NJ Dining: Havana’s Cuban Cafe

Havana’s Cuban Cafe
1040 River Rd, Edgewater, NJ
(201) 886-2100

Click Here for Hi-Resolution Photos.

I guess I’ve got Cuban sandwiches on the brain this week, but what can I say, I can’t stop eating them — and apparently, some more accomplished foodies than myself can’t either.

Northern New Jersey certainly has its share of Cuban restaurants, but most of them are in Union City (click here for more) or nearby West New York where most of Jersey’s Cuban population resides. However, getting into the northern part of the Hudson County area can frequently be a bit of a challenge, as there’s no highway or express route or other major thoroughfare to get there, its all local streets and parking can be a serious issue, as its one of the most dense (if not the most dense) urban areas in the entire country.

Fortunately I’ve found a great little place (with a nearby parking lot) where you can get your Cuban sandwich fix in North-Eastern Bergen County — its at Havana’s Cuban Cafe in Edgewater. And I’d have to say they are making some of the best Cubans I’ve tasted in the area.

Havana’s Cuban Cafe has a small storefront on River Road in Edgewater, right next door to Belly Full, another cute and great little Caribbean/Jamaican place.

Havana’s is a small place, with only about 4 tables. However, its incredibly popular, because they make a lot of traditional, home-made dishes such as Ropa Vieja and Picadillo.

While Havana’s does various types of Cuban sandwiches, including a Iberian-style version using Serrano Ham and Manchengo cheese (due to the fact one of the owners is from Spain) I was drawn to the Medianoche, a frequently hard to find variation of the traditional Cubano. The difference is that the Medianoche uses an eggy, brioche-like bread rather than the Pan De Agua/Criollo bread used for a regular Cuban sandwich. Havana’s version is excellent, and is decidedly roast pork rather than ham heavy, which is the correct approach. The marinated, slow-roasted pork (Lechon) is juicy and has just the right amount of vinegar and chile kick. By far one of the best in the area.

The espresso/cappuccino machine used to make Cuban Coffee (cafecitos)

A cortadito, my go-to Cuban espresso drink. If you’re feeling sluggish this will get the machinery running for sure.