Set a bit off the main drag of Calle Ocho, Café La Trova is the historic Cuban neighborhood’s modern heartbeat. Without feeling like a tourist trap, this spot channels the romance of Havana’s golden age with nostalgic decor, nightly live music and menus that honor and expand on Cuban classics.
The vibe: The dining room typically buzzes with large groups, while the front bar area fills up with cocktail aficionados and couples twirling on the small dancefloor.
The food: James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein plays into the cuisine’s comforting flavors, serving bold and hearty dishes with inventive twists: Spanish-inspired croquetas stuffed with jamón serrano and fig jam, empanadas with hand-cut steak and caramelized onions, vaca frita sliders with sour orange aioli and papitas, and even a vegan ropa vieja made with warm spiced mushrooms and served with arroz y frijoles negros, tostones and avocado cream.
The drink: There’s a reason Café La Trova, a restaurant, consistently ranks on the annual World’s 50 Best Bars list. Legendary cantinero Julio Cabrera takes you on a cocktail journey from pre-Revolutionary Cuba to today, exemplifying the Old Havana art of cocktail-making. Order a Toasted Coconut Negroni, made smooth and lightly sweet with toasted coconut fat-washed Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, Campari and Lo-Fi Sweet Vermouth. Or keep it simple with an icy-cold, perfectly balanced Daiquiri Clásico.
Time Out tip: The live band plays from 7pm Monday through Thursday, 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday, and 6:30pm on Sundays. After the band packs up their instruments, head back to La Trova’s 80s-themed 305 Bar, where DJs spin from midnight to 2am on Friday and Saturday.