Doña Eutimia

The restaurant takes its name from Eutimia, a woman who lived across the square and cooked for the artists of the Taller Experimental de Gráfica, the printmaking workshop. Painters such as Fabelo, Choco and Nelson Domínguez remembered her food and her kindness with affection.

The owners say that her cooking is still their guide: Cuban food that is homemade, simple and made with care. The dining room mixes old and new, and there are also tables outside in the lane.

Start with malanga fritters, made from the grated root with garlic and parsley and finished with honey, or the ham croquettes. For a main course, the picadillo a la habanera, minced meat cooked with raisins and olives, is a Havana classic, and the shredded lamb is named after the lane, “al Chorro”. Lamb chilindrón, stewed with peppers, onion and white wine, and roast pork in Creole sauce are also on the menu.

The entrecôte features often on the restaurant’s own pages. To finish, the bar makes a coffee-based digestif, the carajillo.

From Marina Hemingway, a taxi to Plaza de la Catedral takes 30 to 40 minutes. The Callejón del Chorro opens off the square, and the restaurant is at number 60C. La Bodeguita del Medio is a minute’s walk away for a drink before dinner.

Doña Eutimia opens every day from noon to 10pm. It is popular, so book by phone a day or two ahead, especially for dinner; the restaurant also takes online bookings.