El Cafe

Havana does not really have a cafe culture the way we are used to it in Europe.  Drinking coffee in Havana traditionally means grabbing a quick cup in passing from a woman selling from the door way of her home. Maybe this is why Havana still only have a handful of cafes of the type where you will want to drop by for breakfast, sit reading the paper or meet up meet with friends.  El Cafe is one of these, and maybe the best one at that. 

The coffee is superb, the sandwiches scrumptious because of the lovely bread. For me El Cafe is kind of a guilty pleasure. Because I do ask myself if it is too European? Do we need this kind of place in Havana? Do we need everywhere in the world to be the same? So if you are in Havana for just a week I would say join the locals bying from the the lady selling from the doorway.  If you like me,  spend long stretches of time in Havana, this place feels like a welcome oasis.