El Floridita

Address: Montserrate esq. Obispo , Havana, Cuba
Tel: +53 (7) 867 1299
Website: view El Floridita’s website
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barfloriditahavana/
Door: Open door
Style: Cocktail bar
Food: Set menu

Known as the favoured bar of Ernest Hemmingway and the birthplace of the frozen Daiquiri, El Floridita in Havana opened in 1817 and hasn't changed since, offering classic Cuban cocktails and food.

Review

Is this the real Floridita? The tell-tale neon sign that normally marks the spot has, unfortunately, blown down in the wind and no one has replaced it on our visit, though actually there are plenty of other signs that attest to its status, and step through the door and you'll be under no illusion that this is the 'cradle' of the Daiquiri - after all, it says so in huge letters in English and Spanish behind the bar, and there's a statue of a cheeky-looking Hemingway leaning on the bar that you can pose with.

There is a bar menu, but you won't be offered it unless you ask - it contains two pages of Daiquiris and two pages of 'Cuban' drinks and classic cocktails too, but - surprise! - most people simply want Daiquiris. The red-uniformed bartenders constantly make them - be warned the default serve is blended, and there are three blenders whirring at any one point, each capable of serving six drinks. If you don't speak Spanish, say clearly that you want a classic Daiquiri, and use words like 'shaken' or 'natural', as 'straight up' didn't get us far on our first visit - when successful this produces a far superior drink. We also had a decent Mulata too though a Bloody Mary was crudely cobbled together.

It's relatively expensive, as you'd expect from somewhere on the tourist trail, but not excessively so. The bar room and restaurant is still elegant, with portraiture and old photos on the walls, fancy art nouveau light fittings, and rich red curtains to match the colour scheme.