I adore dark, thick, and syrupy Cuban coffee. I’ve wanted to write a post about the best Cuban coffee brands for a while now. This seems like a good year to get into Cuban coffee, doesn’t it?
Cuban coffee (or Cuban espresso) is a dark and robust espresso shot usually served with whipped brown sugar or equal parts steamed milk. The Cuban coffee tradition was brought to the US with the Cuban community that immigrated to Southern Florida, specifically Miami.
Cuban coffee is slightly different than traditional espresso beans because you don’t usually need an espresso machine to make this thick, delightfully strong, and sweet coffee. How I make Cuban coffee at home is with my Moka pot.
I will post a recipe for Cuban coffee drinks in another post. If you’re new to coffee or don’t like dark roast coffee, this might be a bit too strong for you. It makes a Starbucks shot of espresso look like watered down hospital coffee.
Most Cuban coffee beans are traditionally grown in Cuba and are 100% arabica beans. Because of the current international trade relations (or lack of) between the United States and Cuba, the brands we can buy here in the US will be roasted in the Cuban coffee tradition.
Here are my picks for the top 5 best Cuban coffee brands and where you can buy them. These aren’t in any specific order, but they do make their rotating appearance in my coffee stash.
1 – Mayorga Cubano Roast
Mayorga
coffee roasters will probably be the crunchiest brand on this list. Their beans are certified organic, non-GMO, and direct trade certified. Don’t let all of those labels muddy your opinion of this quality Cuban coffee brand.
Their master roaster sources the beans directly from family owned farms across Peru, Honduras, and Nicaragua to roast the 100% arabica beans in the Cuban tradition.
Mayorga’s coffee has hints of vanilla and sweet, syrupy smokiness, with low acidity and a smooth and bold finish. I especially like this roast in an AeroPress or French press application. This brings me to my next point that sets this roast apart.
These beans are also sold in whole bean format. Cuban-style coffee is traditionally sold in compressed bricks of preground coffee that limit how you can use it. Cuban coffee is usually finely ground for pressurized brewing techniques like espresso machines and Moka pots.
The whole beans open up a world of brewing options for this unique roast. I think it would be interesting to see how Mayorga’s beans would perform in a cold brew. I’ll report back this summer.
You can buy a 2 pound bag of Mayorga Cubano Roast on Amazon with free shipping for Prime Members.
2 – Café La Llave Espresso Dark Roast
Café La Llave Espresso Dark Roast
will be the best budget-friendly Cuban coffee brand on this list. The 140 year old family owned business moved to LA from Cuba and has been roasting coffee since.
This preground coffee is rich and robust, just like a good Cuban coffee should be. The coffee is sold in bricks, so I would suggest storing it in an airtight container like this one to ensure the ground coffee stays fresh for as long as possible. A traditional drip maker or Moka pot would help this coffee shine. Maybe make cafe con leche with the final cup.
The beans are dark and smoky and impart a bold but slightly sweet cup of espresso roast coffee. The family has direct relations with their farmers ensuring that the farmers and environment are at the forefront of their business practices.
You can buy a 3 pack of 1 pound bricks of Café La Llave Espresso Dark Roast on Amazon for a lot cheaper than most other options on this list. Rest assured that the lower cost doesn’t equal lower quality.
3 – Café Bustelo Espresso Coffee
Cafe Bustelo’s yellow bricks of pressed preground espresso coffee are not only associated with Cuban coffee. Its iconic packaging has a cult following. The Cuban American community buys this brand of Cuban coffee more than any other brand.
This finely ground espresso traditionally roasted in the Cuban style stands up so well to the strong shots mixed with creamy sweet whipped brown sugar in cafecitos. It also makes a killed Moka pot cup of coffee. I’ve even tried it in my Aeropress with the Fellow Prismo attachment.
The budget-friendly price and quality are a no-brainer when looking for a dependable Cuban brand coffee. This is a great starter coffee for new Cuan coffee drinkers. It’s intense and dark but easy on the palate, especially mixed with sweeteners and milk.
Unlike the other brands on this list, Bustelo was founded in the Bronx, NY, by a Cuban/ Spanish immigrant, Gregorio Menendez Bustelo. He sold his Cuban-style coffee door to door. Bustelo eventually grew the business to the number one Cuban coffee brand in the United States.
You can buy your own 3 pack of 1 pound bricks of the iconic Cafe Bustelo on Amazon for a lot cheaper than most American coffee brands.
4 – Pilon Whole Bean Restaurant Blend Espresso
Pilon rounds out the power of 3 of the Cuban coffee brands in the US. According to a July 2020 survey, Pilon was one of the 3 most popular brands of Cuban coffee in Orlando, FL. I think that says a lot about the authenticity of this brand.
Pilon is a traditionally roasted Cuban coffee brand that has been in business since (in one form another) since the 18th century in Cuba. In the 1960s, during the Cuban Revolution, they moved their operation stateside and haven’t looked back since.
The restaurant blend from Pilon will be a darker creamer roast than their traditional preground bricks, but it doesn’t stray far from its Cuban roots. This coffee will be on the pricier end of the brands on this list.
Since its roast is sold in a whole bean format, you can use various brewing options to achieve this rich and creamy coffee at home. I think it would stand up well to classic coffee as well as a straight espresso shot or latte.
You can buy a Pilon Restaurant Roast Amazon bag with free shipping for Prime members.
5 – Supreme by Bustelo Whole Bean Espresso
Supreme by Bustelo
is the gourmet roast from this famous Cuban coffee brand. This darker roast is sold in a whole bean format, making it fantastic for an array of brewing options.
Bustelo might be the most well known (and affordable) Cuban coffee brand, but it’s usually dols in the traditional preground bricks or an instant coffee format. The newer Supreme roast is interesting since Bustelo hasn’t changed much since the 1930s.
The dark beans are also less oily than other espresso coffee beans making it ideal for finicky burr grinders or premium espresso machines. Dark roasted beans can cause these machines to become gunked up with the natural oils from dark espresso roasted beans.
This smoky, slightly sweet dark bean Is traditionally used as a super fine ground Cuban cafecito or Moka pot application but shines as a cold brew or French press. The darker bean can stand up to the traditional sweetness preparations and (if you’re like me) some coconut milk and vanilla syrup.
You can buy a 1 pound bag of Supreme by Bustelo on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members. I’d love to hear how you use these beans at home since you can grind them as you need.
Conclusion
I hope this post has piqued your interest in Cuban-style coffee. Make sure and stay tuned for my post on how to make Cuban coffee drinks.
Is there a Cuban brand I forgot, or you buy? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.