Havana is not lived: it is savored
And how could it be otherwise, the tasting begins early, in the morning. The Cuban breakfasts are, as a good reflection of the country's culture, forceful, unpretentious, generous and unforgettable.
If you have decided to stay in a private house, your hosts will not miss the opportunity to offer you breakfast with them... And you should say yes, at least once: cuban homemade breakfast it is, at least, something to experience. Cubans, as you will see on the first day, are not very fond of distinguishing between foods: they eat when they can, and what they feel like (or what is written on their ration card). Breakfast is, fundamentally, the first opportunity of the day for this gustatory feast , in which each dish that arrives is a celebration.
And, especially in private homes, many arrive… Guava smoothies, French toast, cheese sandwiches, scrambled eggs, fruit, toast, coffee, milk... No, it is not the menu for you to choose, it is what will be waiting for you at the table when you get up. Prepare your stomach.
Sweden meets Cuba
If you feel like going out, Havana offers you a thousand and one options, from Old Havana to Vedado passing through Miramar.
In the old Havana , The Dandy , in the Christ Square welcomes you with open arms. This place, designed by Swedes but managed by Cubans, is a tribute to all things kitsch. To enter through the door is to return to a world of vinyl and pop art , and come to a feast of eggs, fruit salad and Cuban coffee.
A local tribute to kitsch
For a relaxed morning, the patisserie The French It is a corner that invites you to let the hours pass with a coffee and a chocolate croissant . Between the Inglaterra and Telegrafo hotels, in the middle of Central Park , its situation is perfect for people-watching: among street hustlers, the people queuing for the public telephone and the incessant movement of customers who go out with cake boxes, there is no time to be bored.
Hotel England
In the mood for something quieter, but that you can't stop thinking about all day? Café de los Artistas is for you. This half-hidden place in Old Havana has everything: a good atmosphere, impeccable service and a strong menu that will leave you full well into the afternoon.
The food is one hundred percent Cuban. Do you feel like having a Moorish and Christian breakfast? (rice with beans) and a fried plantain ? Because that's what awaits you...
Another option for having breakfast outside are the traditional hotels , those who have been in Cuba for more years than Fidel. In the Vedado neighborhood, the Hotel Nacional offers breakfast to guests and outsiders alike, letting you polish the buffet or offering a la carte breakfast ranging from pancakes in the purest western style to scrambled eggs with cheese and rice.
Do not miss the rice and the banana
Without leaving the neighborhood, the G-spot restaurant serves what beyond the seas we know as “brunch” : fried eggs with bacon, ham, chorizo, tuna sandwiches , all washed down with natural juices and a good cup of Cuban coffee… If you arrive early, sit on the terrace and enjoy the view as well as the homemade lemonade.
If you are still suffering from jet lag, the El Grill restaurant at the Occidental Hotel, in Miramar, will welcome you at any time of the day or night. The menu is simple but effective, between Western and Cuban dishes, but the views over the Caribbean Sea make up for the accumulated sleep.
If you couldn't wait for sunset to walk along the Malecón, make a stop at the corner with Paseo de Marti to have breakfast in Meadow No. 12 . This restaurant, like many parts of Havana, hit the pause button in the '50s and woke up without a single gray hair.
The queen of the meadow is the tortilla , which will make it as you ask, be it with four eggs or with ham and peppers or accompanied by fried plantain. A good cup of Cuban coffee, strong and sweet , and back to the Malecon. The Cuban capital does not mind waiting, but soon it will be you who does not want to miss a moment: the hours of the day do not come to savor the splendor of Havana.
Fruit is the street must
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And in the street, any churrería will be waiting for you