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Havana's restaurants serve a variety of
cuisine for all tastes and budgets. Most
restaurants feature International Cuisine,
Caribbean seafood, red meat and Creole dishes.
However, many are high priced and geared
toward the tourist trade. After you have
lived in Cuba for a while you will discover
many eateries on you own.
Two types of restaurants exist in Cuba.
Government operated establishments and private
restaurants often in converted homes called
paladares.
Good restaurants can be found in the majority
of hotels. Try either El Barracón
or La Sierra Maestra restaurant-with
its spectacular view- in the Havana Libre
Hotel. The Hostal Valencia hotel
serves Spanish food. Comedor del Hotel
Comodoro specializes in rice dishes.
El Barracón in the Hotel Havana Libre
is one of the city's finest restaurants.
La Bodeguita del Medio near the
Cathedral, and La Cecilia, in the
Miramar district, feature typical Cuban
food. El Floridita, on the corner
of Obispo and Monserrate in Old Havana,
was a favorite of Hemingway as we mentioned.
It is also famous for its seafood dishes
like lobster. Besides its drinks, Papa's
Restaurant, at the Hemingway Marina,
specializes in seafood dishes guaranteed
to satiate your pallet. El Pavo Real
(peacock), in Miramar, has the reputation
of being Havana's best Chinese Restaurant.
Tocororo is one of the most famous
restaurants in Miramar and known for its
shrimp and creole dishes. The Roof Garden
Restaurant a top the Hotel Sevilla is
considered one of Havana's best. La Paella,
in the Hostal Valencia, offers excellent
Spanish food.
Barrio Chino in Central Havana has
a number of restaurants serving oriental
cuisine.
There are several restaurants which serve
different international dishes. El Patio,
in Old Havana on the Plaza de la Catedral,
is worth trying. It is open 24 hours and
its prices for some dishes are high. Las
Ruinas, in Lenin Park, is considered
Havana's most exclusive restaurant. It is
set in the ruins of an old sugar mill and
the ambience is special. The 1830 Restaurant,
in Miramar, also specializes in international
dishes. It is set in an elegant bay side
mansion on the sea-side Malecón.
El Cochinito (The Little Pig), on
Calle 23, has criollo food. La
Torre, at the top of the Focsa building,
serves French cuisine and offers a breath-taking,
panoramic view of the city and bay.
There are restaurants located in other
parts of the country in major resorts, but
one deserves special mention because of
its setting. El Castillo de las Nubes
located in the town of Soroa in Pinar del
Río Province is definitely worth visiting.
It is located on the top of a hill and offers
a spectacular panoramic view of the countryside.
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