These 15 Cuban Restaurants In New York Serve Some Of The Most Authentic Cuban Food
New York hums with the scent of slow-roasted pork and sizzling onions, and I’m taking you straight to the good stuff. Think crisp Cubanos, tangy mojo, and rice so fluffy it practically floats off the plate.
The city’s Cuban food scene blends tradition, family recipes, and neighbourhood charm that keeps locals coming back for generations.
You’ll get my favorite New York bites, a few playful surprises, and the exact spots to find them when the craving hits. Expect rich flavours, welcoming atmospheres, and dishes that celebrate authentic Cuban cooking in all its comforting glory.
Ready to eat like you mean it?
Let’s go.
1. Victor’s Cafe
Stepping into Victor’s feels like walking into a time capsule lined with palm fronds and polished wood. The ropa vieja arrives shimmering with peppers and tomatoes, the strands of beef so tender they practically sigh.
A crackly-shelled tostone, a swipe of garlicky mojo, and suddenly Midtown melts away into old Havana.
You’ll find the dining room at 52nd Street, precisely 236 West 52nd St, New York, NY 10019, an address that has hosted legendary nights since 1963. Servers glide by with lechón that tastes like a family holiday, citrusy and confident.
Even the black beans feel composed, glossy and cumin-kissed, like they took their time becoming themselves.
Order a mojito, then let the band nudge your shoulders into a sway you did not plan on. The croquetas crackle, releasing whispers of ham and béchamel.
Save room for tres leches, because the final spoonful is the curtain call you deserve.
2. Guantanamera
If you’d prefer some music with your food, this is the place. Music tumbles out before the door even closes behind you, and suddenly everything tastes brighter.
Guantanamera leans into the heartbeat of Havana with minty mojitos that snap, crackle, and cool. Ropa vieja arrives lush and deeply braised, while maduros land caramel-sweet and comforting.
Make your way to 939 Eighth Ave, New York, NY 10019, where tables fill fast and laughter moves like a breeze. The lechón balances citrus and garlic in a way that demands your full attention.
Arroz congrí has that perfect cling, drawing beans and rice into one satisfying conversation.
Ask for the house hot sauce if you love a spark, then chase it with a puff of cigar aroma drifting from the bar’s nostalgia. The live musicians never rush, and neither should you.
Finish with flan so silky it reflects the lights like a small moon.
3. Havana Central Times Square
Right when Times Square starts to whirl, Havana Central grounds you with a warm rum glow and a plate that means business. Pressed Cubanos come hot, crisp, and generous, dripping with roast pork and pickles.
Empanadas snap at the edge, revealing savory pockets that vanish fast.
This hub sits at 151 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, a heartbeat from the marquis lights. The vaca frita crackles with citrus and pan-kissed edges that crunch lightly.
A rum list offers easy sippers and troublemakers alike, inviting a second round.
Order the classic arroz con pollo if comfort calls, then add a side of yuca with mojo for good measure. Street energy hums outside, but inside you are cocooned in brass, tile, and laughter.
Save a moment for the guava cheesecake, which lands like a soft drumroll.
4. Café Habana
Lines curl around the corner, and for good reason: that grilled corn hits like sunshine. Café Habana keeps it unpretentious and irresistible, with smoky kernels dressed in tang and spice.
The Cubano presses down to a perfect crunch, cheese stretching like a victory ribbon.
You’ll find the bustle at 17 Prince St, New York, NY 10012, where Nolita hums with easy charm. A citrus pork burrito reads casual on paper, yet tastes like a tiny parade.
Even the rice and beans arrive balanced, neither fading behind the other.
Claim a stool, watch the grill, and let the chatter become the soundtrack. If you like heat, add their house salsa slowly, then suddenly all at once.
Finish with café con leche that smooths everything over like your favorite song.
5. Coppelia
Bright colors in a New York location without blinding lights? Sign me up!
Nights stretch longer here, and Coppelia answers with comfort that never clocks out. The medianoche arrives buttery and slightly sweet, hugging roast pork and Swiss.
Ropa vieja nachos might sound playful, but they land decisive and delicious.
Count on them at 207 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011, open when cravings ignore the calendar. Coffee leans strong and tropical, the kind that wakes up your story.
Maduros roll in caramel notes, while the broth of the sancocho tastes like a rescue mission.
Sidle up to the counter if you want the full diner-theater experience. A pastelito for dessert feels inevitable, flakes scattering like confetti.
Walk out feeling restored, like someone tightened all the friendly screws.
6. Cantina Cubana
Low lights, slow braises, and that whisper of garlic drifting across the room make Cantina Cubana feel like a secret. Lechón falls apart under a nudge, its citrus fat melting into rice like a generous friend.
The beans arrive glossy and grounded, tasting of bay leaves and patience.
Tucked on a quiet stretch, the address to note is 94-67 Corona Ave, Elmhurst, NY 11373, where the dining room keeps conversation soft and warm. Yuca with mojo offers bright relief between rich bites.
The oxtail special, when it appears, feels like a little Havana postcard.
Start with croquetas and a mojito that leans herbal rather than sweet. Ask for extra lime and watch the flavors snap into focus.
Leave room for natilla, a custard that hums politely then lingers like a good story.
7. Margon
Lunch at Margon is a Midtown rite of passage, fast, loud, and gloriously saucy. The Cubano presses to a crisp seal, mustard grinning through every bite.
Pernil shines with garlicky shards that crunch like little secrets.
