9 Best Cafes in Havana, Cuba [Best Coffee in Havana!]

In search of the best coffee in Havana? Cuba is known for its coffee, but it hasn’t necessarily been known for having a cafe culture. Cubans buy coffee from windows facing the street sold out of people’s homes, or in bars and cafeterias, rather than lingering over a coffee.

As serious coffee lovers, we’ve tried coffee just about everywhere in Havana. These are our absolute favorite cafes in Havana, with the most delicious coffee in Havana you’ll need to power your trip. Let’s dive into the top cafes in Havana!

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Best Havana Cafés

1. El Café

El Café is my personal favorite coffee spot in Havana – it’s the perfect combination of delicious coffee and a wonderful atmosphere. Set inside a restored colonial building in the heart of Old Havana with sky-high ceilings and original patterned floor tiles, the entire shop constantly smells amazing with fresh-ground coffee.

If you’re an iced coffee fan, this is the place for you – they have the best iced coffee in Havana! – but their cappuccinos are great too.

Plus, stick around for the food, which is fantastic, too – make sure you get something with their famous sourdough bread. They also serve delicious mixed drinks for happy hour, so you might have to save time in your itinerary for a few trips here.

El Café | Amargura #358 between Aguacate and Villegas – Old Havana

2. HAV Coffee & Art

HAV Coffee & Art is one of the newer coffee shops in Havana, and it feels just a bit too cool for its own good. The cafe only used Cuban beans, roasted in Cuba, which is actually a bit harder to find than you might expect. All espresso shots come double as a standard, just one of the reasons we keep coming back.

The modern interior is stunning against the historic facade, but the coffee, pastries, and other treats are even better. True to its name, you’ll also find some incredible rotating art installations by local artists in the back rooms.

HAV Coffee & Art | Calle Jesus Maria #258 at Calle Compostela – Old Havana

3. Cafe Bohemia

One of the most beautiful cafes in the city, Cafe Bohemia is a fantastic place to escape the heat of the day. Set inside a renovated historic building in Plaza Vieja, you’ll find tables and chairs spilling into the plaza – but the best seats are in the building’s courtyard.

They have a large menu of coffee and breakfast or brunch options, and we have yet to try something on the menu that we haven’t liked!

Cafe Bohemia also shares a space with Estancia Bohemia, a small bed and breakfast with a few private apartments for rent. Equally as beautiful as the cafe downstairs, Estancia Bohemia is a great option to consider if you’re looking for where to stay in Havana.

Cafe Bohemia | Plaza Vieja – Old Havana

4. Mamaine

Mamaine is set back from the street inside an old colonial mansion in the Vedado neighborhood – make sure to look closely, as you might miss it!

Enjoy the perfect coffee and their delicious chocolate cake from the front patio to people-watch. Or on the second level inside, there are cozy pillows and throws to spread out on the loft and enjoy a drink.

Mamaine | Calle L # 206 between 15 and 17 – Vedado

5. Cafe O’Reilly

This cafe is the place to be if you’re looking for the perfect cozy, old-world coffeehouse in Havana. Café O’Reilly grinds and prepares its own beans in-house, which gives the entire cafe that irresistible coffeehouse scent – and you can purchase bags of coffee to go.

There are endless options here, including hot coffee and great iced coffees, plus spiked coffees as well. Plan to stick around for a while with a book – the ambiance is one of a kind.

Café O’Reilly | O’Reilly #203, at the corner of Calle San Ignacio – Old Havana

6. Panparapan

Located in the heart of the Vedado neighborhood, Panparapan is one of the best places in the area to hang out and escape the sun for a while with its large shaded porch and adjoining gardens. With strong coffee served in a variety of styles, it has yet to fail after a late night, and has a laidback, relaxed vibe that is perfect for mornings.

Both the food and coffee here are great – try the café bonbon for something sweet and the croquetas if you’re hungry. Or, come for happy hour and stick around for beers and their mixed drinks.

Panparapan | Calle 23 #1202, at the corner of Calle 18 – Vedado

7. Cuba Libro

Cuba Libro is much more than just Havana’s only English-language bookstore – it’s also one of the best cafes in Havana. With fantastic coffee and tea options and sweet treats on rotation, it always has something good on its rotating menu and is worth a visit. Make sure to try the hibiscus (jamaica) iced tea if they have it!

Hang out in the cafe’s shady gardens where hammocks swing next to tables and chairs, or chill inside and stay a while with a book in hand.

Cuba Libro | Calle 24, at the corner of Calle 19 – Vedado

8. Café Arcangel

Café Arcangel is a perfectly quaint and cozy cafe with exceptional service and some of the best coffee in Havana. Highlights include their iced coffee – still something you won’t find as much as you’d hope to in Havana! – and delicious affogatos.

Close to Old Havana but a few blocks from the main tourist spots, this is the place to relax and slow down in the middle of a day of sightseeing. It also has delicious sandwiches and small bites if you come with more of an appetite.

Café Arcangel | Calle Concordia #57, between Galiano & Aquila – Old Havana

9. Brasserie 255

Located in the mostly residential neighborhood of La Vibora in the 10 de Octubre area of Havana, Brasserie 255 is a hidden treat tucked within Voya Boutique Hotel that most visitors are almost sure to miss.

Brasserie 225 handily made our list of the best restaurants in Havana thanks to its incredible menu of Mediterranean and Cuban fashion dishes, but it’s also known for its great coffee, yummy pastries, and delicious breakfast classics.

The dining areas include a lovingly restored and historic interior space as well as a garden terrace overlooking the hotel’s beautiful pool. It’s a little more upscale than some of the other cafes in Havana to make this list, but it’s one of our favorite spots for brunch or a strong coffee in Havana!

Brasserie 255 | Juan Delgado #255 – La Vibora, 10 de Octubre