El Floridita

This legendary Havana bar, one of many regularly frequented by papa Hemmingway, is classy and smart, presided over by waiters in natty red jackets. Proud of its reputation as the The Cradle of the Daiquiri, there is really only one drink to order here it would be remiss not to. The décor is plush and upscale and the room is dominated by the long central bar though there’s further seating in the back. The mood is mature and sophisticated. Its appeal resides mainly in its literary heritage but if you want to cool off on a hot afternoon or prop up the bar in honour of the man himself, it’s worth a visit. Serves a mean platter of sautéed shrimp as well, though it has to be said that the food is pretty steeply priced for what you get.

What their peers say
“I have spent far too much time in the Floridita and yet I am always drawn back to it like a moth towards a flame. It walls are steeped in the atmospheric history of a by-gone era and it has a faded charm all of its own. Many people accuse it of being solely a tourist destination but it is far more than that, it is living bar history. I suggest you go, like Hemmingway did on his first visit, just as it opens in the morning. Order yourself a Daiquiri and a coffee and read a newspaper at one of the bar stools. A life-affirming experience to be sure.” Nick Strangeway of Strange Hill

“The cars are not the only throwbacks in Havana, and while they may change in the near future, Floridita is much less likely to modernize. It looks much the same as it did when Ernest Hemingway, Spencer Tracy, and Katherine Hepburn were drinking there. Though everyone has at least one Daiquiri Frappée, other drinks like the Presidente and the Cuban Manhattan are equally good and equally classic. Locals arrive well-dressed while tourists are spotted in floral shirts and khaki shorts, and all end up mixing to live music.” Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown of Mixellany Ltd.