Churrasco a la Cubana, Cubanos and mojitos, anyone? Check out this Concord favorite.
The moment you first enter Havana Carolina Restaurant & Bar, it’s as if you’ve been transported to Cuba.
From the oversized Cuban flags that welcome you to each carefully chosen pop of culture that’s spread throughout the area, the restaurant immediately promises an authentic Cuban experience without ever having to leave Concord. And, it’s this “Cuban Paradise” atmosphere that draws people from the Charlotte area and beyond.
It’s simple — people may come for the food, but they stay for the experience the owners created. Dania Hernandez — along with her two children, Ana Acela Perez and Emmanuel “Manny” Perez — has been at the helm of the family-owned establishment. Since 2017, Havana Carolina has become the place to get homemade Cuban dishes, classic Cuban cocktails and a taste of Cuban music (it’s live on Friday and Saturday nights).
A taste of Cuba
It’s no question that one of the best ways to experience a culture is through its food. While Havana Carolina has a menu that’s full of unique, authentic flavors with a variety of dishes that offer you a taste of Cuba, it’s more about the love that’s at the center of it all. From the love that can be tasted in the food and drinks to the love that can be felt through the live music, the culture can be felt throughout.
One of the most popular dishes is the Churrasco a la Cubana, which is a 10 ounce skirt steak grilled with homemade chimichurri and topped with onions. The other is a classic Cubano. The sandwich is piled high on Cuban pressed bread with roasted pork and layered with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard.
When it comes to the drinks, mojitos are a crowd favorite — they’re $6 on Thursdays. They’re the “best in the state,” primarily because they are Cuban mojitos that you’ll find in Cuban households, Manny Perez said.
“We want to bring the experience of our culture,” Acela Perez told CharlotteFive. “We want to provide the community in Concord that experience, the feeling you get when you visit a Cuban home in Cuba and the hospitality Cubans are known for.”
Educating the community about Cuban culture is important, Manny Perez said. For this reason, at Havana Carolina, it’s all about showing and not telling.
“The first year was tough,” he said. “It was hard for us to get everybody from Charlotte. We’ve created a good clientele. Little by little, we got there and we are still getting there.”
“That’s why every day we try to do better and give the food that we love and the food that we’ve brought to the states,” Manny Perez told CharlotteFive.
All in the family
A family birthday celebration at Havana Carolina (while under previous ownership) is where it all started. It was at this time, the family realized just how much they enjoyed the concept and how significant it would be to create something together as a family.
“As an immigrant, when you come from another country you, you lose a lot,” Hernandez said. “You leave behind a lot. We created something where we can think about the country, we can bring the culture, we can bring the food and the way that we are.”
Havana Carolina started as Hernandez and her late husband’s project. The couple’s prior hospitality and customer service experience with operating a quaint bed and breakfast in Cuba laid the foundation for their work in the restaurant industry. Learning how to run a business in a new country came with its own set of obstacles, however. And, after the passing of their father, both children wanted to ease their mother’s load by making the family business top priority — a move that continues to make Hernandez feel proud.
The sense of family extends to the restaurant’s team — some of whom have been there since the start — and to the community.
“Cuban culture is very familiar,” Acela Perez said. “It’s very much about family. We care a lot about our family, and we have employees who are like family. You will feel the family vibe when you walk in.”
A sense of community
Over the years, Havana Carolina has solidified itself as an important part of the Concord community. The family-centered feel that the concept created is reciprocated by not only those who frequent the restaurant but also other businesses within the community, which is reminiscent of the saying treat others how you want to be treated.
“The community of Concord is very lovely. We are extremely grateful for the community because it is real unity,” Acela Perez said. “We have customers who have become friends, they become like members of our family.”
The family credits the area’s warm welcome, continued support and sense of community to their ability to open a second location, El Puro Cuban Restaurant on South Boulevard in Charlotte. This Charlotte restaurant promises to offer an authentic Cuban experience and is a nod to their father.
“For us, it’s important for the community to discover and explore new cultures,” Acela Perez told CharlotteFive.
Havana Carolina
Location: 11 Union St S Suite, 108, Concord, NC 28025
Neighborhood: Downtown Concord
Cuisine: Cuban
Hours: Open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Closed Sunday and Tuesday.
Instagram: @havanacarolina
This story was originally published May 5, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
