Bars, Icons, Old Havana

El Floridita

El Floridita
The Hemingway bust at the El Floridita bar.

El Floridita is an institution in Havana known for its daiquiri and its association with the towering literary figure Ernest Hemingway. Still today visitors mob the place just to cruise the yellowed photos of Papa Hemingway hung on the walls and take a photo with his statue at corner of the bar. Dubbing itself as “the cradle of daiquiri,” one of the most favorite daiquiris on the menu is named after the writer—the “Papa daiquiri.” The drink has two shots of rum, the way Hemingway requested, apparently because he thought it was not strong enough. But if you want to quaff down those daiquiris like Papa Hemingway did back in the days, that’s going to cost you $6 CUC a drink and a hell of a hangover. In addition to daiquiris, there are also mojitos, whiskies, cognacs, beers and Havana Club rums. They have the legendary Havana Club Maximo on the menu, but you probably need to fortify yourself with  20 Papa daiquiris before you splurge $1,700 CUC on that.

Address: Obispo 557 esq a Monserrate, Habana Vieja, Havana, Cuba 

Opening hours: 11am till midnight

Tel: +53 7 8671300