Cuba 1918 opens on San Antonio’s South Side, serving Havana-inspired breakfast and lunch

Cuba 1918, a new restaurant tucked into an unassuming South Side storefront, is now serving breakfast and lunch fare from the Caribbean nation.

Over the weekend, the family-owned cafe began serving Cuban dishes including huevos rancheros, bocaditos (finger sandwiches) and ropa vieja, a stewed beef dish with peppers, onions, olives and capers in a savory sauce, according to social media posts. The spot, located 2809 W. Southcross Blvd., also offers cafecitos, tea and zero-proof cocktails.

Cuba 1918’s married owners, Erica Rodriguez and Ray Colao, began clearing out the property in 2018, Live from the Southside reports. Rodriguez’s aunt, attorney Maria Chavarria, purchased the space decades ago.

“Our intention at the time was just to clean it out. But the more junk we pulled out, the more beauty we unearthed,” Colao told the magazine.

The property was built in 1918 in the historic Quintana neighborhood, Live from the Southside reports.

Quintana thrived because of its proximity to Kelly AFB, now the Port San Antonio development, Rodriguez told the magazine. However, the base’s 2001 closure dealt an economic blow to the area, which she said she hopes the new business will help revive.

“The neighborhood and its people were forgotten” Rodriguez told Live from the Southside. “We chose to celebrate Cuban culture because of Ray’s strong Cuban influences growing up. Our hope is that all the things we love help breathe life back into Quintana, starting with Cuba 1918.”

Cuba 1918 is open 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Evenings are reserved for private events.

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This article appears in Nov 30 – Dec 12, 2022.