HYDE SQ.—A new Cuban restaurant has opened in the former Tacos El Charro space.
The new restaurant, the Old Havana, was opened last month by Juana Tejeda and her husband, a Cuban native, at 349 Centre St. They offer traditional Cuban cuisine, like the nearby El Oriental de Cuba, and a few other dishes like vaca frita—stir-fried beef with a name literally meaning “fried cow”— and pumpkin soup.
Sixto Lopez, Tejeda’s husband and the Old Havana’s manager, told the Gazette that when they bought the restaurant, they also signed a contract with the City to maintain JP’s parklet.
A parklet is a small, semi-permanent public space that resembles a deck, created from two parking spaces. JP’s version is made of wood and has long, curved benches. Each of the City’s three pilot parklets is maintained by partner businesses. In Hyde Square’s case, those were Sonia’s Bridal & Quinceañera and Tacos El Charro. The parklets are expected to return from storage in the spring.
The Old Havana is located at 349 Centre St. and its phone number is 617-477-4948. It does not have a website yet, Tejeda said.
The Old Havana at 349 Centre St. (Gazette Photo by Rebeca Oliveira)