Best Cuban Restaurants in Houston: Sandwiches, Ropa Vieja, and Pastelitos
Date Published
Houston has eight strong Cuban restaurants spread across the metro, from Bellaire to Katy. The best ones serve ropa vieja (slow-braised shredded beef), lechón asado (roast pork), pressed Cuban sandwiches layered with ham, pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard — plus pastelitos de guayaba, croquetas, and a shot of cafecito.
Here is something that explains the quality: Houston has an estimated 34,000 Cuban-Americans in the metro area, according to census data compiled by Houston Landing — the second-largest Cuban population outside of Florida. Most are concentrated in southwest Houston and Bellaire, which is why Cafe Piquet and Rincon Criollo both trace their roots to that corridor, and why the oldest Cuban cooking in Houston still happens within a few miles of Bissonnet Street.
How we chose
Each restaurant on this list had to show current operating hours on its official website or an actively updated Yelp or social page as of October 2026. We cover the full metro so you can find Cuban food wherever you are. Hours change; confirm on the official site before you drive.
Southwest Houston and Bellaire
Cafe Piquet — Bellaire
5757 Bissonnet St, Bellaire · Tue–Thu 11am–8pm, Fri–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–7pm · Closed Monday
Cafe Piquet is the anchor of Houston's Cuban food scene. The story goes back to Piquet Market, a Cuban grocery that served the Bellaire Cuban community in the 1970s. The family opened the restaurant in 1996 and moved to the current Bissonnet address in 2006. Decades later, the kitchen still runs on traditional family recipes.
Order el Cubano con chicharitas ($9.99): a traditional Cuban sandwich — Swiss cheese, ham, pork, mustard, pickles — served with plantain chips instead of fries. The yuca frita con mojo ($5.50) is the right starter. If you want seafood, the camarones enchilados (shrimp in Creole sauce with rice and black beans, $19.50) is a mainstay. The restaurant has an outdoor patio.
For the broader Bellaire area: Best restaurants in Bellaire and Chinatown.
Best for: the full Cuban-family-restaurant experience, groups, a long outdoor lunch.
Rincon Criollo — SW Houston, two locations
2150 S Hwy 6 Suite 150 · Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat–Sun 9am–9pm 17756 Katy Freeway Suite 7 · Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–5pm
Founded in 2009 by a Cuban family, Rincon Criollo leads with ropa vieja and lechón asado. The two locations — one on South Hwy 6, one near the Energy Corridor on the Katy Freeway — make it the most accessible Cuban restaurant in southwest Houston. Mojitos are on the drinks list, and weekend hours open early enough for a late morning meal.
Best for: a weekday lunch near the Energy Corridor, or a ropa vieja dinner on the southwest side.
Galleria and Westheimer
Azucar Cuban Bakery and Cafe — Galleria area
6465 Westheimer Rd · Tue–Thu 7am–8pm, Fri–Sat 7am–9pm, Sun 7am–7pm · Closed Monday
Azucar opened near the Galleria in 2019 and specializes in Cuban baked goods and cafe fare. The pastelitos de guayaba ($1.85) are what bring people back: thin, golden, flaky pastry with a guava filling. Croquetas de jamón run $1.35 each. The Cuban sandwich is $11 to $14.95 depending on size. Everything is baked fresh daily, and the cafecito is the right drink to go with it.
This is the spot for an early start — it opens at 7am. It is the only dedicated Cuban bakery of its kind in this part of the city. Also worth pairing with our best brunch in Houston guide if you are spending the morning in the Galleria area.
Best for: pastelitos, cafecito, croquetas, a quick Cuban sandwich without committing to a sit-down meal.
Downtown
Buena Vista Cuban Cafe — Downtown
800 Capitol St, Understory Food Hall · Mon–Fri 11am–4pm · Weekdays only
Buena Vista operates inside the Understory food hall at 800 Capitol Street, serving croquetas, lechón, Cuban sandwiches, and ropa vieja to the downtown lunch crowd. House flan and tres leches round out the menu.
This is a weekday lunch operation, not a dinner destination. More downtown dining options are nearby.
Best for: a Cuban sandwich when you are working or visiting downtown during the week.
Rice Village
El Meson — Rice Village
2425 University Blvd · Mon–Sat 11:30am–9pm, Sun 12pm–9pm
El Meson has been at University and Greenbriar since 1981, making it one of the oldest Latin restaurants in Houston. The menu blends Spanish and Cuban: ropa vieja, lechón asado, and cortadito share the menu with paellas, tapas, and an extensive Spanish wine list. It is not a Cuban-only restaurant, but the Cuban dishes here — especially the ropa vieja — have a depth that comes from four decades in the same kitchen.
More options in the area: Rice Village restaurant guide.
Best for: dinner, a cortadito after a long lunch, the longest-running Cuban-influenced kitchen in Houston.
Eastwood and the East End
Mr. Sabor — Eastwood
1000 Telephone Rd · Tue–Thu 10:30am–8:30pm, Fri–Sat 10:30am–10:30pm, Sun 10:30am–7pm · Closed Monday
Mr. Sabor fuses Spanish and Cuban cooking on Telephone Road in Eastwood, east of downtown. Customer standouts include paella, beef empanadas, garlic shrimp, and flan. It keeps longer weekend hours than most Cuban spots in Houston, which makes it the practical option for a Friday or Saturday night on the east side.
