A general rule is, the more tourists you see at a restaurant (everyone speaking English) the more expensive it will be. Still, there are many places that have good food at reasonable prices. For this reason, in Old Havana you can expect to pay considerably more at most restaurants.

While there are many restaurants in Old Havana, most of them are aimed at selling to foreigners, rather than local Cubans. This is a heavily tourist oriented neighborhood.

Most of the tourists who visit Havana tend to stay in the neighborhood of Old Havana. Spices are difficult to get in large quantity and are usually imported by each restaurant directly from the USA or other countries. Many other necessary ingredients are available on a limited basis and quantity. There are no large fish or seafood markets or distributors in Cuba. Commercial fishing is very limited in Cuba and most fish is either imported or caught by local fisherman, one at a time and then sold directly to restaurants. Fish and seafood is particularly hard for restaurants to get because it spoils very quickly if it is not refrigerated or frozen immediately after it is caught. Basic things such as chicken, pork and fish are difficult to obtain on a consistent basis. The main problem which restaurants face in Cuba is the limited supply chain. Despite the simple ingredients, these meals are usually flavorful and filling. The core Cuban meals consist of rice, beans, chicken and pork. Despite what some guidebooks might say, the average quality of food in Havana, especially the authentic Cuban cuisine, is high. There are thousands of great restaurants in Havana.

Old havana cuban cuisine