Food · Havana · Cuba
What to eat in Havana
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Havana, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: RenaatPeeters, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Ropa vieja, Moros y cristianos and Lechón asado. Privately run restaurants called paladares range from home dining rooms to stylish rooftop terraces in old mansions and serve the city's most inventive Cuban cooking; book the best-known ones a day or two ahead. Paladares (private restaurants) generally offer better food and service than state-run restaurants.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Ropa vieja
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 9
- Tipping
- Tipping is customary and important to people's incomes: about 10% in restaurants (check…
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Dish
1.Ropa vieja
Shredded beef stewed with tomatoes, peppers, onions and cumin — the name means 'old clothes' — served with rice and beans. It is often listed as Cuba's national dish.
Where: Paladares across Old Havana, Centro and Vedado.
Dish · Vegetarian
2.Moros y cristianos
Black beans and white rice cooked together with onion, garlic and cumin, the standard side to almost every Cuban meal; congrí is a red-bean version from the east of the island.
Where: Every Cuban restaurant and casa particular dinner.
Dish
3.Lechón asado
Slow-roasted pork marinated in sour orange, garlic and oregano (mojo), traditionally cooked whole for celebrations and served with yuca and rice.
Where: Paladares serving criollo cooking and roadside stalls on the way to Viñales.
Dish · Vegetarian
4.Yuca con mojo
Boiled cassava dressed with a sharp garlic, citrus and oil sauce, a staple side to roast pork.
Where: Criollo restaurants and casa dinners.
Snack · Vegetarian
5.Tostones
Green plantain slices fried, flattened and fried again until crisp, usually salted and served as a side or bar snack; mariquitas are thin plantain chips.
Where: Restaurants and street stalls throughout the city.
Dish
6.Picadillo
Minced beef cooked with tomato, olives, raisins and spices, eaten with rice; a homely dish common in family kitchens.
Where: Casa particular dinners and simple local restaurants.
Drink · Vegetarian
7.Café cubano
A short, strong espresso whipped with sugar to form a sweet crema, served in tiny cups; a cortadito adds a splash of milk.
Where: Street-side ventanitas (window counters) and cafés everywhere.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Mojito
White rum, lime, sugar, fresh hierbabuena mint and soda water; Havana's best-known cocktail and a fixture of every bar.
Where: Bars on Calle Obispo, the Hotel Nacional terrace and rooftop bars in Old Havana.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Daiquirí
Rum, lime and sugar blended with crushed ice; El Floridita on Calle Obispo has long claimed it as its signature, with a bronze statue of Hemingway at the bar.
Where: El Floridita and cocktail bars across Old Havana.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Guarapo
Freshly pressed sugarcane juice served over ice, sometimes with a squeeze of lime; sweet and refreshing on a hot day.
Where: Guaraperas with cane-crushing machines in residential streets and markets.
Dessert · Vegetarian
11.Flan
Creamy caramel custard, the most common Cuban dessert, sometimes made with condensed milk or coconut.
Where: Paladares and cafés across the city.
Dessert · Vegetarian
12.Coppelia ice cream
Coppelia, the state ice-cream parlour in a modernist pavilion on La Rampa, has been a Havana institution since the 1960s; flavours depend on what is available that day.
Where: Coppelia park in Vedado; expect a queue in the Cuban-peso section.
Food experiences
Paladar dinner
Privately run restaurants called paladares range from home dining rooms to stylish rooftop terraces in old mansions and serve the city's most inventive Cuban cooking; book the best-known ones a day or two ahead.
Casa particular breakfast
Most casas offer breakfast of tropical fruit, eggs, bread, juice and strong coffee for a modest extra charge, often the best-value meal of the day.
Rum tasting
Taste aged Cuban rums in Old Havana, including at the Havana Club museum near the harbour, which explains the distilling process.
Rooftop cocktails
Several hotels and paladares in Old Havana and Centro have rooftop bars looking over the Capitolio dome and the harbour.
Quick bites and street food
- Tostones — Restaurants and street stalls throughout the city.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 9 are usually vegetarian: Moros y cristianos, Yuca con mojo, Tostones, Café cubano, Mojito, Daiquirí, Guarapo, Flan and Coppelia ice cream. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Paladares (private restaurants) generally offer better food and service than state-run restaurants.
- Menu availability changes with supply; it is normal for several dishes to be unavailable on a given day.
- Check whether prices are quoted in Cuban pesos or a foreign currency before ordering, and confirm the total on the bill.
- Live bands in bars and restaurants often pass a hat or sell CDs; a small tip is expected.
- Carry bottled water, especially when eating at street stalls.
Tipping
Tipping is customary and important to people's incomes: about 10% in restaurants (check if service is already added), small tips for musicians, guides, drivers and bathroom attendants, and something for casa hosts for exceptional help.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much does it cost? |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
| No, gracias | No, thank you |
| Casa particular | Licensed private home with rooms to rent |
| Paladar | Private restaurant |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Havana famous for?
Ropa vieja, Moros y cristianos, Lechón asado and Yuca con mojo. Shredded beef stewed with tomatoes, peppers, onions and cumin — the name means 'old clothes' — served with rice and beans.
+Is Havana good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Moros y cristianos, Yuca con mojo and Tostones.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Havana?
Tipping is customary and important to people's incomes: about 10% in restaurants (check if service is already added), small tips for musicians, guides, drivers and bathroom attendants, and something for casa hosts for exceptional help.