Beirut Shawarma | World Jewish Travel

Jibaro's

Jibaro's is an authentic Cuban restaurant located in a restored colonial mansion on the outskirts of Old Havana’s oldest quarter. They are known for their mocktails (unusual nonalcoholic cocktails), and local dishes that take a modern twist. Be sure to try their stuffed tostones (fried plantain), Cuban chicken, ropa vieja (shredded beef) and black-bean cream! The restaurant offers both vegan and vegetarian options.

Restaurants

La Guarida

Welcome to La Guarida, an opportunity to travel in time in a place that respects tradition but also bets on the future. An authentic space for those interested in getting to know the real Cuba and immersing themselves in our culture, customs, and way of doing things. Everything started with a movie. Strawberries and Chocolate, the first, and as of now only, Cuban film nominated for an Oscar (in 1994), motivated many travelers to come to Cuba to experience the reality behind the fiction. They came with the idea of experiencing the places they’d seen in the film and to enjoy the Cuba that seduced its protagonists. The film’s directors Tomas Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio had decided to use our home as La Guarida de Diego, or The Den of Diego, the protagonist of the movie who sent the world a message against intolerance. In 1996, after the filming of this famous movie, we decided to take on the adventure of transforming our home into what the world knows today as Paladar La Guarida.

Restaurants

Carniceria

Carniceria is the only kosher butcher shop in the city and is located in the Old Havana district on Acosta Street. The shop is privately owned by Abraham Berezniak and has been open for nearly 70 years. It provides kosher beef to the country's Jewish community, but non-Jewish residents as well. A privately owned store is somewhat rare these days because after Castro’s 1959 Revolution, most private businesses were nationalized. Some of the locals believe that the government allowed the butcher shop to remain open to avoid claims of anti-Semitism. Eating meat in Cuba is not trivial. Cows are the property of the state, and Cubans go as far as to say it’s a far worse crime to be caught slaughtering a cow than a person. The shop is managed by Adath Israel, the city's Orthodox synagogue, and the synagogue's cantor is the only shohet in the city.

Other Recommended Jewish Style Restaurants

Jibaro's

La Guarida

Carniceria