Best for: late-night Spanish-Cuban options, empanadas, garlic shrimp, the east side of the city.
Northwest Houston
D'Cuba Soy — FM 1960
10950 FM 1960 Suite D · Mon–Thu 11:30am–9pm, Fri–Sat 11:30am–10pm
D'Cuba Soy is the Cuban option in the Champions and Willowbrook corridor of northwest Houston. The menu covers ropa vieja ($17.99), Cuban sandwiches, tostones rellenos ($10.99), and croquetas. For a part of town without many Cuban choices, it fills a real gap.
Best for: NW Houston residents who want ropa vieja without the drive south to Bellaire or the Energy Corridor.
Katy
Havana Blues — Katy
6037 N Fry Rd Ste 156, Katy · Tue–Thu 11am–8pm, Fri–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–7pm · Closed Monday
Havana Blues anchors its menu on ropa vieja ($18.95) — shredded beef in a tomato-based sauce slow-cooked with bell peppers, onions, and Cuban spices, served with rice, beans, and plantains — and pierna asada ($17.95), a slow-roasted pork leg in citrus mojo. Order the batido de mamey ($6.50): a creamy smoothie made with mamey sapote, a tropical fruit you rarely encounter outside Cuban and Caribbean kitchens. It is the kind of thing you order once and then order every time.
For more dining in Katy: Best restaurants in Katy, TX.
Best for: ropa vieja, batido de mamey, a full Cuban dinner on the west side.
Save this: a Cuban food day in Houston
Never drive between stops after drinking. Rideshare or designate a driver if mojitos are involved.
Morning: Start at Azucar Cuban Bakery (6465 Westheimer) for a pastelito de guayaba and cafecito. Opens at 7am Tuesday through Sunday.
Lunch: Head to Cafe Piquet (5757 Bissonnet, Bellaire) for el Cubano con chicharitas and yuca frita con mojo.
Dinner: Finish at El Meson (2425 University Blvd, Rice Village) for ropa vieja and a cortadito — just a few miles from Cafe Piquet.
Cuban food Houston: quick checklist
- Pastelitos and cafecito: Azucar Cuban Bakery, 6465 Westheimer. Opens at 7am Tue–Sun.
- Cuban sandwich in Bellaire: Cafe Piquet, el Cubano con chicharitas with plantain chips.
- Ropa vieja, full dinner: Rincon Criollo (SW Houston or Energy Corridor), El Meson (Rice Village), Havana Blues (Katy), or D'Cuba Soy (NW Houston).
- Downtown lunch: Buena Vista Cuban Cafe at the Understory, weekdays only.
- Spanish-Cuban fusion: El Meson (Rice Village) or Mr. Sabor (Eastwood).
- Worth the suburban drive: Havana Blues in Katy for the batido de mamey.
For more Latin dining across Houston: Best Latin American Restaurants in Houston. For the full food picture: Houston restaurant guide. For the wider international food corridor in southwest Houston: Beyond BBQ: A Food Crawler's Guide to Houston's International Districts. And for the mojito half of the meal: Best cocktail bars in Houston.
Last verified: October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Cuban restaurant in Houston?
Cafe Piquet at 5757 Bissonnet in Bellaire is the most established, tracing its roots to a Cuban grocery that served the community in the 1970s and operating as a restaurant since 1996. Rincon Criollo (two SW Houston locations) and El Meson in Rice Village are strong alternatives depending on your neighborhood.
Where can I find a Cuban sandwich in Houston?
Cafe Piquet on Bissonnet in Bellaire serves el Cubano con chicharitas ($9.99) with plantain chips. Azucar Cuban Bakery at 6465 Westheimer has Cuban sandwiches from $11, open Tuesday through Sunday. Buena Vista Cuban Cafe at the Downtown Understory also serves one on weekdays.
Where can I get pastelitos in Houston?
Azucar Cuban Bakery at 6465 Westheimer Rd near the Galleria is the dedicated Cuban bakery for pastelitos de guayaba ($1.85) and croquetas de jamón ($1.35), open Tuesday through Sunday starting at 7am.
Does Houston have a Cuban community?
Houston has approximately 34,000 Cuban-Americans in the metro area according to census estimates compiled by Houston Landing — the second-largest Cuban population outside of Florida. Most are concentrated in southwest Houston and Bellaire, which is why the oldest Cuban restaurants cluster in that corridor.
What is ropa vieja?
Ropa vieja is a Cuban dish of slow-braised shredded beef cooked in a tomato-based sauce with bell peppers, onions, garlic, and Cuban spices, typically served with white rice, black beans, and plantains. The name means old clothes in Spanish, a reference to the shredded texture of the beef. Rincon Criollo, El Meson, Havana Blues, and D'Cuba Soy all serve it in Houston.
Is there Cuban food in Katy or northwest Houston?
Havana Blues at 6037 N Fry Rd in Katy serves ropa vieja, pierna asada, and batido de mamey, open Tuesday through Sunday. D'Cuba Soy at 10950 FM 1960 covers northwest Houston, open Monday through Saturday.