The 10 Best Brunch and Breakfast Spots in Havana, Cuba

One of the most popular coffeehouses in Havana, Cafe Arcangel is a perfect place to have a hearty breakfast in preparation for a day of long walks under the hot Cuban sun. The breakfast menu goes from simple options of coffee or juice and toast and eggs, to the luxury Arcangel Breakfast consisting of a fruit salad, toast, butter and jam, eggs, milk and coffee or tea. Croissants and sandwiches are also served, as well as a broad selection of hot drinks. A family business founded by a couple that owns a bed & breakfast next door, Cafe Arcangel also features excellent interior design and is located in a very accessible street in Centro Habana.

Located very near the Malecon and Paseo street in Vedado and in close proximity to the Riviera and Cohiba hotels, La Chucheria is a fast food restaurant that serves big breakfasts for a reasonable price. American and Mediterranean style breakfast are available, as well as sandwiches and the house specialty: ice cream milkshakes. A popular spot, it’s common to have to wait in line to get in.

This hipster tapas bar founded in 2014 is currently one of the most popular places in Old Havana. Located on a corner facing Plaza del Cristo, El Dandy stands out for its interior design that combines all kinds of old appliances, furniture and artworks – the kind that you’d expect to find at a senior citizen’s regular home in Old Havana. The menu includes a long list of choices for breakfast and brunch, such as eggs, baguettes, fruit salads and a great selection of Cuban coffee.

Fresh fruit and juice, light meals, sandwiches and excellent Cuban coffee make of El Cafe one of the best places to have a late breakfast (it doesn’t open until 9:00 am), or brunch in Havana. The menu at this hipsterish coffeehouse includes a few vegan and vegetarian options – which are not common in Havana – at very reasonable prices. The food is excellent and the staff is attentive and friendly.

Café del Angel Jacqueline Fumero is a great place to start the day in Old Havana with a big breakfast as early as at 7:30 am. The breakfast menu includes Continental breakfast, American breakfast, and a special option for children, as well as other egg and baguette options. Founded by fashion designer Jacqueline Fumero, the café is right next to the Angel Church and close to the Museum of the Revolution.

This modern bar-restaurant enjoys a wonderful location near the Capitol Building in Brasil Street, one of the main arteries of the old quarter in Havana. D’Next’s breakfast menu includes European, Continental and American breakfasts, as well as the house special D’Next breakfast consisting of a burger, fried eggs, bacon, toast and juice. In addition to the pleasant atmosphere created by the air conditioning – which is not as common in local restaurants as you’d expect – D’Next offers good service, all the typical Cuban cocktails and great food options.

This restaurant is a good spot to have breakfast in Old Havana. The morning hours are perfect to sit in the outdoor area, just before the hot Cuban sun is higher in the sky. The breakfast or brunch selection here includes the regular fruit salad and juices, crepes, toast, butter, eggs and excellent coffee.

From regular breakfast options such as cheese omelet to Cuban pancakes, Mamaine offers a fairly good breakfast menu, plus many other options of sandwiches and fruit salads. This bar restaurant is a lovely combination of rustic furniture and artworks by local painters and artists, with large scatter cushions on the floor and a small outdoor area. Coffee options are not as varied as in some other places, but they cover the most common preparations, including the famed super-concentrated Cuban espresso. Mamaine is within walking distance of the Havana Libre Hotel, the National Hotel and the U.S. Embassy.

5Esquinas Trattoria’s breakfast buffet for only $4.50 is one of Havana’s best breakfast options. The breakfast menu includes eggs, pastries, vegetables, fruits, juice and Cuban coffee, among other options depending on availability. Like many new small restaurants in Old Havana, 5Esquinas Trattoria has an outdoor area on the cobblestone street outside of the restaurant, which is ideal to enjoy the morning breeze in the hot Cuban summer. Located near the Museum of the Revolution and the Angel Church, it is within walking distance of most of the main attractions in Old Havana and not far from the Malecon.

Across from the Old Square – one of the main hubs of the old quarter in Havana – is this peculiar establishment where music plays a role almost as central as drinks and food. Opening at 8:30 am, La Vitrola (Victrola) is a good place to have brunch in Havana amid a wonderful collection of old radio and TV sets, records and pictures harking back to the Cuba of the 1940s or 50s.