In 1939, author Ernest Hemingway crossed from Florida to Cuba in his boat, setting up a semi-permanent residence there for the next 20 years. He loved the culture — the people, the cigars and the food. “Papa” Hemingway wrote some of his most famous works while living on the island, which sits 90 miles south of Miami in the Caribbean Sea.
In Williamsburg, Va., a brand-new restaurant is trying to recreate Hemingway’s time in Cuba through its design, its environment and, most importantly, through its food.
Habana Hemingway Cafe, located in McLaws Circle about a mile from Busch Gardens in Festival Marketplace, had its grand opening at the end of March after a building renovation.
Surrounded by Floridian palm fronds mounted on the walls, paintings and photographs of Cuban life and culture let you know exactly where you are the moment you walk into the restaurant. On one side is the main dining area, flanked by a classic wrought iron railing and a staircase leading up to a DJ booth. On the other side of the cafe is a long wooden bar and a hand-painted wall mural, creating a different, more sultry feeling than the dining room. Hemingway’s works are stacked under a faux fireplace, while a cabinet stocks cigars.
“Hemingway loved Cuba, and we wanted to bring him and Cuba together, here in Williamsburg,” says co-owner Jose Lorenzo, who emigrated from Cuba as did his partner, Alex Menendez.
Habana Hemingway Cafe is Williamsburg’s only Cuban restaurant, although it isn’t the first — it takes the space where Centro Havana Café, which opened in 2012, once stood. The significance of the location — in the heart of the Historic Triangle — isn’t lost on Lorenzo.
I picked Williamsburg for the history,” Lorenzo says. “People come from all over the world to visit Williamsburg, and we want to introduce all of them to our food.”
Lorenzo has lived a storied life that not even Hemingway could have written. As a 17-year-old political artist in Cuba, Lorenzo faced up to 12 years in prison because of his art. After a harrowing journey to Guantanamo Bay where he was met by American armed forces, he eventually resettled in America and attended Virginia Commonwealth University, where he received a degree in graphic design.
Lorenzo, now 40 years old, is especially proud of the art around Habana Hemingway Cafe, because he painted most of it. From the wall mural and hand-painted tables to the canvas paintings hung around the restaurant, it’s easy to see how this restaurant is a triumphant culmination of his journey from Cuba to America.
Lorenzo and Menendez — crucial forces behind the restaurant’s menu and food offerings — are not your average restaurant owners. They spend time in the kitchen, behind the bar and sometimes even as the entertainment. Once a month, Lorenzo’s band of 20 years, TimbaSon La Original, performs for the restaurant’s guests.
With a menu full of classic and traditional Cuban recipes, it’s hard to go wrong with your first choice. Along with affordable prices, the restaurant is a great place to take the whole family for lunch or
dinner, and with different events and activities happening almost every night of the week, it’s perfect for a night out as well.
The magic of Habana Hemingway is its authentic simplicity. Here you won’t find any trendy or “foodie” friendly plating, and that’s just fine. If you take a picture of your dinner to post to social media, you’re not doing it for the artistry — you’re doing it to make everyone jealous that you’re eating a fabulous home-style Ropa Vieja and yuca fries and they’re not.
If you’re new to Cuban food and aren’t sure what to order, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and more than willing to recommend some stellar choices. The menu is very traditional, filled with Cuban classics like Los Tamalitos Que Vende Olga (homemade corn tamales stuffed with pork or chicken, with garlic sauce and onions), Pollo a la Plancha (Cuban-style grilled chicken breast) served with yuca fries, and Congriz, a Cuban staple of white rice and black beans. You can also find Cuban flavors fused into American-style dishes such as the IRAMIZ hamburger, served with plantain chips on the side.
But the menu and style aren’t solely traditional Cuban — there’s a bit of Florida flair in it as well. Lorenzo went to restaurants in Key West and Miami, learning and absorbing flavors and techniques that are used in the menu every day. This is particularly noticeable in the Cubano pork sandwich, a Miami favorite and a stand-out dish at Habana Hemingway Cafe. With locally baked bread and pork cooked fresh every morning, the simple attention to detail shines in the finished product, taking your taste buds from Williamsburg to Little Havana in no time.
On one wall of the cafe, American and Cuban flags hang side-by-side, a complex relationship that’s a testament to Lorenzo’s journey to opening the restaurant.
“I love Cuba, and I love America,” he says. “I want to bring them both together, here at Habana Hemingway.”
So head to the bar, order a Cubano with yuca fries, sip on a rum drink and you’ll fall in love with Habana Hemingway Cafe like Papa Hemingway fell in love with Cuba.
When to Go
Habana Hemingway is committed to being more than just a great lunch and dinner spot — it wants to be a place where the community can gather.
To take advantage of the ambitious events schedule, some of the best times to dine are Wednesday nights, for free salsa lessons; Thursday nights, for Live Piano night; and the second Friday of every month, for Wine and Paint night with Lorenzo at the lead.
“I want everyone to drink some mojitos and paint with me,” he says. “What’s better than that?”
The Perfect Meal at Habana
Hemingway Cafe, Course by Course
Starter: Los Tamalitos Que Vende Olga — Stuffed corn tamales wrapped in corn husks, served with Cuban Mojo sauce.
Entree: Ropa Vieja — Shredded beef cooked with garlic, onions, bell peppers, wine and tomato sauce, served with Congriz rice and sweet plantains.
Dessert: Try the sweet flan or the Mamey ice cream.