Cuban Sandwich in Louisville

We always treat our kids as kings / queens for their birthday so when our son asked to celebrate his 12th birthday by visiting the Slugger museum we gladly said, "yes"!. His next request left me with a blank stare -- "I also want to have a cuban sandwich as good at North Side News". North Side News Cafe, here in Indianapolis, has been voted "Best Cuban" for the past three years. It is a really good sandwich.

I searched the forum and did a little Googling and it seems the consensus is Havana Rumba. Is there somewhere else I should consider. We're more of "hole in the wall" people that fancy digs but will try nearly anything and it appears from their website HR is a fairly "nice" place. Other reccos?

Thanks,
Eric

I honestly wouldn't go anywhere else but Havana Rumba. The food is authetic and amazing. It is a nice place yet casual and very warm and inviting.

Im sure Ill be backed up by others on this....Valu Market. Go to the one at Iroquois Manor shopping center. Walk back to the deli and order there. I wasnt to sure about about a cuban from a grocery store,but it is really good. I dont think its at any of the other locations. Also,check out the Vietnam Kitchen next door.

Im sure Ill be backed up by others on this....Valu Market. Go to the one at Iroquois Manor shopping center. Walk back to the deli and order there. I wasnt to sure about about a cuban from a grocery store,but it is really good. I dont think its at any of the other locations. Also,check out the Vietnam Kitchen next door.

I think it's at all Valu Market locations now. I've gotten it from the one at Outer Loop plaza several times, my mother has gotten it from the mid-city mall location. But yes, my vote goes to the Valu Market cuban as well.

Valu Market, best in town unless you are a snob

We always treat our kids as kings / queens for their birthday so when our son asked to celebrate his 12th birthday by visiting the Slugger museum we gladly said, "yes"!. His next request left me with a blank stare -- "I also want to have a cuban sandwich as good at North Side News". North Side News Cafe, here in Indianapolis, has been voted "Best Cuban" for the past three years. It is a really good sandwich.

I searched the forum and did a little Googling and it seems the consensus is Havana Rumba. Is there somewhere else I should consider. We're more of "hole in the wall" people that fancy digs but will try nearly anything and it appears from their website HR is a fairly "nice" place. Other reccos?

Thanks,
Eric

Eric,

Just to clarify: while it's not a "hole in the wall" - Havana Rumba is not a fancy place by any standard. Very casual and really comfortable, lots of people, and great food. The cuban is very good, but I rarely order it- I like other things way too much. I think your son would really enjoy it.

Deb

Welcome to the forum Eric and Happy 12th Birthday to your son! The best dining experience for your family would be Havana Rumba, where the cubano sandwich is excellent and the rest of your family can sit down and enjoy some other fantastic cuban food and service.

I have to say Value Market has the best Cuban sandwich in the city. It's in an area where most of the Cuban immigrants live. Hands down the best Cuban sandwich in town.

I agree that Valu has the absolute best along with the biggest and cheapest.

Havana Rumba is nice, but it isn't "nice". I've been in there many times in shorts and felt right at home. Don't let you thinking it is "nice" keep you from going! It's colorful, lively. The food is fantastic.

I've never had the Cuban at Valu Market, but it looks like I'll have to try it soon.

As for Havana Rumba, it really is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. The balance between the quality, quantity, and price is perfect. On top of that, the service is always fantastic, even with a group of around 16 people. However, it isn't fancy by any stretch of the word. Like Trisha, I've gone in shorts and a t-shirt before and not felt out of place at all.

Anyone try the one at Mojitos? I saw it on the menu recently but was swayed by the duck confit flatbread and carnitas tacos so maybe on a later visit.

[Robin Garr]

Hey, Eric, good to see you!

The gang has really given you the two choices: Valu Market in the South End, where a lot of our local new-immigrant community lives), and Havana Rumba in St. Matthews, on the east side of Louisville but close in, not out in the 'burbs.

Personally I prefer Havana Rumba's Cubano, but agree Valu Market's is very good. The problem for you and your son, though, is that you'll have to eat it standing up at a grocery counter or out in your car or go to a park for a picnic. It's also out in a part of town that's perfectly nice but that you wouldn't normally be likely to go to as a visitor unless you were specifically looking for Cuban or Vietnamese or Bosnian food.

Havana Rumba is a sit-down restaurant and attractive, but it's not terribly expensive and not at all snooty. THat would be my choice.

Havana Rumba is excellent, a surprise strong contender is Eva Mae's on River Road in prospect if you are out that way.

Just to give you another option, Avalon has a pretty good Cuban Sandwich and one of the nicer patios in town. If the weather cooperates and you want to eat outdoors we find Avalon pretty hard to pass up. They have lots of variety and their small plates menu always seems to get passed around the table for those that may want something other than the Cuban.

Our plant used to be less than a mile from the original Valu that started the Cuban Sandwich. It used to be a regular in our lunch rotation and that is one of the things I miss most since we moved to Jeffersonville.

Enjoy your visit.

Hello everybody:

I miss louisville and the people. Talking about cuban food is one of my passions, the cuban at valu- market is good but real cuban sandwishes are never made with puled pork like they do. The cuban sandwich was born like the turkey sanwich after christmas here in the States, in cuba you have the cubano that is really called sandwich the pernil, the day after you roasted a pig, left over were use to make sandwiches. The sandwich with puled pork is call pan con lechon eaten at carnivals, fairs etc topped with garlic mojo. There is a place in miami that's call Latin american Cafe it is a counter type of place were cubans drink coffee talk about baseball and when Castro is going to die that makes the cuban sandwishes the way that they are suppose to be made, they roast pork legs and slice then in from of you, butter the bread and make the sandwishes right in front of you and them press then, a good place to have a good cubano if you have a chance. Just my two cents from Margarita Island. I hope everybody is doing well and we will visit Louisville in in august. Fernando.