La Chuchería is a discreet cafe-bar on the Havana Malecon that has been recognized for years for its sandwiches and irresistible milkshakes.
On this occasion, we visited it for another delicacy on its menu and Italian ones. Join us on this culinary adventure.
We needed to disconnect and over all spend some different time.
We wanted something informal, we didn't want to get too dressed up, or plan too much.
Reality
I wanted to surprise my girlfriend, we and specially she has had some very tough days and we deserved and unplug moment, so I tried to take a bit of a risk.
I looked around my Foodie Instagram's feed and decided we would go to La Chucheria
When this place opened, it was a sensation. Nowadays is quite different, just one more.
The sandwiches on the menu brought the best of fast food to our city. I remember good meals with my family in that place .
On this occasion, the visit was for another sensation on the menu: The pizzas and milkshakes.
In my country, there is a culture that the thicker the pizza crust, the better. We've even coined the term "Cuban pizza" (that for other post).
My girlfriend doesn't like this type of crust 😅. More than one occasion she doesn't order the pizza. That had to change!
I didn't tell my partner where we were going... Well, I told them we were going to the end of the world and it wasn't entirely a lie, lol
La Chucheria is located just steps from the mythical Havana Malecon and on the street next to the new Grand Aston Havana Hotel .
It has two areas: A terrace, where the red awning gives it a peculiar atmosphere. Being in front of the Malecón and with some large fans, the breeze doesn't fail. (If you like terraces, like us, this is your place)
The terrace is not overloaded in terms of decoration. The style doesn't change from the indoor area (both are quite minimalist) but there are some details that bring a smile, like this napkin holder.
Inside, there is an air-conditioned environment that is equally spectacular, with recorded music, but being closed in and with the waitresses walking around, we didn't like it much. On the terrace there were also fewer people ( idk why?)
The service is equally efficient in both areas.
We knew what we were going to order, we didn't need to see the whole menu:
Pizzas and Chuchueria's milkshakes.
What does the pizza from this place have that made us come here?
It has one of the thinnest crusts in the city, but that's not all. The cheese has a very different flavor from other pizzas in the city.
The tomato sauce they put on it, has just the right balance of sweetness with a bit of bitterness; all held together by some pieces of tomato, basil (both dried and a fresh leaf)
The touch I loved: a drizzle of olive oil after the pizza comes out of the oven (that little detail won me over)
I'll leave you the image, but it doesn't do it justice, it was a delight.
Ah, and the size was enough to take away your desire to order a second one (despite its thin size).
With some liquid, we had to accompany these delights.
As I was determined to surprise my girlfriend, we ordered the Chuchería Milkshake (quite expensive, to be honest, but it was a different day).
Was it worth it? Let's see
In this case we ordered the Chuchería milkshake with chocolate ice cream (there were other choices but we like chocolat).
Is a milkshake, but fortified: it came accompanied by strawberry cream, a cookie, sprinkles and ...
It came accompanied by a mixed of nuts. I had never tried this mixture before, honestly, I loved it
The sweetness of the ice cream, with the saltiness of the nuts is normal, but among the nuts there were some spicy and others sweet or salty.
Each sip was a party for the palate. It sounds corny, but I loved this milkshake.
That said, it is the most expensive liquid on the menu (1200 CUP when we visited).
I understand the price, but it seems a bit expensive for the average Cuban. (1200 CUP is approximately $3.50 USD).
This café is not geared towards domestic tourism, so these prices are not surprising.
The combination of the milkshake with the pizza left us completely full. I'm not kidding ... After that, they invited us to a cup of espresso coffee and I could barely finish it.
My girlfriend was worse, she couldn't even drink it (and she's a good eater).
If you don't have a good stomach, don't try it 😅
Do We recommend this place?
If you're visiting Cuba and want to experience fast food in a different way, stop by La Chuchería in Havana.
The sandwiches are my reason to go back (and I will) but the pizzas and milkshakes are worth it and more.
We recommend this place.
A chill atmosphere. The waitresses are always attentive to every detail. They don't take long to serve you and the dishes come out quickly.
As an added bonus, you can pay with different digital methods and different fiat currencies. (No cryptofriendly 💔)
If you visit Cuba, I recommend making a gastronomic quick stop at this place.
How do you like your pizza? Are you on my girlfriend's team, thin crust? Or are you on the asere team, thick crust? What's your favorite?
And the question that divides families... With pineapple or without pineapple? For me, always without pineapple.
Leave me your impressions in the comments and comment on whatever you like, it will be a pleasure to read you down there.
Disclaimer:The red tone of the photos is because at the time we went for lunch, the sun was beating down and the awning did its best.
