November 11, 2024 · Team HG
In the Via Vecchia, the famous little street with bars and restaurants in the city of Groningen, sits Hemingway’s CubaThe other three establishments on the street are Moro, Cervantes, and Boccaccio. All four restaurants are inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. Hemingways, as the place is popularly known, is a bit of an exception to this. Not in terms of the menu, but certainly in terms of the setting. Inside, it breathes Cuba, with colorful posters and a wall covered in writing. The interior, which has remained unchanged for years, is meant to transport you to swinging Cuba.
Owner Michel Ingeneeger has been there for almost twenty years now and is still very satisfied. According to him, the success lies not only in the food, but especially in the cocktails they serve, combined with the Caribbean atmosphere. ‘The cocktails, that’s what we’re known for. Of course, we serve the classics like the Mojito, Cuba Libre, or the Papa Doble, but also tiki cocktails (very sweet tropical cocktails), Espresso Martini, Pornstar, Negroni, or a Caipirinha. Lots of cocktails with Havana Club rum, because hey, we are in Cuba, after all.’
The menu features many tapas such as loaded potato, crispy cauliflower, dates filled with chorizo, prawns in coconut curry, or meatballs in tomato sauce. If you are really looking for typical Cuban dishes, the choice is limited to Ropa Vieja Cubana, the traditional beef stew with bread and corn on the cob, or Moros y Cristianos, Cuban-spiced rice with black beans and vegetables, ‘but tasty,’ adds Ingeneeger. Furthermore, there are ‘regular’ dishes like spare ribs, pulled pork, or goat cheese in puff pastry.
According to Ingeneeger, the homemade nachos are quite different from what you get elsewhere. ‘We make the nachos ourselves. That is already a lot tastier than when you buy them ready-made. We serve them with cheese, tomato salsa, guacamole, and crème fraîche. There is also a pulled pork version, with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, and pico de gallo.’
They host multiple cocktail workshops at Hemingway’s every week. ‘They are really wildly popular,’ says Ingeneeger. ‘I think there is hardly anyone in Groningen who hasn’t done one of these workshops with us yet. It really is the ideal outing for bachelor parties or student parties.’
If cocktails aren't really your thing, you can go there once a month for a salsa night. Then all the tables and chairs are moved aside, a DJ comes in, and you dance until 3:00 AM.
Hemingway’s Cuba is open daily from 5:00 PM. For more information, visit hemingwaygroningen.nl
