Best Cuban food near me: Bristol, UK
Bristolians already enjoy a variety of delicious cuisines in their city but, did you know that you can find traditional Cuban food in Bristol? There are not one, but four authentic Cuban food businesses doing their bit to showcase Cuban dishes and culinary traditions in the city of Bristol, England.
Whether your Cuban food cravings brought you to this article, or you simply want to know more about Latin and Caribbean cuisine in the UK, follow up for these four venues and pop-ups in Bristol. Take your pick and visit them if you can. There are not many proper Cuban restaurants in the UK so feel lucky if you are in Bristol right now or planning to visit.
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Jump to each venue or pop-up:
Café Cuba (Restaurant & Bar)
Location: 69 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QP
Possibly the oldest family-run Cuban restaurant in Bristol and the UK still in operation. Opened a few years ago by business partners David and Osvaldo, the second being from the Morales family that also operates Morales Café.
Café Cuba is full of Cuban dishes to the purest home cooking style of the island. Unpretentious cocktails, simply but tastefully mixed can be enjoyed as well. Their “Classic Mojito” is by far the most popular, vibrant and colourful, as it should be the aim of dozens of “Cuban bars” that offer anything but a proper mojito, one of Cuba’s greatest inventions.
Classic Cuban plates like Ropa Vieja, Pollo al Ajillo, Garbanzos (chickpea stew) and the usual sides (yuca con mojo, tostones, maduros fritos aka fried sweet plantains) are part of the extensive menu which has hardly changed since they opened. Different customers and reviews also praise the good variety of vegetarian dishes in the menu. And Stokes Croft seems to like it, as seen in dozens of videos of a fully booked Café Cuba in the social media accounts of the restaurant. Expect nothing fancy, but tasty Cuban food, hospitality and a very peculiar decoration.
La Cubana Cuban Food (pop-up events)
Location: Pop-up locations near Easton, Bristol
Indira is the chef, singer, songwriter, band leader and dancer behind La Cubana Cuban Food. She wears many hats, and she balances her musical career with her pop-ups of Cuban cuisine inspired by her grandma’s cooking. Try to catch up with her at seasonal appearances at Cafe 5 in Easton, a place that usually hosts different members of Bristol’s international food scene.
Some of La Cubana highlights are the tamales wrapped in banana leaves, with juicy chicken fricassee included, the oven baked sweet plantains and the outstanding moros y cristianos, the beloved Cuban rice dish. She also cooks Colombian dishes like arepas with cheese and pan de queso.
Indira’s food was so popular within the Bristol community that she was once affiliated and highly rated at “All About The Cooks”, a local online platform that allowed home cooks to sell their dishes from home. The platform ceased operating but La Cubana pop-ups still happens every once in a while so make sure you attend one when in Bristol. Food, vibes and Cuban warmth and rhythms will be guaranteed.
Morales Latin Cafe (Restaurant & Bar)
Location: 192 Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5RB
Morales Cafe is the newest addition to Bristol’s Cuban food scene. The cafe has an open kitchen, where owners, sisters Omara and Ana prepare Cuban and Latin dishes. Both of them are part of the Morales family, owners of the well loved Cafe Cuba, one of the most lively and authentic Cuban traditional eateries in Bristol and all the UK (fully described by The Bristol Sauce article).
The place is small, but the offers aren’t. You can experience many dishes for either breakfast, lunch and dinner. Expect classic dishes like tostones, roast pork, yuca frita, empanadas and flan. They also offer lots of South and Central American staples from Colombia, Venezuela, El Salvador and other countries. Think Bandeja Paisa, buñuelos, arepas and pupusas.
On Sundays, they organise special party events, full of substantial meals, cocktails and music. Mojitos and Piña Coladas fly on the weekends, as well as Latin beers and big roasts Latin style. The sisters also own a market with groceries from all over Latin America (Morales Latin Market). This one is located a handy few metres across the road from Cafe Cuba.
The Cuban Chef
Alain is The Cuban Chef in Bristol. With such a bold name, you may wonder how good his food is. And it’s totally justified, since his delicious and visually appealing cuisine stands out. You can order his food from his own website as individual portions or as meal prep portions for the week*.
Previously, Alain worked for a few restaurants including his own concept called “Orozú”, Bristol’s first Cuban cafe. After boasting popularity among locals, the venue sadly closed down. But The Cuban Chef never stopped cooking traditional and contemporary cuisine. Some of his specialities are “prawn pasta”, “boiled yuca with vinegar mojo” and “Salmon Latino with malanga puree and chorizo crumble”. The Cuban Chef also hosts cooking classes and pop-ups. His second but equally important passion is being a Cuban rhythms and salsa instructor at Cubatone.
*I decided not to link to the ordering website since it seems to be down. I will soon update this with new information.
This list is organised in alphabetical order and it comprises the Cuban businesses that I visited while in Bristol. I did it so people craving real Cuban food can go and support these venues/pop-ups.
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