Although Havana generally has a bad reputation for its food, personally, I ate an incredible variety of food at many of the new fashionable restaurants that have been appearing throughout Havana. And if you do your research in advance, you’ll also make sure you have an incredible dining experience while you’re there. If you’re wondering where to eat and drink in Havana, here are some of the best to eat in Havana!
It is true that food in Havana, and in Cuba in general, can be unpredictable. Products available to locals are often of poor quality and very limited, and few restaurants on the street will be clean or have good food. However, there are tons of new restaurants (often privately owned) that are making a name for themselves in Havana, and it’s worth programming them into your itinerary to sample a truly delicious cuisine.
THE COFFEE
This modern little cafe was my favorite breakfast spot. It is also one of the few places where you can get a super healthy meal at a very affordable price in Havana. Here you can get hummus dishes, a breakfast of fresh eggs, salad and a heavenly mother dough bread, fresh fruit, yogurt and granola. There are also more indulgent options, such as French toast served with honey poached quava, pancakes and an incredible panini of pork jam and roasted orange. I’m sure it’s obvious to say, but the coffee’s great!
CHANDELIER 761 TACOS AND BEERS
I came here to eat tapas the first night I arrived in Havana, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the trip. It’s full for dinner, but it’s a good place to have some tapas before dinner (the tacos and croquettes are incredible) in a cozy atmosphere. If you feel indulgent, daiquiris are huge and have the form of cute creatures like Minions or animals.
COPPELIA ICE CREAM PARLOUR
Created by Fidel Castro in the 1960s, this long-established and quite famous chain of ice cream parlours sells tasty balls and ice cream cartons at extremely low prices. Because prices are so low, it’s also where locals come to stock up on boxes of ice cream, so you’ll probably have to wait in line for about 30 minutes. But it’s a great opportunity to get out of the tourist areas, observe the people and decide for yourself if this is really one of the best ice creams in Cuba (or in the world, as some have bravely stated). You can use CUP here if you have them, but they also accept CUC (which will generally allow you to skip the queue).
