Divina Pastora (La)

It is situated next to the cannons battery of the Morro Castle. From the tables, you can see a great view of the city. The terrace is nicer than the interior. The food is good, but not always. Wine offer acceptable.

• Address: Gran Parque Historico Morro Cabaña. La Habana Tel: (7) 8608341

Decameron

• Address: Linea y Paseo, HabanaVedado

D'Giovanni

Although this establishment only opened in 1988, it has already earned itself a reputation among lovers of Italian cuisine. It is situated in an old colonial building with large entrance doors, a beautiful central courtyard, and passageways with wooden balustrades; there is also a tiled mural that occupies an entire wall beside the main entrance.
	From the first floor dining room there is a good view of the bay entrance, especially from the tables placed out on the balcony; the dining areas on the ground floor occupy the central courtyard and passageways.

There is even a fish tank containing live lobsters where customers can take their pick. Decoration is basically the wooden-roofed and ornamented building itself, although on the first floor there is some colonial furnishings, tables with sculptures, mirrors, paintings, and an old lamp right in the centre; the ground floor follows a more naturalistic theme. As far as food and drink are concerned, the restaurant offers a wide variety of pizzas, spaghetti dishes, lasagne and red meats, which can be washed down by either wine, beer, cocktails or spirits.

• Address: Tacón 4, esquina Empedrado La Habana Vieja La Habana 10100 Tel: +53 7 335979
• Open: Midday-midnight daily

Diluvio (El)

• Address:Playa - about 72 entre 17 y 19

Divina Pastora (La)

This place has a wonderful setting, just behind a battery of big cannons below the Fortaleza la Cabaña, near the water and overlooking Habana Vieja. However, you'll be paying extra for the setting, and most of the seating is indoors, with no view of the city. The food here, while acceptable, does nothing to justify the prices. You might as well order the lobster, as it's the only thing that costs more or less what you'd pay for it anywhere else--and you know they're fresh, since you get to pick your dinner from a large tank of live ones. If you're not especially hungry, check out the El Mirador bar next door, which has better views from its outdoor tables, and a small, simple menu of sandwiches and light meals.

• Address: Parque Histórico Morro y Cabaña, Carretera de La Cabaña, Habana Del Este & Playas Del Este Tel: 7/860-9990
• Open: Daily noon-11pm

Doctor Cafe Habana

• Address: Calle 28 No.111 e/ 1ra. y 3ra. Miramar

Dominica (La)

This is probably the best Italian restaurant in town. Skip the formal and stuffy seating inside and grab one of the outdoor tables under a canvas umbrella on the old brick streets. If the band were playing "O Sole Mia" instead of "Guantanamera," you might almost forget you're in Havana and think you were dining at a sidewalk trattoria in Rome.
	The pastas are cooked al dente and served in big portions. My favorite is the penne alla pulcinella, which comes in a tomato cream sauce seasoned with anchovies and caviar.

For main dishes I'd recommend the saltimbocca alla Romana or the veal alla pizzaiola. Finish everything off with some cassata sicilliana and an espresso.

• Address: Calle O'Reilly, esquina a Mercaderes Tel: 7/66-2918
• Open: Daily noon-midnight

Doña Almira

• Address: Formento #399, esq. a 1ra, Palatino, Cerro Tel: 41-9859

Doña Blanquita

• Address: Paseo de Martí (Prado) #158 (primero piso), entre Colón y Refugio

Doña Carmela

Between the plants and tropical trees of this gracious house placed near the El Morro and La Cabaña castles you can enjoy a wonderful dinner.
	The atmosphere always relaxing is very well achieved. The portios are generous; we outstand the roast pork, which is served with yuca, avocado salad, tomato salad, white rice, stew of beans and aubergine. It is not easy to find a table so you must call Maceo or Beatriz before, the nice owners.

• Address: Comunidad #1, Casa 10, Habana del Este, 863-6048, Maceo y Beatriz Tel: ( 7) 8636048

Doña Isabel

The two main appealing factors about this eatery are its location, right opposite the bay, and the popular Cuban band that normally performs here. Located outdoors, there are a good number of tables surrounded by plant boxes under two wide canopies to keep off the sun. The grill is at the back of the establishment and all dishes are freshly prepared as soon as an order is placed, with an average wait of around 20 minutes. Pork and chicken plus garnish are regular components of the menu, alongside a selection of beers, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks. A normally crowded place, the ambience is informal and festive.

