Day Drinking
La Bodeguita del Medio
Havana-City-Center
May 11, 2018
This atmospheric bar has been a Havana staple since 1942 and is one of the city's most iconic places to grab an evening cocktail or cold beer. Despite its legacy, the bar has a casual vibe – don't feel the need to get dressed up.
Though popular with tourists, the bar still attracts a dedicated bunch of locals for whom La Bodeguita del Medio is their regular for an after-work drink. Step inside and you’ll be greeted by authentic Cuban trinkets, photos of iconic film stars and other miscellaneous paraphernalia. The walls are also donned with signatures from creative luminaries such as Marlene Dietrich and Nat King Cole.
As you might well expect, they stock a wide range of Havana rum which the bar tenders will be happy to mix into your favourite cocktail – though these are somewhat limited to a staple menu rather than modern creations. The mojito is an excellent choice and the perfect post-sightseeing tipple to refresh with and it doesn’t get better than sipping this classic drink while a local musician plays some Cuban tunes of the guitar. They also serve a hearty menu of authentic Cuban food – a great place for a lively dinner in a historic setting.
La Bodeguita del Medio might appear like a nondescript venue from the outside but having been a staple of the Havana bar scene since 1942, it’s seen its fair share of celebrity drinkers pass through its doors. Ernest Hemingway was known to have favoured the bar when he was in Havana, and, over the decades, intellectuals, artists and politicians have stopped by to sample the bars old-world character and drink a mojito in the place it’s rumoured that it was created.
Main photo credit: art_es_anna on Flickr
