What to Eat in Havana: A Food Guide

What to eat in Havana

• Ropa vieja

  Shredded braised beef in tomato-pepper sauce — Cuba's national dish.

• Moros y cristianos

  Black beans + rice cooked together — Cuban staple side.

• Lechón asado

  Roast suckling pig — traditional Sunday + celebration dish.

What to drink

Bottled water only. Mojito + daiquiri are national cocktails; Havana Club rum + Cristal + Bucanero the local beers.

Dining etiquette and practicalities

• Tip 10–15% at sit-down restaurants (paladares) — most are family-run private businesses.

• Bring small denominations of foreign cash for tips + purchases — change hard to come by.

Where to eat in Havana

• Habana Vieja (Old Havana)

  UNESCO colonial core — Plaza Vieja, Cathedral, Plaza de Armas — Iberostar Grand Packard, Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, Hotel Saratoga (currently closed after 2022 blast — check status).

• Centro Habana

  Between Old Havana + Vedado — Malecón + Barrio Chino + faded grandeur — casas particulares dominate; hotels limited.

• Vedado

  Leafy 1950s elegance — Hotel Nacional (Cuba's most iconic hotel), Habana Libre (former Havana Hilton), Meliá Cohiba, Riviera by Iberostar.

• Miramar + Playa

  Diplomatic + business district west — Meliá Habana, H10 Habana Panorama, quieter + modern.