Maria, named after chef Trevor Shankman’s late grandmother, is an eight-course dining experience hosted in her former home. From a single croqueta with tuna to lechon asado with “pretentious ketchup” that tastes like Christmas, to a spruced-up version of flan, nothing and everything is Cuban on this menu. Shankman expertly explains every dish as he sets them out in a room decorated in his abuela’s religious relics. Maria is a BYOB, ticketed event; the residential address is disclosed before the dinner.

This Cuban-American, family-owned restaurant has operated for over 15 years and has two locations in Atlanta. At the Forum in Peachtree Corners, live music and dancing abound on the weekends; weekday food specials include a Cuban seafood gumbo, deep-fried and breaded eggplant, black bean casserole, and a classic paella.

Whether a quick stop at the original location inside a tiny home in a Sandy Springs parking lot or a visit to the newer Roswell address, which includes a bar, Cubanos has nailed the Cuban sandwich and cafe con leche combo, using a crunchy, toasted bread from La Segunda Bakery (established in 1915) in Tampa. From Cuba to South Florida to Atlanta, owner Ozzy Llanes has made a point of preserving his roots through food. Drop into either location on Mondays for a free Cuban cafecito or visit the Roswell storefront on Thursday evenings for free salsa lessons.

A sit-down restaurant toward the back of the Politan Row food hall in Dunwoody, Mamacita’s is owned by Dominican brothers Giby and Hochmael Abreu, who grew up eating Cuban food — the two islands are neighbors. Grab a seat at the bar and order a cocktail and a thin steak smothered in onions, which comes with rice and beans. The croquetas arrive five to a serving with a side of Thousand Island-style dipping sauce, and the most popular cocktail (while tropical, it’s not actually Cuban) seems to be the Mami colada, a piña colada for two served inside a pineapple.

The oldest Cuban restaurant in the city, Havana Sandwich Shop has been open since 1976 and serves sandwiches and combo plates in a pared-down setting. The interior may look like a hospital cafeteria, but try the picadillo or Milanesa with a side of maduros (sweet plantains), or yuca with mojo sauce. Closed Sundays. 

There’s nothing more Cuban than roasting a whole pig for a party, and Calle Latina did just that for its recent 10th-anniversary celebration. While the menu here is Latin fusion (Venezuelan arepas, Peruvian ceviche, fish tacos, paella, and mofongo), you cannot miss the chicken soup with a side of pressed bread, the Cuban black bean soup, or the skinny Cuban salad with jicama and mango. The Cuba Libre churns in a frozen drink machine behind the bar.

Chef Hector Santiago of El Super Pan is Puerto Rican, but fuses cultures through food at his daytime restaurant in Ponce City Market. “There is no Puerto Rican sandwich,” he said. So at El Super Pan, there’s a Tampa-style Cuban sandwich that pairs well with tostones. Every dish at El Super Pan is served with pique (a Puerto Rican sauce made of chili peppers and herbs in a jar of vinegar) for dipping and until the pandemic, the restaurant even made its bread. Now, General Muir bakes it for them, using Santiago’s original recipe. A meal here should be washed down with a guava agua fresca; while the drink originates in Mexico, the fruit is harvested in Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean.

It’s not a Cuban restaurant, but Lotta Frutta does have Cuban-influenced drinks and dishes on the menu like the Wanna Guanabana (soursop) smoothie, which is also available in milkshake form, a Cuban black bean soup, sopa de yuca (cassava root soup), and the Hav to Ham It — a take on the Cuban sandwich. On sunny days, line up outside the colorful establishment, which only has outdoor seating, and get your cold drinks to go. 

A pocket-sized restaurant on a happening block in Hapeville, the family-owned Mami’s is humble, efficient, and inexpensive. In true Cuban form, the owner will tell you where to sit, what to order, and if you’re not fast enough, will move on to the next table before you can finish your sentence. This place is cramped and chaotic, but one quick visit will have diners hooked. Stop in on your way to or from the airport and get there before the lunch crowd. Pair a heaping plate of rice, beans, and tostones with an Ironbeer, Cuba’s official soda, which originated over 100 years ago. Mami’s is closed on weekends.