The Floridita bar and restaurant reopens after renovations
This iconic spot was frequently visited by Ernest Hemingway
Posted by Sol de Cuba, 05/11/2025
The Floridita bar and restaurant, one of Cuba’s most famous establishments, has reopened its doors after a renovation that sees a return to Havana’s vibrant scene with enhanced facilities.
Palmares S.A. detailed on social media that the reopening coincides with the 21st anniversary celebrations of this company, “to continue creating unforgettable moments and offer our visitors a unique experience in Cuba.”
The Floridita, with 207 years of history, is one of the world’s most iconic bars. It has been operating since 1817 and became famous thanks to the frequent visits of writer and journalist Ernest Hemingway. A statue of him, depicting him comfortably seated in one of the corners of the bar, has added to its appeal.
In 1914, the Catalan Constantino Ribalaigua Vert (“Constante”), who four years later would become the owner of the establishment, brought the Daiquiri, a drink originating in the Cuban interior, to Havana for the first time. The recipe for this cocktail includes white rum and the juice of either a local lemon or lime.
Hemingway, who stayed at the Hotel Ambos Mundos in the 1930s, just a few blocks from the Floridita, first tasted the drink there, and the “Papa Doble” variant was created in his honor, as he was known in Havana as “Papa.”
To this day, its bar and tables have been frequented by personalities from all over the world, including Gary Cooper, Tennessee Williams, Marlene Dietrich, Jean-Paul Sartre, Giorgio Armani, Ornella Muti, Imanol Arias, Jean-Michel Jarre, Matt Dillon, Paco Rabanne, Ted Turner and Jane Fonda, Pierce Brosnan, Naomi Campbell, Compay Segundo, Ana Belén and Víctor Manuel, Graham Greene, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Gene Tunney, Luis Miguel Dominguín, Ava Gardner, Spencer Tracy, Rocky Marciano, Joaquín Sabina, Pablo Milanés, Silvio Rodríguez, Javier Sotomayor, Kate Moss, Fito Páez, Danny Glover, Jack Nicholson and Lothar Matthäus, among others.
In addition, the iconic bar and restaurant has received numerous accolades, including the 1953 article in which Esquire magazine recognized it as one of the seven most famous bars in the world and the Five Star Diamond Award, presented in 1992 by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.
