Cuba is known for its street food, which is delicious and extremely low cost. It’s perfect for quick snacks and represents a true national dining experience. In Havana, especially, foods from street vendors are popular with locals. Some of the best are listed below.
- Hamburguesa de Cerdo
This ground-pork patty is cooked on a griddle and placed on a soft roll with lettuce and tomato. Locals eat the burger with a pineapple ring on top, or with cream cheese and strawberry marmalade. It is often accompanied with a watermelon juice beverage.
- Coconut Pie
With this dish, very sweet shredded coconut is baked into a pie crust. The dish is often sold by vendors on bicycles. Local residents generally eat the pie with some “50-50 coffee.” This refers to a drink comprised of half coffee and half sugar.
- Guava Milkshake
This milkshake, called “Batidos de Guayaba,” features fresh, peeled guava that is blended with milk and sugar and served very cold. It must be consumed quickly before it gets warm, to be properly enjoyed.
- Goat Platter
The Fricasse de Carnero offers stewed chunks of tender goat meat that is served with white rice and black beans, along with a simple salad and yucca. A popular take-out food, it is often eaten with slices of pickle.
5 Churros
Cubans have become increasingly fond of churros in the past few years, as evidenced by a growing demand for churro-making equipment , as well as an increase of street vendors looking to meet the demand. The fragrance of the donut-like strips, which are extruded like cake frosting through a star-shaped nozzle and then deep-fried, permeates much of old Havana.
