La Terracita Restaurant in Cojimar Closes Down
This week, people in my town haven’t stopped talking about La Terracita closing down forever.
By Nike
HAVANA TIMES – La Terracita* de Cojimar is a restaurant, it was one of the first ones to open its doors in the ‘90s, when paladares (private restaurants) were allowed to open in Cuba. It owes its name to its terrace. Over the years, a roof extension was made with a larger terrace, a bar and viewpoint where you can admire the entire bay and Cojimar. It was an attraction for children and every family.
Despite every hardship and the ups and downs of the Cuban economy, La Terracita stayed open for many years. With a menu that made them famous among customers, its dishes featured seafood and fish, pork, chicken and a really good ropa vieja with a signature that made them stand out from the rest, as quality cuisine that you know is going to taste good.
Families in the town would go there to celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries and young couples would go there for a Saturday or Sunday night date.
La Terracita has closed down; the family that created and ran it have all left the country.
In order to understand the pain that Cojimar no longer has such a popular restaurant, here are some comments people who have visited the restaurant left on Facebook.
“Sad news for Cojimar locals, who are overcome with nostalgia when they see it all dark and quiet now.”
“We will always remember it for what it was in Havana: La Terracita de Cojimar.”
“I loved it!”
“I have lots of Italian, US and Spanish friends whose favorite restaurant was this one whenever they visited Cuba.”
“My favorite place!”
“Super nice place!”
“This is how sad life is for Cubans today… sad with hope for those who leave… and sad without hope for those who stay.”
“As my grandmother would say, ‘I’d leave my house if it meant to be better off’.”
There’s a saying we Cubans have: “The last one to leave turns off the Morro lighthouse.”
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*It’s not to be confused with La Terraza a famous state restaurant also in Cojimar with photos of Ernest Hemmingway, which catered in recent times mainly to foreign tourists. It has been closed for three years for major repairs.