• Address: Empedrado, esquina Tacón La Habana Vieja La Habana 10100 Tel: +53 7 57 1035 ; +53 7 33 8697
• Open: 24 hours daily

Doña Nieves

• Address: Calle19 #812 E/ 2 y 4Habana Vedado

Doñas (Las)

Along with an assortment of takeaway meals, this establishment also offers family-size pizzas with toppings of cheese, onions, ham and chorizo sausage, among others, also available by the slice. Although closed in the afternoon, orders can be placed for collection in the evening. As with other establishments of this type, you would not make plans to eat here, but if you are in the area and want to feast at a reasonable price, it is as good a place as any. There are no tables to sit at, but the surrounding trees offer a refreshing shade. Also on the menu are a selection of sandwiches and home-made desserts, pork steak and garnish for 20 pesos (CUC 1), hot dogs and soft drinks.

• Address: Calle 10 No. 525 entre 23 y 21 Vedado La Habana
• Open: 8am-6pm daily

Don Giovanni

• Address: Calle Tacón #4, entre Empedrado y O'Reilly

Don Cangrejo

This oceanfront restaurant is one of the better and most dependable options for seafood in Havana. The place is actually run by the Ministry of Fisheries and not one of the tourist restaurant chains, so the fish is fresh and generally well prepared. Avoid the CUC 20 crab appetizer plate. The menu is extensive, but your best bet is to stick to a piece of simply prepared fresh snapper or grouper.
	If you want something heavier, they do a lot of cheese and gratin sauces, often with shrimp, crab, or lobster thrown in. Weather permitting, the best seats are outdoors on the open-air patio right beside the water, and around the moat-like little courtyard pool.

The indoor seating is semi-formal and heavily air-conditioned. If you're going to dine indoors, try to snag one of the second-floor window tables just off the little bar. The place has decent and reasonably priced wine list and a knowledgeable sommelier.

• Address: Calle 1ra, e/ 16 y 18, Habana Miramar Tel: (7) 2044169
• Open: Daily noon-midnight

Don Lorenzo

• Address: Calle Acosta #260, entre Habana y Compostela

Dos Gardenias

This is the ideal place for all lovers of the bolero, the musical style first made popular in Latin America in the 1940s, and which is now experiencing something of a come-back, particularly in Europe. This is due mainly to the success of the group "Buena Vista Social Club ", who have certainly been given a helping hand by the documentary film of the same name.
	So at this venue, visitors have the chance to enjoy the rhythmic and romantic sounds played by traditional bolero bands. At midnight the "jam" session begins in the Salón del Bolero or Bolero Room, which is when the audience can sing along with the musicians.

Other options include the Bar La Tarde, which offers daily presentations by singers and Cuban bands, or a visit to one of the three restaurants that specialise in Chinese, Italian and local cuisine respectively. And if that was not enough, there is also La Casa del Tobaco (The House of Tobacco) and a shop open to the public.

• Address: Avenida 7 esquina Calle 26 Miramar La Habana 11300 Tel: +53 7 242353
• Open: 24 hours daily

Ecochef

One of the first restaurants in town offering ecological food – very much “en vogue” nowadays; it is also the best and the most expensive one of its kind. After the first month of exuberance its success lowed down a bit but its vegetarian food, fruits and juices deserve an excellent. The restaurant occupies a space that was once very well known for being the disco of the Comodoro Hotel.

• Address: Hotel Comodoro, Playa. La Habana.

Escorpion (El)

• Address: Calle 17, e/ E y M, Habana Vedado

Esperanza (La)

By Cuban standards this is an expensive restaurant, nevertheless, it is still very popular, and the food here is famed throughout the island. The establishment belongs to a member of the family that owns the Polar brewery (who resisted abandoning Cuba following the revolution in 1959), and the house itself is full of relics of the past, including photographs, portraits and antiques.

On the menu you will find a good selection of local cuisine, fruit juice, cocktails and beer, along with some delicious options for vegetarians. Tables need to be booked in advance, and the place is closed on Thursday.

