Ajiaco Café

Top choice in Habana del Este


There are, arguably, two reasons to come to suburban Cojímar: 1) to pursue the ghost of Ernest Hemingway and 2) to visit this farm-to-table restaurant named for a quintessential Cuban stew that headlines a menu of Cuban classics, all executed with rustic creativity.

Here you can order fried chickpeas, pork ribs in a barbecue-and-honey sauce, or a unique shredded-beef and plantain pizza. Service in the open-sided country-style restaurant is exceptional, and the smooth coffee might just be the finest in Cuba.

Best of all, Ajiaco offers cooking classes (CUC$50; 10am-1pm) that involve a visit to a nearby finca (farm) to choose ingredients, followed by time to prep, cook and eat your selected concoction back at the restaurant. Classes run daily if there are enough people.