Cuban Coffee // The Caffeine Diaries From Havana, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, & Playa Larga Travels

On July 16, 2020
By Kimberly

Travel for us always includes coffee. In fact, we are so particular about our coffee that we travel with our own “coffee kits” – mocha pot for him, French press for me. Part of our delight in traveling to Cuba included the opportunity to experience Cuban coffee. Well, we were in for a treat!

This trip was so personal, so emotional for me that it’s taken some time for me to share our incredible voyage. So thankful, and looking forward to the next visit – or stay! I’ll attempt to do Cuba justice on a regular basis. With over 10,000 photos from two weeks; now I can’t wait to share the country with you. The emotions, the scenes; there are some photos that are worth 1,000 words alone.

After a couple months in South Africa, the greatest compliment I received was “I never saw my country as so beautiful until I saw it through your eyes.” I hope every person, every country sees themselves through my admiring eyes. The people, the culture, the daily routine – it is all beautiful to me.

No Cuban Sandwiches in Cuba? Then I’ll Take a Cuban Coffee!

While it was quite the realization that any “Cuban sandwiches” we found in Cuba were completely engineered to meet the expectations of foreign visitors, that was not the case with Cuban coffee. It’s the real deal!

No Cuban sandwiches to go with this Bucanero beer?

Seriously, no, you can’t order a Cuban sandwich in Cuba. You can have a coffee.

How about a Cuban coffee, though?

Ok, that sounds more like it!

And so, we had our first, second, and third strong Cuban coffee within hours of arriving in Havana. The coffee tray is always ready at every restaurant!

Havana Viejo; Cuban Coffee With a View of the Prada

Our Airbnb’s hostess, Lisu, started the coffee pots early every morning. I love the sound of the procedure; filling the pot, assembling it… Those sounds mean good things are coming! The moka pot is so ubiquitous to Cuba that it is heavily featured even in their art!

As if Cuban coffee could not remain hot in Cuba in June; it is placed in an insulated thermos that goes on the breakfast table. Lisu is heaing the milk.

From the thermos, everyone can serve themself. To the left of the moka pot, you can see the stainless steel pot for the hot cream to be added to your Cuban cofffee.

Lisu makes sure the coffee is ready long before the smoothies or food.

The Smaller the Cup…

The stronger the Cuban coffee will be! Ours was served daily with a view of the Prada and the harbor.

Bialetti! “Espresso in the Home Just Like in the Bar”

Alfonso Bialetti, an engineer, invented the moka, a stovetop coffee machine in Italy in 1933. His son Renato Bialetti made it a worldwide symbol of Italian style. Renato died in 2016 at the age of 93. His ashes were placed in a large replica of a moka pot.

It’s named after the Yemeni city of Mocha, and acts like a pressure cooker. You can read more about it at The Story of the Bialetti Moka Express.

The moka pots are made of aluminum; which has wonderful heat distribution and evenness. My mother swears by her heavy aluminum pots and pans for these reasons. Another is because the metal was so much more affordable. Italians were entering a new era of lighter metals and innovation, and coffee-making was one of the beneficiaries.

Sipping coffee while waiting for the sun to rise in Havana from our Airbnb view on the Prada.

Sunrise over the harbor; a perfect spot for our morning brew.

View down the Prada in Havana, where we sipped our coffee every morning. You can the the capitol building in the distance.

Breakfasts included fresh fruit daily, bread, guava paste, teeny bananas, eggs and meat, and Cuban coffee.

That’s not a half a cup of coffee – that’s at least two Cuban coffees!

Cuban Coffee at Playa Larga

At our second Airbnb at Playa Larga, the routine was the same – early Cuban coffee-making sounds, the thermos, and a small cup.

The sugar bowl was similar everywhere we went; restaurants and homes.

Interestingly, the coffee cups looked to be promo items from a Cuban airline. I wonder if they came with a purchase.

View of the Bay of Pigs from where we sipped our Cuban coffee every morning in Playa Larga.

Cuban coffee with a Cuban view – a dog that ate coconuts whole, Bay of Pigs with fisherman who row out in the morning and sail home in the afternoon, and a lapa reserved for heated evening domino games.

NO huge mugs here!

Hot and black – with sugar. Small sips of that strong Cuban coffee!

Every breakfast included Cuban coffee, sipped piping hot in the hot sun.

Cuban Coffee in Cienfuegos

Yes, please! I’m ready! We heard the bread seller’s calls from his bicycle the previous night, “Pan, pan, pan.” We knew our breakfast with a view of the harbor and sail boats would be wonderful.

Fresh juice, gorgeous fresh fruit, and Cuban coffee. Heaven on Earth.

From our balcony breakfast, we could hear the chant of the rowing scull teams on the flat water. School was in session, and physical education class included rowing. We drank our Cuban coffee to that timeless cadance.

Tasty in Trinidad

I never knew there were electric moka pots until I saw the ones at our Airbnb in Trinidad!

The Cuban coffee was great! And then, we found…

Mother Lode of Adulted Cuban Coffee in Trinidad

Cafe Don Pepe, I think it was called – with dozens of drinks with Cuban coffee and rum.

Sorry for the sideways – had too many Don Pepe’s and…

What To Read Next

We Don’t Go Anywhere Without:

Bialetti Express Moka Pot, 1-Cup – you can replace the seals, too!
Hamilton Beach Electric Tea Kettle – shuts itself off.
Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker, 1 Liter, 34 Ounce, Chrome – you can replace the glass too!
Stream2Sea Reef Safe SPF 20 or 30 mineral, regular or tinted sunscreen, mask defog, shampoo, conditioner, rash guards and more reef-safe supplies. Use my code “DeepWH” for 10% off.
Crisis Medicine Tactical Casualty Care Course knowledge so we can help ourselves. With code “DeepWH” you save 20% on the TC2 course
MyMedic Individual Bleeding Control Kits, this link and my code “DeepWH15” will save you 15% on your purchase. We take ours everywhere.
North American Rescue CAT tourniquets. Use code “MAY25” for 20% off through midnight on 5/31/20. This is a huge savings!
Airbnb, “Kimberly gave you up to $55 off your first trip.”
Airbnb says, “Deep gave you up to $415 off your first adventure.
Uber gives you $2 off your first three rides.
Travelex is our trip insurer – click for a free quote.
Girls That Scuba – members discount card for all things diving.
REI Co-op for great sports equipment and travel clothes.
Sailo for $100 off your next boat rental! Discount Code: “KimWa1”
PierShare to rent your dock out or rent a dock.
BoatUS for your boat towing insurance! Code: “HEWAF88”
RoadId for $5 off your cycling/running/kayaking/travel id.
Dazer Ii Ultrasonic Aggressive Dog Deterrent Repeller Dazzer – keeping dogs at bay while we cycle.
Guardline Security Wireless Driveway Alarm – alerts us when someone approaches. Less expensive directly from the company.
Thank you for using my links – your price does not change, but they may gift me a small percentage of your sale in return for my mention, which allows me to continue to bring to you fun content.
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Thank you Bill for always being ready for the next adventure and holding out your hand to lead me through the next door! Best Travel Partner EVER!

Elise, Charles, Xander, Mitchell – this is dedicated to all of you for the most incredible experience of a lifetime! Can’t wait to get back and see you soon! Hugs! XO Kim