Head to 136 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, tucked near the office stampede. Oxtail swims in a rich gravy that wins the afternoon without breaking the bank.
Rice and beans land sturdy, the kind you lean on when the day turns heavy.
Order at the counter, smile wide, and guard your plate like a hawk. Hot sauce lives within reach, so tap lightly then go back bolder.
Grab a passion fruit juice and return to the street feeling ten feet taller.
8. Calle Dao
Fusion can feel like a gimmick, but Calle Dao makes it feel like history speaking clearly. Ropa vieja tangled with noodles tastes familiar and new, comforting and mischievous.
Cuban fried rice pops with wok breath, a smoky whisper that hooks you.
Find the Midtown outpost at 38 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018, within easy reach of Bryant Park. Wontons slip into broths that nod to both grandmothers at once.
A mojito shares the table with a lychee cocktail, and somehow they get along.
Start with the vaca frita dumplings if they are running, then chase with sticky ribs. The room glows like Havana met Shanghai for a long dinner.
Dessert might be flan, but the bite runs through sesame and citrus memories.
9. La Caridad 72
Menus here read like comfort in two languages, and the plates arrive bigger than your plans. Roast pork shares the table with wonton soup, and somehow it all sings.
The fried rice tastes like long shifts and happy sighs.
Make your way to 2199 Broadway, New York, NY 10024, sitting near 72nd Street with a loyal neighborhood following. Plantains land golden and sweet, nudging salty bites into harmony.
Soy sauce and mojo share space without arguing, and you benefit.
Ask for extra lime wedges to brighten heavier bites. Portions travel well, a bonus when a rainy night calls.
Finish with egg custard, and suddenly the city outside feels gentler.
10. Cuban Shack
Some days demand a Cubano you can eat on a park bench, and Cuban Shack gets it. Bread shatters delicately while pork, ham, and pickles lock into formation.
A smear of mustard throws its elbow in cheerfully.
Point your steps toward 90 Bushwick Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211, a no-frills nook that values flavor over fuss. Tostones arrive hot and salted, ready for a dunk in garlicky mojo.
Rice and beans keep pace, steady and generous.
Grab a chilled Malta if nostalgia calls, or a tamarind soda if you like tang. The medianoche leans softer, sweet bread hugging the savory.
Prices stay friendly, so add extra plantains and call it balance.
11. Floridita (Washington Heights)
Energy lifts the minute you step inside, like someone turned up a cheerful radio. Arroz con pollo paints the table yellow with saffron and joy.
Bistec de palomilla arrives thin, garlicky, and proud, begging for a squeeze of lime.
You’ll find it at 4162 Broadway, New York, NY 10033, where regulars greet each other like cousins. Maduros soften the corners of a long day, and black beans taste fully lived-in.
The staff moves quick, but never rushes you out.
Add an order of churros if you see them, because crisp sugar never hurts. A cold beer pairs as well as a rum cocktail here.
Walk back to the subway humming, full and a little lighter.
12. Tico’s Cuban-American Restaurant
Griddles hiss like applause at Tico’s, and the sandwiches deliver ovations. The Cubano stacks high, then melts into itself, every bite balanced and bright.
A dab of mojo wakes the pork like a friendly alarm.
Find your way to 395 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237, where the line moves quick and the coffee runs strong. Cuban espresso rides the edge between bold and sweet.
Plantain chips crunch sharply, perfect for scooping up rogue beans.
Ask for extra pickles if you love tang, then thank yourself later. Breakfast plates carry that savory diner soul with island rhythm.
Prices are kind, portions are honest, and you leave feeling properly fed.
13. Cuba Restaurant & Rum Bar (Greenwich Village)
Interesting yet simple decor can carry atmospheres at any place. Velvet lighting and bottles glinting like jewels set the mood before the first bite.
Lechón asado brings crisp edges and citrus perfume, the kind that pauses conversation. Ceviche refreshes with bright lime and a respectful snap of onion.
Slip into the scene at 222 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012, a Village corner that feels timeless. A mojito whispers mint rather than shouting, beautifully balanced.
Moros y cristianos arrive assured and deeply seasoned.
Save space for the guava bread pudding, which tastes like a postcard sealed with sugar. If there’s live percussion, you will tap a foot without noticing.
Walk out to the Village night air feeling gently dazzled.
14. Amor Cubano
Amor, amor – true love. Joy spills from the doorway at Amor Cubano, where dinner feels like a party you accidentally dressed perfectly for.
Vaca frita crackles with citrus, edges crisp, center juicy. Tostones sweep up garlic sauce like they were born for it.
Set your GPS to 2018 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10029, right in East Harlem’s lively stretch. The dining room glows with mambo-era romance, and the band keeps spirits lifted.
Black bean soup tastes slow-simmered and patient.
Order a daiquiri if you want clean, bracing lines, or go creamy with a batido. The flan lands glossy and confident, not too sweet.
You leave humming, promising to return with more friends than seats.
15. Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine
When time is tight but flavor can’t be compromised, Sophie’s steps in like a hero with hot sauce. Pernil carries garlic freckles and a citrus wink, perfect over rice.
The Cubano gets pressed with satisfying authority and disappears quickly.
One reliable Midtown stop sits at 369 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016, among several city locations. Yuca with mojo cuts through afternoon haze like a fresh breeze.
Oxtail days feel celebratory, gravy rich enough to quiet emails.
Ask for extra onions on your bistec, then add maduros for balance. Smooth batidos sweeten the edges without turning cloying.
Walk out holding a clamshell of leftovers and a better attitude.