Cuba - Lonely Planet [224]
La Concha ( 21-81-24; cnr Carretera Central & Danielito) The town’s best restaurant is an easy-to-miss place on the outskirts of town that does a good trade in capturing coach parties on their way to and from the Che memorial. There are some classy lunchtime bands here, though the highlight is generally considered to be the cheap but tasty pizza (from CUC$4).
Restaurante Colonial 1878 (Máximo Gómez btwn Marta Abreu & Independencia; noon-2pm & 7-10:30pm) Hold onto the table when you cut your steak here, or you might lose it on the floor. Tough meat aside, 1878 is an amiable enough place, even if the food struggles to emulate the dusty colonial setting. Pop in for a cocktail or a light lunch.
El Sabor Latino ( 20-65-39; Esquerra No 157 btwn Julio Jover & Berenguer; noon-midnight) Santa Clara’s only real paladar is easily trumped by many of the city’s casa particular chefs, but still lures plenty of clients into its well-maintained midst with its improbable Rolling Stones’ ‘Glimmer Twins’ logo. The menu offers complete pork or chicken meals with rice, salad, tostones (fried plantain patties) and bread for CUC$10 (or fish for CUC$12).
Several peso bars and cafeterías are near the corner of Independencia Oeste and Zayas around Cine Cubanacán and your ever-faithful ice-cream man sometimes operates out of a window on Abreu.
GROCERIES
Mercado agropecuario (Cuba No 269 btwn EP Morales & General Roloff) This market is small, but well stocked with produce. It’s in the center of the city.
Panadería Doña Neli (cnr Maceo Sur & 9 de Abril; 7am-6pm) This joyous bakery amid the austere shopfronts of Calle Maceo will have your stomach rumbling with its aromatic fruit cakes, bread and pastries. Arrive early and celebrate breakfast.
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ASK A LOCAL
Santa Clara has the best nightlife in Cuba. It’s not so much about the venues per se, but more about the attitude and open-mindedness of the people. Club Mejunje is the place to go. It’s sort of Santa Clara personified, a bit of everything mixed in, including a not-to-be-missed drag show.
Ramón, Santa Clara
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Drinking
La Marquesina ( 9am-1am) Glued onto the corner of the wondrous Teatro La Caridad building, this lively bar is where the young intelligentsia go to down cocktails and listen to local bands.
Casa del Gobernador (cnr Independencia & JB Zayas; noon-11pm) Push your way through the swinging saloon-style doors and you’ll uncover one of the city’s most understated go-local gathering spots. More noted for its throat-warming rum than its piping hot cuisine, the Gobernador (yes, it was once a provincial government office) is Santa Clara in a bottle in more ways than one.
Café Literario (cnr Rafael Tristá & Colón; 9am-9pm) What, a student coffee bar with no laptops? Revisit the pre-Microsoft years with strong espresso, piles of books and plenty of pent-up undergraduate idealism.
Entertainment
Aside from the places listed below, don’t discount the Biblioteca José Martí for refined classical music, La Casa de la Ciudad for boleros, trova (verse) and more, and vibrant Parque Vidal, which presents everything from mime artists to full-scale orchestras.
Club Mejunje (Marta Abreu No 107; 4pm-1am Tue-Sun) Set in the ruins of a roofless building given over to sprouting greenery, Club Mejunje is Havana-hip and more. Among the plethora of nighttime attractions here is Cuba’s only official drag show every Saturday night – a must-see! Other items on an eclectic entertainment menu include regular trova, bolero and son (Cuba’s popular music) concerts, children’s theater and disco nights. If you’ve only got one night, this is the place.
El Bar Club Boulevard ( 21-62-36; Independencia No 2 btwn Maceo & Pedro Estévez; admission CUC$2; 10pm-2am Mon-Sat) Another nexus for Santa Clara’s musical youth, this much-talked-about cocktail lounge has live bands, dancing plus the odd humor show. It generally