"Havana Sandwich Shop makes the best cubans in the city. Serving as an archive of their 45-plus years in business, the dining area’s yellow walls are plastered with articles about the restaurant’s successes and family photos. They’ve weathered a fire, changed locations multiple times (they’re now back at their OG space on Buford Highway), and survived the pandemic—all while keeping the restaurant family-owned. And while much has changed, their reliability hasn’t. The cuban, stuffed with tender ham and tangy pickles, still tastes like it came from the hands of the family’s patriarch. At lunchtime, the place is crawling with regulars devouring world-class empanadas (chicken/cheese/jalapeño is our fave) with black beans and rice. But the cubano is listed as No.1 on the menu for a reason." - nina reeder, demarco williams, juli horsford, jacinta howard
