8 Best Coffee Brands For Cuban Coffee

Are you searching for the best coffee brands for Cuban coffee? Our round-up of the best brands will help you brew authentic Cuban coffee from the comfort of your home.

Best coffee brands for Cuban coffee
The sweet aroma of Cuban coffee

Cuban coffee was a staple in my Godmother’s home. She immigrated from Cuba in the 1980s but never forgot about the traditional flavors of her native country. A good Cuban espresso is important to many people in the Cuban diaspora.

Luckily, there are a few coffee brands that have perfected their roast for this traditional style of coffee!

I set out on a mission to discover the best coffee for Cuban coffee. One sip is all it took for me to imagine myself back in my Godmother’s house, playing piano, smelling the sweet aroma of Cuban coffee. Any coffee lover would appreciate the bold, full flavors of these specially roasted blends.

1. Café Bustelo 

My Godmother always had a brick or tin of this coffee somewhere in her cabinets. Cuban coffee has a very specific taste, and Café Bustelo captures it perfectly. With a dark roast and full-bodied flavor, this coffee is sure to give you that delicious espresso you’re looking for.

The fine grind allows you to get a perfect espresso. Café Bustelo is not only famous for its intense flavor but also for its connection to the Latin community. The brand has its origins in New York, where Spanish immigrants opened a storefront and continue to celebrate the migrant community of Latinos!

Café Bustelo Espresso Dark Roast Ground Coffee Brick, 6 Ounces (Pack of 12)
  • Contains 12- 6 ounce vacuum-packed coffee bricks with classic Café Bustelo dark roast coffee taste
  • Made from 100% pure, high-quality coffee beans roasted to perfection
  • Dark roast coffee with a robust, full-bodied flavor and captivating aroma
  • Ready to brew your way, in electric machines and manual coffee makers, ideal for drip coffee, espressos, cappuccinos, and more coffee drinks
  • Bold sabor latino that stands out, with or without cream or sugar

2. Café La Llave 

Since 1967, Cuban immigrant Francisco Gavina and his family have been roasting a signature blend of coffee beans in Los Angeles. This roast is intense and robust, perfect for Cuban coffee! Café La Llave also offers an espresso grind.

The coffee is rich and smooth, making it the ideal choice for those looking to recreate that classic Cuban coffee flavor. In addition, the brand also supports initiatives that help reduce their impact on the environment and preserve natural resources. 

With such a wonderful and robust flavor, it’s a treat to have it be so cheap and so easily accessible. You might be wondering is Cuban coffee stronger than espresso

Sale
Cafe La Llave Espresso Dark Roast Coffee, 10 Ounce
  • AN ESPRESSO WITH A LATIN SPIRIT; whether along the sunny beaches of Miami or in the cool canyons of Southern California, this is a favorite of Latin espresso lovers.
  • PURE 100% coffee
  • OUR DIRECT IMPACT INITIATIVE influences every business decision we make so that we can preserve natural resources and our environment for future generations of our family and yours
  • FOUR GENERATIONS STRONG: our family's expertise extends more than 140 years and is headquartered outside of Los Angeles in the City of Vernon
  • BLENDED, ROASTED and Packed In The U.S.A.

3. Pilon 

Another great Cuban coffee option is Pilon. Pilon coffee has a smooth and balanced flavor, with a hint of sweetness in each cup, but the added sugar in traditional Cuban coffee might also play a role. The dark roast produces an intense flavor and aroma that will leave you feeling energized throughout the day. 

Dating back to the 19th century, they’ve perfected the art of roasting for traditional Cuban espresso. The special blend is also great for making café con leche or café Cubano and will give you an intense and bold flavor in every sip.

Pilon Espresso Coffee, 10 Ounce (Pack of 12)
  • Dark Roast
  • 100% Pure coffee
  • Extra fine grind
  • Contains 12 - 10 ounce bricks Pilon Espresso Coffee

4. Mayorga 

Mayorga offers a dark roast specialty Cuban coffee blend. This coffee is made with beans from Peru, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The roast brings out a slightly smoky taste that’s perfect for traditional Cuban espresso.

