Baracoa Restaurants and Dining

(Baracoa, Guantánamo, Cuba)

Whether you eat out at the rather more upscale restaurants in Baracoa's resorts and hotels, choose a local eatery because it is full of local people, eat from a street stall, or are staying in a 'casa particulare' with meals included, you will love the cuisine and dining scene here. Many recipes and culinary traditions in Baracoa are unique to this remote area, and all are delicious, freshly made and rely entirely on seasonal local produce. If it is not growing here, it is not on the menu.

The best restaurants for a splurge or special occasion are the two located in the forts along the old city's fortifications, while a good selection of bars and dining options can be found in the downtown area of Baracoa. This sleepy little city wakes up in no uncertain manner when the sun goes down, and enjoys a surprisingly lively nightlife until the not-so-early hours of the morning.

What to Eat, and Where

Baracoa's cuisine owes much to its ethnic Indian past, with many strange-sounding dishes harking back to pre-Columbian times.

The region's agricultural products contribute widely to its recipes and restaurant dishes, with bananas, cacao and coconuts found in different guises on all dining menus. The delicious 'el bacan' is popular, created from grated green bananas mixed with a sauce and stuffed with crab, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled.

The tiny, totally regional 'teti' fish appears fried in omelettes, cooked in coconut milk or dried as a peasant dish. Also popular in local restaurants is 'el calalu', which has tender cabbage leaves, grated coconut, seasonings and spices, all cooked in coconut milk.

Chorrote is the thick, delicious and, some say, addictive local hot chocolate drink. Strangely, one of the most popular fast foods in Baracoa is pizza, available from street vendors and local eateries at a very cheap price. Another don't miss street food is 'cucurucho', a mix of grated coconut, fresh fruit and sugar wrapped in a palm-leaf cone.