Made in Havana, an authentic Cuban restaurant, is moving from its location at 8116 Beverly Blvd to 7168 Melrose Ave.
“This location had everything we wanted in the setup. My current concept is very small, almost ghost kitchen style. I decided to change a bit and make the new spot into more of a cafe. In addition to outdoor seating, we’ll also have indoor seating, which we don’t have at the Beverly location,” owner Noel Toledo tells WNLA.
Toledo, who emigrated from Cuba with his family, started Made in Havana after searching for authentic Cuban food, which he felt was missing from SoCal’s restaurant landscape.
“The menu will stay the same, we usually try to add one or two things throughout the year. We recently added new sandwiches which are doing really well. We may have beer and wine coming soon if I can pull it off,” he adds.
Dishes include Cuban staples like Cuban bowls with mojo chicken, sweet plantains, rice and black beans; a variety of creative Cuban sandwiches, from traditional offerings like roasted pulled pork, ham, and swiss, to American-inspired creations like The Cuban Philly Sandwich with ropa vieja (shredded brisket), provolone and sautéed onions; and desserts.
Toledo says he is inspired by the turnaround Melrose has seen in recent years and is hopeful that this new location will be a hit.
The Beverly Blvd. location will close on Aug. 27, and the tentative opening date for the new Melrose spot is for Sept. 16.