• Address: Calle 16 #105, entre 1ra y 3ra Miramar Tel: +53 7 224361
• Open: Midday-4pm, 7pm-11.30pm (Closed on Thursday)

Farallon (El)

• Address: Calle 23 y 24, Habana Vedado

Ferminia (La)

La Ferminia is one of the best Cuban restaurants in town. It is also among the best places to sample the local Creole cuisine. It is located in the exclusive area of Miramar, in a beautiful mansion with numerous individual rooms, each one of them with a capacity to accommodate between 20 and 30 people.
	The service is excellent and the establishment offers courses in gourmet cooking as well. The menu is exquisite and varied with sea food and local flavors. The dishes are carefully prepared on a barbecue or in the oven, and are accompanied by delicious salads and Cuban delicacies such as Congrí.

• Address: Avenida 5 Nº 8807 entre 182 y 184 Miramar La Habana 11300 Tel: +53 7 246555
• Open: Noon-midnight Wed-Sun

Finca (La)

Touted as one of the finest restaurants in Havana and the favorite haunt of Gabriel García Márquez, this elegant little place, run by one of the country's few "celebrity chefs," is a let-down. While the setting is gorgeous, the food is pedestrian and uninspired.
	The chef, Erasmo, earned his fame at El Tocororo before setting up shop here. The menu and ambience of the two restaurants are actually quite similar, down to the Tiffany lamps, signed pieces of wine crates, and plentiful hanging ferns.

Definitely grab a seat on the back patio under the high Plexiglas roof, with ornamental wrought-iron work and wrought-iron tables and chairs.The pechitos de camaron, deep-fried shrimp shells, are a good opener. The safest bets are the straightforward steak and lobster dishes. Avoid the fried lobster with sweet-and-sour sauce. And watch out for extra and hidden charges here, including the CUC 3 baskets of hard bread that are delivered without you asking. Rancho Palco is a slightly more moderately priced restaurant next door that caters to groups and mass tourism.

• Address: Avenida 19 and Calle 140, Playa Tel: 7/240-9346, 7/823-5838
• Open: Mon-Sat noon-midnight

Finca Guanabito

“Finca” rustica , very close to “Mi Hacienda” Ranch, located about 20 km away from Havana. Ideal to enjoy a day in the country side and a good Cuban lunch. If you have enough time, try to order the criollisimo dish called “puerco a la púa” (porc!).
	The place provides a swimming pool, a Country-Bar and occasionally some additional entertainments like the polemic cock-fight. We don’t recommend spontaneous visits! Sometimes the Finca opens only at previous notice.

• Address: Carretera de Jústiz Km. 2,5, Campo Florido. La Habana. Tel: (7) 964610

• Address: China Town

Floridita (La)

This is by far the classiest of the many Hemingway hangouts in Habana. In fact, El Floridita is so upscale, I have a hard time imagining the rugged writer really enjoying this place. It'll cost you CUC 6 for a daiquiri in "The Cradle of the Daiquiri"--be sure to get it shaken, not blended.
	The bartenders' deep red jackets blend perfectly with the plush decor. The long bar takes up a good portion of the front room. There's quieter and more formal seating in the back, although even if you land a table just off the bar, this place is never rowdy.

The food here is acceptable but can't justify the hefty price tags. If you do stick around for a meal, stick to the seafood. The sautéed shrimp, which is prepared tableside, is a good bet. I recommend El Floridita mostly as a cool and refreshing place to stop for a drink in the middle of a hot afternoon walking around Old Havana.

• Address: Obispo 557 esq Monserrate, Habana Vieja Tel: 7/863-1301
• Open: Daily 11am-midnight

Fontana (La)

Set in Miramar residencial area, it offers a great cuban grill. La Fontana has a garden and a nice Ranchón always full of people.

• Address: Calle 3ra A esq. a 46 No. 305, Miramar Tel: (7) 228337

Fuente (La) (Breakfast & Brunch)

Because it is slightly off the beaten track, this cafeteria, one of the most attractive in the Vedado district, never gets too crowded. It has an informal but inviting ambience, complimented by climbing plants, stone walls and a small outdoor fountain. There are plenty of sunshades, potted plants, a garden and bird cages containing numerous different species. At the entrance to the establishment there is a bar counter with stools, soft music plays in the background, and a generally sedate atmosphere abounds, ideal for those looking for a good place to talk and listen. A combination of a varied and economic menu, together with the night-time lighting, attracts numerous islanders and tourists alike. To eat and drink there is a selection of sandwiches, numerous variations on a chicken theme, hamburgers, pizzas, espresso coffee, fruit juice, cocktails, spirits, soft drinks and beer.

• Address: Calle 10 #303, e/ Avenida 3ra y 5ta, Habana Miramar
• Open: 8.30am-11.30pm daily