Cuba Guide
Santiago de Cuba
State restaurants
1 Boulevard Dolores Plaza de Dolores This trio of Palmares-run restaurants comprises a vaguely upmarket restaurant complex. The Don Antonio is the best choice for good but expensive lobster amongst its comida criolla dishes; the mediocre La Perla del Dragón has a variety of Chinese dishes with a Cuban twist; and Teressina dishes up the ubiquitous spaghetti with tomato sauce and decent pizza. All three eateries are serviceable but not outstanding.
2 Cafetería La Isabelica Calvario esq. Aguilera Atmospheric little 24hr coffeeshop with wooden fittings and whirling ceiling fans offering a variety of coffees; the most popular come with a shot of rum.
3 Coppelia Ave. de los Libertadores esq. Garzón Opening time: Tues– Sun 9am–11pmFreshly made ice cream at unbeatable peso prices in an outdoor café that looks like a mini-golf course. Very popular with locals, so arrive early before the best flavours of the day sell out.
4 La Casona Melía Santiago de Cuba Ave. de las Américas y Calle M 
22/68-7070 Price: Buffet $20CUC a head, excluding drinksIf you can't face another piece of fried pork, head to the Hotel Santiago, where thin-crust pizza, fresh salads and overcooked broccoli are part of an all-you-can-eat buffet.
5 La Corona Félix Pena no.807 esq. San Carlos Excellent bakery with an indoor café serving up a wide variety of breads and sweets, as well as pastries filled with custard or smothered in super-sticky meringue.
6 Dolores San Basilio e/ Carnicería y San Félix A gem of a restaurant, with seating in an open-air courtyard that makes for a pleasant place to linger for after-dinner drinks. The good-quality, inexpensive comida criolla is complemented by live music and efficient service.
7 Libertad Hotel Libertad, Aguilera s/n e/ Serafin Sánchez y Pérez Carbo Within its cheery yellow walls, this decent, unpretentious restaurant serves up fruit salad, French toast and much more on a widely ranging breakfast menu. Its reasonably priced lunch and evening menu also offers more variety than most, with dishes like Uruguayan steaks and crème caramel enlivening the standard fare.
8 La Maison Ave. Manduley esq. 1 no.52, Reparto Vista Alegre 22/64-1117 Price: Prices start at $8CUCA swanky restaurant in La Maison (a small complex of fashion boutiques) serving good steaks, red snapper and seafood specialities including paella and surf ‘n' turf grill.
9 Mar Init Calvario e/ Aguilera y Enramadas Although purporting to be a seafood specialist, more often than not there's just pork in stock and the only fish you'll see are those decorating the walls. Still, the pork's fairly good, the prices are cheap, the service is friendly and you can eat to the strummings of an electric guitar.
10 Matamoros Calvario esq Aguilera. An agreeable restaurant on this popular square serving up the usual chicken and pork dishes. It's reasonably priced and a musical trio plays while you eat.
11 
El Morro restaurant,
El Morro fort Price: Main courses start at $7CUC, lobster will set you back $25CUCPerched next to the fortress in a lovely, breezy spot overlooking the bay, this relatively pricey restaurant boasts a generous array of choices and serves good-quality cuisine including soups, fish, seafood, chicken and pork dishes.
12 Pizza Nova Hotel Santiago de Cuba Ave. de las Américas y Calle M. This outdoor café is the best place in town for thin-crust pizza with a range of toppings, and great spaghetti at sensible prices. There's also a takeaway service.
13 San Basilio San Basilio 403 e/ Calvario y Carnicería. The hotel's mid-range restaurant has only five tables but it's worth trying to get one of them as the varied menu includes some unusual dishes such as fish with coconut sauce and "dreaded" beef – fried with breadcrumbs.
14 Sodería Alondra Garzón esq. Calle C. It's a bit of a trek to this ice-cream parlour but worth it for the excellent ice cream and the thick frozen yogurt, all served neat or under a layer of sugar sprinkles with a fabulous variety of decorations ranging from cocktail umbrellas to frilly paper tomatoes.
15 La Taberna de Dolores Aguilera no.468 esq. Reloj 22/62-3913 A lively restaurant, serving reasonable comida criolla, popular with older Cuban men who while away the afternoon with a bottle of rum on the sunny patio. Musicians play in the evenings. Book to reserve a seat on the balcony overlooking the patio or street.
16 El Zunzun Ave. Manduley no.159 esq. Calle 7 22/64-1528 Opening time: Main courses start at $7CUCArguably the classiest restaurant in town, with a series of private dining rooms for an intimate dinner. Choose from an imaginative menu including pork in citrus sauce, and seafood stir-fried in garlic butter and flaming rum. There's an international wine list and injudicious use of reggaeton music.