Cuba
Cuban coffee culture is deeply ingrained in daily life and is very distinct, emphasizing strong, sweet, and often shared coffee experiences. Unlike many places, the focus isn't on a wide variety of milk-and-syrup-based drinks, but rather on variations of a potent, uniquely prepared shot of strong coffee. While modern cafes exist, especially in tourist areas, the heart of Cuban coffee is often found in homes or through "ventanillas" (walk-up windows).
Here are the different ways to order coffee in Cuba and what's in them:
The Core of Cuban Coffee: The "Espumita" or "Crema"
What makes most Cuban coffees unique is the espumita (small foam) or crema (though it's different from Italian espresso crema) that forms on top. This is achieved by vigorously whipping a small amount of the first, most concentrated drips of the very strong coffee with sugar until it forms a thick, pale, frothy paste.
The Main Cuban Coffee Drinks
Cafecito / Café Cubano / Cuban Espresso / Cuban Shot: This is the quintessential Cuban coffee.
What's in it: An extremely strong, dark-roasted shot, sweetened with sugar that has been whipped into an espumita with the first few drops of the brewing coffee. It's designed to be a powerful, sweet, and intense shot.
Serving: Served in a tiny cup called a tacita (even smaller than a demitasse cup), meant to be drunk quickly like a shot. Traditionally made in a cafetera moka (stove-top Moka pot).
Culture: It's a social drink, a pick-me-up, and a sign of hospitality. Expect to be offered one when visiting a Cuban home.
Colada: The "social" cafecito.
What's in it: Essentially a larger quantity of cafecito (typically 4-6 shot-sized servings with espumita).
Serving: It comes in a larger Styrofoam or plastic cup, accompanied by several smaller plastic demitasse cups (tacitas), specifically for sharing among friends, family, or colleagues.
Culture: This is what you order if you're planning to stand around, chat, and share. It's a gesture of camaraderie.
Cortadito: "Cut" coffee.
What's in it: A cafecito (strong coffee shot with espumita) that is "cut" or diluted with a small amount of steamed or warm milk. The ratio can vary, often around 50/50 to 75/25 coffee to milk. The sugar is usually already incorporated.
Serving: Served in a medium-sized cup, larger than a tacita but smaller than a café con leche.
Customization (less common in Cuba, more in Cuban-American communities): You might hear requests for "clarito" (lighter, more milk) or "oscurito" (darker, less milk).
Café con Leche: Coffee with milk.
What's in it: A shot (or two) of strong coffee from a Moka Pot (often without the espumita being explicitly made, though the coffee itself is sweetened) mixed with a larger amount of hot or scalded milk. Similar to a latte or café au lait, but typically the coffee itself is already quite sweet.
Serving: Served in a larger mug, often with toast or Cuban crackers (tostadas Cubanas) for breakfast, which are traditionally dunked into the coffee.
Culture: A breakfast staple, and usually prepared with a strong emphasis on the hot milk.
Less Common / Context-Specific Ways
Café Negro (plain black coffee): While "café negro" exists as a term for just black coffee, in Cuba, the standard black coffee you'd be offered is almost always a cafecito (which is sweetened and strong). If you specifically want unsweetened black coffee, you'd need to explicitly state "sin azúcar" (without sugar), and it might still be quite robust.
Café con Chícharo: A historical variation.
What's in it: During periods of severe coffee rationing, Cubans famously extended their meager coffee supply by mixing ground coffee beans with roasted chícharo (chickpeas or field peas).
Culture: While not a common order today, it's a testament to Cuban ingenuity and love for coffee, and its legacy might influence how some older generations think about stretching coffee.
Instant Coffee (Café Soluble): While traditional Cuban coffee relies on a Moka pot, instant coffee is widely consumed in homes for convenience and availability.
What's in it: Instant coffee granules dissolved in hot water. Often heavily sweetened and mixed with milk.
Key Elements of Cuban Coffee Culture:
Strength and Sweetness: Cuban coffee is known for being very strong and notably sweet. The sugar is an integral part of the brewing process for the espumita, not just an afterthought.
Social Ritual: Drinking coffee in Cuba is almost always a social activity. It's about connecting with people, sharing conversation, and hospitality.
Moka Pot (Cafetera): The stove-top Moka pot is the ubiquitous brewing device in Cuban homes.
Ventanitas: In Cuba (and famously in Cuban-American communities like Miami), you can often find walk-up windows (ventanitas) at cafeterias where you can quickly order your coffee.
Small Portions: Due to historical rationing and the intensity of the coffee, servings are typically small.
When ordering in Cuba, knowing these terms will help you seamlessly navigate the local coffee landscape.
*The content in this document was generated using artificial intelligence, drawing from various online sources, and subsequently refined for accuracy and conciseness in 2025. Users are advised to consult multiple sources to corroborate information and should not rely solely on this document for comprehensive research.