Located on the bustling O’Reilly street, this restaurant provides a rooftop oasis away from the crowds and heat and is best for lunch or cocktails.

One of Hemingway’s famous haunts, El Floridita is known as “the Cradle of the Daiquiri” and the quality of the drinks served does the title justice. As one recent visitor said, drinking daiquiris here is as quintessential as drinking peach bellinis at Venice's Cipriani. A brass statue of Ernest still commands one end of the bar, and the legend is that Papa’s record was 15 daiquiris in one sitting. The smoke-filled front bar room often has live music. Come here for a cocktail but go elsewhere to dine.

The Hotel Ambos Mundos is famous for being where Hemingway stayed as he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls. His room, Number 511, has been preserved as a mini-museum, which why you will often see throngs of tourists in the lobby or waiting in line to cram onto the old-fashioned elevator. The hotel’s location just off of Plaza Armas puts it right in the heart of Old Havana, but their terrace is a good place to have a drink.

Tucked away down a quiet alley just off Plaza de Armas, Nao is an established favorite, particularly for lunch while touring Old Havana. This gem of a restaurant serves up Cuban favorites like ropa vieja (shredded beef served with rice and beans), flan de caramel and arguably the best mojito in the city in a charming dining room complete with wooden beams and Old Havana flair.

The colonial-style façade, pink-walled dining room, live music and old-fashioned service combine to create a welcoming ambiance at Los Mercaderes, a refined spot in Old Havana. Serving traditional cuisine (think lobster pasta, chicken a l’orange and spicy seafood stew), the restaurant is one of the city’s most romantic.