Havana Cultural Icon · Since 1942
La Bodeguita del Medio
Havana, Cuba · Historic Bar & Restaurant
The story
What began as a small grocery in 1942 became a gathering place for Havana’s writers, musicians and artists. Signed walls, live son music, an intimate timber bar and the mojito ritual create an atmosphere copied worldwide but rooted here in Old Havana.
Why La Bodeguita del Medio is iconic
Despite its fame and crowds, the original remains a compact theatre of Cuban music, memory and bar culture.
Selected by Ernst Aben · Information reviewed July 2026