Cuban in Phoenix

The Canal Club

4925 N. Scottsdale Rd. Central Scottsdale

480-424-6095

Cuban, Best Of

4 articles

Cuban Foods & Bakery

10649 N. 43rd Ave. North Phoenix

602-296-5759

Bakery, Cuban, Dessert, Recommended, Best Of

This small, tidy spot of homestyle Cuban eats features hearty and gratifying traditional dishes that keep the restaurant's Cuban, Colombian, and Puerto Rican patrons coming back on a regular basis. The Cuban sandwich is almost a rite of passage here, but there are other good dishes, too: Slow-cooked meats redolent with garlic, onions, and cumin; stuffed, crumbly cups of fried plantains; and seasoned black beans and rice flecked with onions, peppers, and bits of pork. The Cuban-style desserts -- flan, flaky pastries filled with tropical fruits, and bread pudding kissed with guava – made fresh each morning, may be sweeter than what you're used to, but they make for a delicious ending to the meal all the same. Read our review.

4 articles

Fe La Cubana

5821 N. 67th Ave., #110 Glendale

623-533-6912

Cuban, Latin American, Caribbean, Best Of, Slideshow

Fe La Cubana is a classic Cuban American-style cafeteria that deviates little from many of the best-known dishes of the island just south of Florida. Though there are Cuban sandwiches and fried foods, Fe La Cubana is all about the steam table offerings. These are soupy, stewy, and beautiful — ageless preparations like ropa vieja and stewed oxtail made with great skill. The dining room is plain. There is a language barrier for those who speak only English. But make no mistake, this tiny cafeteria in Glendale is one of the great enclaves of Cuban food in the Valley.

5 articles

Fuego Bistro

713 E. Palo Verde Dr. Central Phoenix

602-277-1151

Cuban, South American, Southwestern, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Tucked away in the courtyard of Fountain Court, behind Apollo's Lounge on Seventh Street, Fuego Bistro is one of the best-hidden spots in central Phoenix. It's tiny, too (there are only seven tables inside and a handful out on the patio) so it helps to call ahead. Though some of the entrees are more "bistro" than fuego, the menu's mostly Latin-inspired. Try the pernil asado (melt-in-your-mouth, slow-roasted pork) or Patrón-braised blackened prawns, and wash it all down with some homemade sangria. Read our review.

16 articles

Havana Cafe

4225 E. Camelback Rd. East Phoenix

602-952-1991

Caribbean, Central American, Cuban, Latin American, Spanish, Recommended, Menu

Even Castro would endorse capitalism like this. Authentic comidas Cubanas like tostones, paella and arroz con pollo served in an attractive, intimate environment. The black bean soup is revolutionary. After 5 p.m., sip sherry and sample tapas upstairs in Arriba.

7 articles

Havana Cafe

6245 E. Bell Rd. North Scottsdale

480-991-1496

Cuban, Restaurants, Menu

Havana Patio Cafe

6245 E. Bell Rd. North Scottsdale

480-991-1496

Caribbean, Central American, Cuban, Latin American, Spanish, Recommended, Menu

Even Castro would endorse capitalism like this. Authentic comidas Cubanas like tostones, paella and arroz con pollo served in an attractive, intimate environment. The black bean soup is revolutionary. After 5 p.m., sip sherry and sample tapas upstairs in Arriba.

10 articles

Millie's Cafe

1616 E Main St Mesa

480-223-8217

Caribbean, Cuban, Latin American, Puerto Rican

1 article

Mimita's Cuban Cafe

1950 N. Arizona Ave. Chandler

480-963-9918

Cuban, Restaurants, Menu

This family-owned restaurant in Chandler serves up classic Cuban comfort foods in a cheery, pleasant atmosphere and with service as friendly as the fare. For a snack or a light meal, try the empanadas or a medianoche sandwich (similar to the Cuban, but with sweet, eggy, challah-like bread). Exceptional entrees include the Cuban roast pork dish, lechon asado, lightly sweet picadillo criollo (Cuban-style hash), and the classic ropa vieja. End the meal with a shot of café Cubano and lightly fried and twisted pastries in an anise-laced syrup called bunuelos cubanos. For planners who call ahead, dishes of paella valenciana and arroz con pollo a la chorrera (soupy chicken and rice), which require one to two hours of preparation, are worth the wait.

6 articles

Mini Mercado Oaxaca

9407 N. Central Ave. North Phoenix

602-395-0867

Bakery, Breakfast, Cuban, Dessert, Mexican, Recommended, Best Of

The small store may have only 10 tables, but the menu boasts more than 100 dishes. Regional specialties are attention-grabbing once the menu (it's all in Spanish, with exotic Oaxacan ingredients) is deciphered. Particular favorites: Botana Oaxaqueña (beef and special masa patties), tamales (wrapped in banana leaves with creamy masa), and the dynamite mole dishes.

5 articles

Sazon Bachata Restaurant

906 N 15th Ave Central Phoenix

480-842-9262

Caribbean, Cuban, Dominican, Latin American

Family-owned and -operated, the eatery is one of a handful of Caribbean restaurants in the Valley. It's inviting and informal, with the menu -- which changes depending on availability of ingredients -- written in chalk on the wall. If the writing is illegible, the staff will be more than happy to recite the day's available dishes. The little place seats a total of 17, with five tables. Art, Caribbean instruments, a Dominican flag, and quirky antiques -- like a Saved By the Bell-era cell phone -- decorate the restaurant, while Dominican news plays on a flat-screen TV.

3 articles

Cuban in Phoenix

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