Eating at a casa particular in Havana: what we cook at home

Who cooks in the house

We cook together as a team at the house. Everyone has their style and their dishes, and that shows at the table: it can range from a classic Cuban dish to something fusion or a paella.

It's not a restaurant and there's no fixed menu. It's an occasional house service for guests and their guests, prepared by request and with at least 24 hours' notice. You can eat where you prefer: on the patio or the roof terrace of the house, or comfortably in your apartment. And if you prefer to cook yourself, apartments have kitchens.

Traditional Cuban home cooking

Traditional Cuban food has a fixed place in our kitchen. It's the purest cuisine here, home cooking, without frills or reinterpretations.

A dish like the one in the photo has shredded beef, rice with black beans, yuca and a good piece of avocado: simple and a timeless classic.

Charcoal grilled and seafood when available

Sometimes we fire up the charcoal grill we have at the house. On the grill go meats, fish and vegetables too.

Seafood is another story. We go out looking for the best we can find and offer it when available, but it's not always there and we can't promise it.

When it comes in, it can become chargrilled lobster, crab claws with lime and a buttery garlic sauce with a spicy kick for dipping, or a Valencian paella, which a Valencian in the house makes.

Burgers, vegetarian cooking and designer dishes

For a more casual evening we make burgers and sandwiches, with fries we're proud of.

In vegetarian cooking there's quite a variety: grilled vegetables, salads like one with radishes, leaves and a drizzle of oil, and whatever you ask for if you give us time.

We also make more modern, designer and fusion dishes, like ceviche, tuna tartare with avocado or fish carpaccio.

This is just a sample of what comes out of our kitchen; the menu changes with what we find and who's cooking that day. And if you're still planning your trip, in the Havana Guide we share what we know about the neighborhood.