Reflections from Cuba: Paladares & More
When we think “Cuban,” it often conjures up thoughts of Cuban food, music, mojitos, and daiquiris. We’ve covered music, so it’s time to talk about food and drink.
The Cuban government allows a system of private establishments to exist and often thrive. The privately-owned restaurants are called paladares (from the Spanish word for palate). The system has evolved through the years. There are now two types, those in private homes and others in commercial buildings, just like a regular restaurant. Officially, they provide a way for visitors to support the Cuban people directly. That is true. However, it also allows the government to collect taxes based on revenue. I feel you can never really escape that reality. The average Cuban does not eat in these establishments – they are way too expensive, even though quite moderate by American standards.
We ate most of our lunches and dinners in paladares, and they were wonderful. In every case, our tour director asked that leftovers go to the locals. It’s hard to completely enjoy the experiences when you know they are so out of reach for so many. The reality for the Cuban people is that there are significant food shortages.
Reports indicate anywhere from 500 to 2,000 paladares throughout Cuba. It was a challenge to find good information before we went, so for anyone planning a trip, I’ve put together a photo rundown of the few spots we visited. Special thanks to my travel partner, Sarah, for her many great pics; she is a much more responsible food photog than I am!
La cocina de Lilliam
Our first experience with a paladar was a lunch at the charming La cocina de Lilliam. Dining with a group, we were usually served family-style with three entree choices. We were always welcomed with a special drink and a variety of appetizers (including croquetas of some type) before our main course. Dessert followed.
Michifu
Serenaded by an entertaining guitar trio at Michifu, we tried the grilled local lobster. Like our Florida lobsters, it was tasty but tough.
Rita and Champagne
During this rainy-day lunch, we experienced one of many rolling power outages. Outside seating had to be pulled in, and the lack of light dampened any picture-taking. Like many paladares, they must’ve had a generator in the kitchen and didn’t miss a beat. I read that the chef here at Rita and Champagne previously had a restaurant in Madrid. My lunch of really good swordfish was finished off with delicious chocolate ice cream. Not surprisingly, the most common dessert offered was flan, which I have never been a fan of. Surprisingly, they had cans of Pepsi. The only time we saw a non-Cuban soft drink.
Al Carbón
Sarah and I dined on our own at Al Carbón in Habana Vieja. The paladar is on the first floor of a beautifully restored 1766 building, and up a circular staircase is the related dining spot, Ivan Chef Justo (Fidel’s former Chef). This was our best meal, and we shared various appetizers, including duck foie gras, fish croquetas, and lobster quesadilla.
La Esperanza
A top experience for us was the delightful dinner we had at La Esperanza. Under the supervision of owner Hubert, the beautifully curated 1939 home was named for the close friend who used to own it. Hubert gets the award for most elegant table settings and best dessert – a wonderful lime pie made with Maria cookies. Power was out again, and a generator ran the kitchen and some ambient lighting. The wall-sized glass doors were opened to the patio, bringing in the evening breeze.
ChaChaCha
This fun spot was another Habana Vieja surprise. I finally tried the pumpkin soup appetizer offered at so many other paladares. It was very good, but we were told, this is not a locally common dish. In another deviation from local food, I enjoyed some pasta, basic but good. ChaChaCha has an amazing array of Old Havana Rums (see the pics at the top of the post). As shown, we were served daiquiris here. In other places, offers included mojitos, “Coke” & rum, wine, or beer. The “Coke” was a local brand.
Vista Mar
We were too busy taking pics of the water crashing over the seawall to take pics of our food. We both, however, made a good choice with the snapper. Vista Mar is right on the water, and with the open walls facing the gulf, it’s lovely. People sitting closer to the water did get wet.
Finca Referencia Concha y Paco: Paladar La Rosita
Eduardo Hernandez runs the Paco-Concha tobacco farm, which I wrote about in an earlier post. The farm has been in his family since 1888, and the paladar is named after his sister Rosita. The pork and chicken served were tasty, and it was nice to have yellow rice. This was where the frog joined us for lunch!
Floridita & Mojitos
I can’t write about food and drink without mentioning the spot Hemingway made famous – Floridita. We did try out his daiquiri, which was made with grapefruit juice and replaced sugar with a maraschino liqueur. I prefer the more sugary option. We tried mojitos in many places, including Sibarita’s rooftop bar and the Iberostar Selection Parque Hotel (pictured above). Hands down, Nelson, the cheerful bartender in our hotel, the Iberostar Marques de la Torre, made the best!
If you enjoyed this post, check out my other content about Cuba:
Reflections of Cuba: Music & Dance
Reflections of Cuba: Historic Havana Architecture
Interesting, I haven’t been to Cuba and didn’t know anything about these home-run restaurants. Were there no food shortages in Cuba when you were there? That seems to be what’s in the news lately. Maggie
There were definitely food shortages for many of the Cuban people. We never got good answers about where food was sourced or were able to see any real food stores (although we tried). You would see push carts in the streets with onions, tomatoes and some fruit like papayas. It was very sad.
Too bad the locals can’t afford the fine dining! It looked exceptionally nice including the table settings and decor. It looked a lot better than the “tourist” places that you first posted where you had dinner and a show! All in all this is an incredible look at how Cuba has evolved.
Doesn’t take the place of actually going there but it’s really good info from someone who knows what to look for!
Thanks for coming along for the journey!
Wonderful share, especially with lots of great photos! They certainly are very creative in the decor! We have been to one or two restaurants in the south which are in older homes. Delightful use of space.
BJH
A thoughtful reflection on Cuba’s paladares and their cultural significance. The insights into dining experiences provide a rich glimpse into local life while highlighting the importance of tradition.