When Harlem’s wildly popular Floridita had to close a few years ago because Columbia was expanding, people were seriously sad. The restaurant had been serving cheap, authentic Cuban food for 34 years. It was a neighborhood staple, but it also brought people from all over the city in search of a warm plate of rice and beans.
Luckily it just reopened a few blocks away on 125th and Twelfth (in the same building as Dino BBQ). YAY! This reincarnation is like the love child of a diner and a bar (neither of which are abundant around here). Stop by for a quick cafe con leche or linger over a mojito. The menu is large and varied—you can pretty much get whatever you want, whenever you want, from breakfast foods like Huevos con Tostones y Queso Frito or Mangu to traditional dishes like Arroz con Pollo y Chorizo, Asopado and Mofongos. A pitcher of sangria is under $20 and there’s live salsa a few nights a week. It’s a large space with zero scene, but it doesn’t need one—and that’s one of the best things about it.
Cuban comfort food served in a casual atmosphere with reasonable prices? We like! Floridita is back, and the neighborhood couldn’t be happier.
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