Best coffee brands for cuban coffee
The roast brings out a slightly smoky taste

Mayorga also offers a 100% Arabica blend, which is roasted to perfection and shade-grown. Shade-grown allows the coffee to develop at a slower pace, resulting in a fuller flavor and aroma. The traditional Cuban roast is ideal for making either an espresso or café con leche.

In addition, Mayorga coffee is USDA organic, non-GMO, and powered by renewable energy. This is great news for those looking to enjoy a cup of Cuban coffee while supporting sustainable production practices! Mayorga is also Latin-owned, which is great for those looking to support traditional businesses.

Mayorga Dark Roast Coffee, 2 lb bag - Café Cubano Coffee Roast - 100% Arabica Whole Coffee Beans - Smoothest Organic Coffee - Specialty Grade, Non-GMO, Direct Trade
  • MAYORGA COFFEE CAFÉ CUBANO ROAST - Our Roastmaster craft roasts our coffees from Peru, Honduras and/or Nicaragua, and gives our Café Cubano Roast a unique flavor profile that makes this cuban-style roast a Mayorga favorite. Mayorga has perfected this smooth, dark roast cuban coffee with hints of vanilla and sweet, syrupy smokiness, with a smooth, and bold finish and low acidity.
  • 100% ARABICA WHOLE BEAN COFFEE - Start your day by enjoying the freshness of our organic coffee beans blend consisting of small farmers' best offerings from Latin America. Our whole bean coffee is perfect for coffee lovers who prefer to grind at home for the smoothest, freshest, most flavorful coffee experience.
  • SIGNATURE SLOW-ROASTING PROCESS - Mayorga cofee is specialty grade, 100% Arabica, shade-grown coffee, roasted and packaged in the USA. Using our signature Latin slow-roasting process to craft roast our coffee in small batches, we are able to give each of our signature roasts a distinct flavor and ensure the highest quality.
  • ALWAYS ORGANIC & SUSTAINABLY SOURCED - We believe our customers deserve to consume clean, unadulterated foods. Our 100% organic products are kind to our environment, our customers, and our farmers. This mindset permeates through all aspects of how we run our business and the decisions we make. Operating sustainably isn't a marketing concept. It's a conscientious decision we must make daily.
  • MAYORGA COFFEE - ¡HECHO CON ORGULLO LATINO! Mayorga is Latino-owned company with a focus on supporting producers in Latin America. The quality of our products goes unmatched. Since 1997 we've built a reputation as industry leaders by partnering with farmers rather than trading with them. We are invested in sustainability at all levels not only in Latin America but at all our facilities.

5. La Carreta 

La Carreta is a Miami-based coffee company that’s famous for being served in various restaurants in the city. They use a unique blend of beans from Central and South America for their dark roast, perfect for traditional Cuban espresso. They use both Arabica and Robusta beans from Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, and other countries.

This coffee has a strong flavor that is consistent and beautifully roasted.

With a high 4.5-star rating on Amazon, most people appreciate the strong flavor. La Carreta also offers other flavors like Colombian and French roast, so you can get that delicious cup of espresso without compromising on flavor.

What makes this coffee so unique is that it uses both Arabica and Robusta beans. While Arabica beans are high quality and flavorful, the Robusta beans add a bit of body and depth to the flavor. Robusta beans are also a bit more bitter but offer more caffeine, making this coffee a good balance of strong and bold yet highly energizing.

Cafe La Carreta Espresso Coffee 10 oz Miami Cuban-style Espresso
  • Miami's most popular Cuban Style Coffee.
  • Special blend of selected beans.
  • From a family owned secret recipe.
  • Restaurant quality espresso coffee.
  • Vacuum packed for maximum freshness.

6. Naviera Coffee 

Based in Tampa, Florida, this coffee brand has taken the Cuban coffee scene by storm. Naviera offers a traditional-style dark roast that has a smooth, full-bodied flavor that’s perfect for Cuban espresso. The beans are roasted to give them a bold yet smooth flavor, unlike the bitterness of traditional dark roasts.

