There may be piles of snow and slush all around Denver, but situated neatly just outside of the downtown high-rises, south of Colfax Avenue, a quaint Cuban-inspired restaurant, Cuba Cuba Café and Bar, still evokes the genuine warmth and tropical vibe of the island it’s named for.Whether looking for a unique meal to impress your foodie Valentine with or just somewhere to read your New York Times Bestseller while having a good cocktail, this elegant but unpretentious little oasis is the ideal downtown neighborhood bar to go to and escape the winter mentality.
A remodeled vintage cottage houses the cafe, with exotic banana palms lining the walkway up to a constructed bent-over steel palm tree heralding the entrance. No gobs of people crowd the door and no stressed-out hosts scramble to seat people (at least on weeknights).The space could foreseeably become a little claustrophobic on a weekend night, due to the dining area’s size constrictions, but the hip know that rubbing shoulders with other patrons is the cool thing to do. Still, the atmosphere excels at being comfortable and relaxing, yet refined. A wallpaper mural of a Carmen Miranda-esque dancer welcomes guests, while local art lines the walls of the lively colored dining rooms. The café seems to boast an array of regular diners that know by name the notably chill wait staff who vary in age and style, but all emanate a collective poise and complacency.
Samba, afro-beat, merengue and other upbeat, funky styles of Latin music play through the speakers, reminding guests of warm ocean wind and beachside cabanas. During the summer months, the outdoor dining area opens up. Guests can come clad in their best white linens, drink half-off mojitos during happy hour (Mon-Thurs, 5-6:15 p.m.) and pretend for just a few hours that we don’t all live in a totally landlocked state.
The menu presents a rich variation of what one can find on a quintessential Latin menu: plenty of seafood, braised meats, fresh vegetarian dishes and of course an array of fruit-infused cocktails. For anyone looking to test out their rum palate, Cuba Cuba boasts an extensive collection of upscale rum choices. True Denverites might be spoiled to expect an assortment of local craft beers, but the restaurant instead carries a variety of Latin beers from Mexico and otherwise.
With Spanish dish titles like “ropa vieja” or “churrasco con papitas,” any uni-lingual guests can use the English descriptions to translate and figure out what to order. Cuba Cuba also keeps in line with its roots by serving many dishes with a side of plantains (banana’s cooler cousin). Mostly they add “maduros” to the plate, a sinfully delicious version of caramelized plantains or “tostones,” green plantains, twice fried with lime and salt.
Keep in mind that the kitchen is not just making any average taco plate; rather, they emit dishes with eye-catching presentation and intricacy. Entrées run on average around $20, but before batting an eyelash at the price tag, imagine how satisfied one will feel with a full stomach. Every plate includes a hefty portion of white rice and black beans, in addition to the hearty dish centerpiece. Or for the stingier sandwich lover, you can order one of their sandwiches, like the famous staple Cuban delicacy sandwich, aptly named a “Cubano’,” with roasted pork, ham, swiss, mustard and pickles pressed on cuban bread for about $12.
Cuba Cuba is owned and operated by Kristy Socarras Bigelow and her brother, Enrique Socarras, both from a Cuban family from Miami. The restaurant opened initially in 2001 and has since gained a reputation throughout the Denver community, so much so that they decided to expand the Cuba Cuba brand by opening up two “sandwicherías” in Glendale and Boulder that offer more affordable, quicker lunch options.
So sorry, Chipotle, there may come some time that the dedicated Latin food lover has to level up to Cuba Cuba’s urbane cuisine.
Cuba Cuba Café and Bar is located at 1173 Delaware St. and is open Monday-Thursday 5-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5-10:30 p.m. Takeout and catering are also available.
