Page 267 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

WHERE T O EA T AND DRINK  265

Paying
In many restaurants and
paladares, expect to pay in cash
with convertible pesos. Only the
better restaurants and hotels
accept credit cards. At markets
or on the road you can pay in
Cuban pesos, although
convertible pesos would also be
accepted (change may be given
in Cuban pesos). Restaurant bills
may include a service charge.
When to Eat
Beautiful location at the Castillo del Morro outside Santiago de Cuba (p275)
Desayuno (breakfast) is served
you intend to eat in or out. Along the major roads and on from 6 to 9am at most hotels.
In general, the standards of the motorways you will find the Lunch is served from noon to
cleanliness in authorized private equivalent of small motorway 1:30pm, but many restaurants
homes are good. The quality of cafés selling soft drinks, beer, and paladares have adapted to
the food varies quite a lot: you fruit juice, pizza, ice cream and, tourists’ needs and serve food
may be lucky and eat extremely some times, sandwiches. well into the afternoon.
well, feasting perhaps on fresh The best ice cream is sold at Dinner is eaten from 7 to
lobster or prawns. the Coppelia parlours, which 9pm. Do not expect to find a
are found in many Cuban cities restaurant willing to serve you
(the one in Havana is an a meal after 11pm, except
Snacks and Fast Food institution, see p102). They are perhaps in Havana.
All kinds of snacks are widely highly popular so be prepared
available in Cuba. Virtually all to wait in a queue.
cafeterías, inside and outside Lastly, you can buy food Recommended
Restaurants
hotels, sell the classic Cuban along the road from people
sandwich with cheese and ham. who run small stalls in front The restaurants listed in this
Another popular choice is a hot of their homes. Papas rellenas guide are among the best in
dog with mustard, ketchup and (potato balls stuffed with Cuba, from simple paladares to
chips, to eat in or take away. meat), croquettes, home- decadent fine dining establish-
There is also an American- made pizzas, cakes, coconut ments. Whether you are looking
style fast food chain, El Rápido. sweets, peanut brittle and for authentic comida criolla, fresh
While it’s the antithesis of the biscuits are some of the seafood or a range of international
fine dining, for a few convertible filling and tasty Cuban options, the following pages offer
pesos you can buy fried chicken snacks on offer. lots of choice.
with a side dish of papas fritas The same foods can be found Where a restaurant is in some
(chips), beer or refresco (soft drink). on sale in the fruit and vege- way exceptional – perhaps for
These places also offer perros table markets (agromercados). its setting, the quality of the food
calientes (hot dogs), hamburguesas How ever, standards of hygiene or its good-value menus – it has
(hamburgers), pizza and ice cream. may vary considerably. been highlighted as DK Choice.

Terrace seating at Waco’s Club in Varadero (p274)

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