Café Habana

"So many restaurants in Nolita are pricey, underwhelming, and impossible to get into—but Café Habana is none of those things. Open since 1998, this little Cuban-Mexican restaurant looks like a retro diner, with chrome-legged chairs and a soundtrack that bounces between salsa and Calvin Harris. You can easily get out of here for under $30 per person, and the food always gets the job done. Try the crispy Cubano, the tostones with guacamole, or the roasted pork with rice and beans. A frozen margarita is optional, but highly recommended." - bryan kim

"Café Habana should be busier. It isn’t exactly a ghost town at night, but it also isn’t tough to get into, and we can’t figure out why. At this diner-esque Cuban-Mexican restaurant (open since the ‘90s), you can listen to salsa and hip hop while you drink a frozen margarita and eat a good, crispy Cubano. You’ll have fun, you’ll eat some solid food, and you’ll pay around $20 for your meal (sans margarita)." - bryan kim

"When deciding on a Sunday night delivery option, you’re likely to cycle through the usual options: the average local Thai spot, the average local sushi spot, maybe an Italian place you tried once. What a thrilling way to end your two-day vacation, right? Wrong. Instead, mix things up by placing an order from Cafe Habana. The Cuban sandwich is an all-time great, and the Chicken & Corn salad is surprisingly satisfying. A side of plantains is necessary. Order Now" - katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg

"Cafe Habana is a sit-down Cuban restaurant in an old school diner space in Nolita. The lines are typically pretty long on weekends, which is why you should go on an early run and get there when they open at 9am. You’ll probably move a lot faster knowing there’s a $15 Cuban sandwich and some elote waiting for you." - hannah albertine

"The Cuban-style food and quick take-out (especially the corn) satiates that very specific craving, and the place is always flooded with people from midday to midnight. It can get noisy—there's a take-out window next door if the crowds are too overwhelming. There's a location in Brooklyn, and strangely enough, in the Malibu Country Mart."