few full-blown ecorestaurants, El Romero specializes in vegetarian fare, uses solar energy, homegrown organic vegetables and herbs, and…
Santiago de Cuba
You would probably never wander in here unbidden, but with an ambience reminiscent of a provincial French bistro, this cozy two-floored place does…
Cienfuegos
A fine restaurant by any yardstick in terms of service and food (seafood, including lobster and octopus, is the specialty), which is good, but a little…
Villa Clara Province
Positioning itself as an all-in-one Caibarién stop, the Pocurull is a three-pronged business consisting of a street-side cafe (enjoy cheap sandwiches,…
Bayamo
This longtime staple debuted in the days when private restaurants could only seat 12 people and serve pork and chicken. Today's menu ventures into seafood…
Havana
Rum and cigars dominate proceedings at Casa Abel. Several dishes contain meats doused in Cuba's favorite tipple (including chicken marinated in rum and…
Ciego de Ávila Province
Despite being draped with international flags, Don Papa is 100% cubano. The food here is simply delicious and also abundant. Meat, fish and lobster come…
Habana Vieja
A posh, elegant side to Havana greets you as you walk through the door at this long-standing state-run establishment in Plaza de San Francisco de Asís…
Santa Clara
The Alba has had a bit of a rethink of late: the interior has been enlarged, they've toned down the Melaíto cartoons on the walls (mercifully a few good…
Cienfuegos
Nestled on a headland below the Jagua fort, this the only eating option for castle visitors. Staff will meet you off the boat, but throw your cynicism…
Viñales
The 'sweet life' Spanish style is another successful Viñales take on Italian food and does noteworthy pasta dishes – just choose your pasta shape and your…
Habana del Este
It’s cheap, it’s state run and it’s pretty gritty inside, but this Cuban fast-food joint in Guanabo lures in locals with hot sandwiches on wonderful…
Havana
The out-of-the-way Ferminia is old-school Havana posh. During rougher economic times it drew in diplomats and famous visitors in spades (Fidel Castro ate…
Habana del Este
Ask a local where to eat in Guanabo and they'll probably direct you up the gentle hill behind the main roundabout to this pleasant perch that has a…
Matanzas
Small is beautiful. With three tables squeezed into a space the size of an entry vestibule and the day’s menu chalked onto a blackboard, Fettuccine is not…
Outer Havana
One of the quieter eating options in Parque Lenin is set in a small house south of the lake and is air-conditioned to replicate a chilly day in Canada…
Vedado
Buried amid the bruised edifices of Calzada de la Infanta on the border of Vedado and Centro Habana, Toke is a simple cafe serving economical hamburguesas…
Santiago de Cuba
Barbecue is the specialty of this casual backyard restaurant on the outskirts of Santiago. Grilled pork and chicken are served with the typical sides, but…
Holguín
With excellent smoked meats with copious trimmings, tostones (fried plantain) and huge stuffed peppers filled with ropa vieja (shredded beef), this…
Guantánamo Province
A nude statue rather than a girasol (sunflower) marks the entrance to what is, by process of elimination, one of Guantánamo's best restaurants. Behind the…
Viñales
A radical rethink a couple of years ago has transformed Cocinita from a family dining room serving salt-of-the-earth Viñales staples to a chicer cafe…
Camagüey
With a Siberian chill thanks to hyperactive air-conditioning, this popular restaurant on the pedestrian stretch of Maceo brims with locals at midday. Most…
Habana Vieja
A retro '50s place on the corner of Plaza Vieja where the live band never seems to stop playing, La Vitrola is routinely swamped by tourists in the…
Camagüey
This hip restaurant was opened during a visit by delegates from Gibara's iconic film festival, Festival Internacional del Cine Pobre, in 2008. Blending…
Varadero
Locals rate this fondue-focused restaurant as one of the best state-run joints in town, but, while it's a welcome change from rice and beans, it's not…
Matanzas Province
If you're visiting the Cuevas de Bellamar, you'd do well to grab a comida criolla (Creole food) lunch at this ranchón (rustic, opened-sided restaurant)…
Havana
This seaside spot has a very decent menu, but it’s really the ambience, location and view that make it so memorable. Housed in a beautiful mansion, the…
Holguín
Worth getting off the beaten path for, this easygoing restaurant does comida criolla (Creole food) with style. It also has the best cocktail bar in town,…
Restaurante Romántico San Severino
Matanzas
A bit of old-world ambience in Parque Libertad, the Romántico is a 1st-floor perch up a steep flight of stairs with good park views if you can bag a…
Santiago de Cuba
On a hilly residential street by Meliá, this open-air restaurant offers great-value meals. Grilled fish and lamb stewed in tomato sauce come recommended…
Santiago de Cuba
Dine in bygone bourgeois style in this mansion turned restaurant, Zunzún, in the once upscale Vista Alegre neighborhood. It has always been lauded, though…
Artemisa & Mayabeque Provinces
Some of the cheapest lobster in Cuba is served on Don Oliva's secluded covered patio – barely 35km from the costly cuisine of Havana – and it's not bad…
Outer Havana
This indoor restaurant at Parque Lenin's Centro Ecuestre (horse center) will deliver the goods if you've just been trotting around the trails. Its…
Las Terrazas
Of the ranchónes (rustic, open-sided restaurants) dotted around, this one adjacent to the Hacienda Unión, about 3.5km west of the Hotel Moka access road,…
Ciego de Ávila Province
Raised on stilts in a clapboard building off the southern shoreline of Laguna de la Leche, you'll find one of Cuba's best local fish restaurants. The…
Habana Vieja
Havana’s new experts on sweet and savory crepes have built a strong reputation on simple foundations. There’s an eco-minded recycling aesthetic (jam jars…
Holguín Province
For above average seafood fare, this 2nd-story restaurant is a godsend. Go for the crab, camarones enchilados (shrimp in garlicky-tomato sauce), tasty…
