Restaurants

It's been said before, and it's worth repeating: Do not come to Cuba for fine dining. In addition to mediocre food and service, overcharging is attempted with disheartening frequency, including at many of Havana's best and most popular restaurants.

Paladares (private restaurants) are common in Havana. They are officially limited to no more than 12 seats, and cannot serve lobster or shrimp. While as a whole they tend to lack stability and suffer the whims of governmental intervention, quite a few have established themselves as some of the better, long-standing restaurant options in Havana. In fact, the best of these often outshine most of the official government-run options.

Aside from the restaurants listed here, fast-food chains are starting to pop up around Havana. The most prominent of these is El Rápido, which has numerous outlets serving fried chicken, burgers, hot dogs, microwave pizzas, and other fast-food staples. Another chain worth mentioning is Pizza Nova, Calle 17 and Calle 10, Vedado (tel. 7/55-1339), which also has outlets in Marina Hemingway and several provincial cities. This place has good thin-crust pizza and respectable pastas. Finally, for breakfast or a quick bite, look out for Pain de Paris storefronts, featuring a wide range of fresh-baked breads, croissants, and pastries, as well as simple sandwiches.

La Habana Vieja

In addition to the places mentioned below, budget travelers swear by the Restaurante Hanoi, Calles Teniente Rey and Oficios (tel. 7/867-1029), although I was rather disappointed to find virtually no Vietnamese influence on the decidedly mediocre criolla and Chinese cuisine here.

Centro Habana

I am decidedly unimpressed with the Asian food available in Cuba. This goes for the handful of Chinese restaurants in Havana's little Chinatown, too. However, if you do venture to the block-long Cuchillo de Zanja, or just crave a change from criolla cooking, your best bets are Restaurante Pacífico, Cuchillo de Zanja and Calle San Nicolás (tel. 7/863-3243), and Restaurante Tien-Tan, Cuchillo de Zanja 17 (tel. 7/861-5478).

Vedado & The Plaza de la Revolucion Area

In addition to the places listed here, you might try Sierra Maestra (tel. 7/55-4011), which serves nouvelle Cuban cuisine in an elegant setting on the 25th floor of the Tryp Habana Libre hotel.

Moderate -- If you can't get a table at La Cocina de Lilliam , La Esperanza, Calle 16 no. 105 between Avenidas 1 and 3 (tel. 7/202-4361), is another excellent paladar set up in an old sprawling home in Miramar.