Naviera already comes ground finely, making it great for espressos and Cuban coffee.

However, another type of Cuban coffee you can make with Naviera is café con leche. To make café con leche with Naviera, you’ll use a little less than a third of a cup of ground coffee and combine it with around two cups of milk. This will give you a heavenly creamy cup of Cuban coffee that’s satisfying, delicious, and energizing.

However, you can also follow the directions listed on every Naviera package, which is using equal parts of coffee and milk with your desired amount of sugar. Naviera is also Climate Pledge Certified on Amazon. It removes all unnecessary air and water from the packaging, allowing for better and more sustainable shipping and reducing its carbon footprint.

Naviera Cuban Style Dark Roasted Coffee (1 Pack (14 Oz))
  • Rich smooth flavor and American made - roasting every day in our new larger facility In Tampa

7. Chock Full O’ Nuts 

Chock Full O’ Nuts is an iconic New York City-based brand with a great selection of coffees. Their Cuban blend is specially formulated for espresso, café con leche, and other kinds of traditional Cuban coffee. This classic dark roast uses premium beans sourced from Central and South America that are carefully roasted to create an intoxicating aroma.

While they do offer other blends and roasts, like decaffeinated or light roast, Chock Full O’ Nuts’ Cuban blend is the perfect one to get for traditional Cuban espresso. This medium-dark roast has a smooth flavor and pleasant aroma that will delight any coffee lover. If you’re looking for a classic cup of Cuban coffee, give Chock Full O’ Nuts a try!

Chock Full o’Nuts Cuban Roast Ground Coffee, Dark Roast - Arabica Coffee Beans – Rich, Bold Dark Blend with Sweet Notes (10.5 Oz. Can)
  • COFFEE BEANS – Chock Full o’Nuts ground coffee contains a rich blend of coffee beans that have been roasted to perfection. Each cup delivers the delicious flavor and unmistakable aroma of Chock Full o’Nuts.
  • BOLD, DARK AND DELICIOUS – Inspired by the rich, dark coffee found on the island, Chock Full o’Nuts Cuban Roast is bold with some sweet notes, and completely delicious. Amazing flavor and irresistible aroma.
  • ALL PURPOSE GRIND: There is only one grind of Chock Full o’Nuts ground coffee and it makes the perfect cup of coffee. Suitable for all coffee makers, with the first scoop you’re on your way to brewing a cup of The Heavenly Coffee.
  • KOSHER AND GLUTEN FREE: Chock Full o’Nuts ground coffee is Orthodox Union Certified Kosher and also gluten free. It comes in our classic stainless steel, taxicab yellow and black can.
  • BREWING COFFEE SINCE 1932 – From the first shop in New York City to the homes of coffee lovers worldwide, Chock Full o’Nuts has been the trusted name in perfectly roasted “heavenly” coffee for almost 100 years.

8. Gavina Old Havana

From the same makers of Café La Llave, Gavina Old Havana‘s whole-bean espresso blend has beautiful, sweet citrus notes made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from South and Central America. This company has been around since 1870 and focuses on giving its beans a nutty and smooth finish that’s perfect for both espressos and café con leche.

Closeup of the hand of a woman grinding coffee in a machine
Grind it fine enough so that it looks like a powder

Because this medium-dark roast is sold as whole-bean, you can grind it right before you brew your coffee. This will give you the best flavor experience possible, as it’s made specifically for Cuban espresso. Grind it fine enough so that it looks like a powder, and you’ll be good to go.

Sale
Gavina Old Havana Espresso, Whole Bean, 100% Arabica Coffee, 32-Ounce
  • A nod to our Cuban heritage where coffee means espresso; nutty, sweet with hints of citrus, and a smooth finish
  • Our whole bean coffee delivers the freshness and quality you need to create the perfect espresso shot.
  • Our Direct Impact Initiative influences every business decision we make so that we can preserve natural resources and our environment for future generations of our family and yours
  • Coffee is our family tradition
  • Blended, roasted and packed at our zero-waste-to-landfill facility in Los Angeles

Author