The rich, aromatic tradition of Cuban coffee is known for its intense, bold flavor and smooth, sweet finish. This distinctive profile, often achieved with a dark roast and a touch of sugar during brewing, has captivated coffee lovers worldwide. Finding an authentic and high-quality Cuban-style coffee can elevate your morning routine, turning a simple cup into a cherished ritual.
Whether you prefer the convenience of pre-ground coffee or the ultimate freshness of whole beans, there is a perfect brand for your palate. From iconic household names to specialty organic roasters, this roundup covers the best options available to help you craft the perfect cafecito or cortadito at home.
Our Top Picks for Authentic Cuban Coffee
- Mayorga Organic Coffee 2lb Cafe Cubano Roast
- Café Bustelo Supreme Espresso Style Whole Bean
- Cafe La Llave Espresso Dark Roast Coffee
- Chock Full o’Nuts Cuban Roast Ground Coffee
- Café Bustelo Coffee Espresso
- Pilon Gourmet Whole Bean Restaurant Blend
- Café Bustelo Espresso Dark Roast Ground Coffee
- Naviera Cuban Style Dark Roasted Coffee
- Pilon Espresso Ground Coffee, Dark Roast
Mayorga Organic Coffee 2lb Cafe Cubano Roast
Mayorga’s Cafe Cubano Roast offers a premium, specialty-grade experience for the discerning coffee drinker. This blend is crafted from 100% organic Arabica beans sourced directly from small partner farms in Peru, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The result is a high-quality, ethically sourced product that is USDA Organic, Non-GMO, and Kosher.
Roasted in small batches using a signature Latin slow-roasting technique, this dark roast delivers a bold and remarkably smooth flavor with low acidity. You can expect a complex profile with hints of sweet vanilla and a syrupy smokiness, culminating in a clean, satisfying finish. Supplied as whole beans, it ensures maximum freshness when you grind it just before brewing.
Café Bustelo Supreme by Bustelo Espresso Style Whole Bean Coffee
Café Bustelo Supreme provides the iconic, bold flavor the brand is known for in a whole bean format. This allows you to grind the coffee immediately before brewing, capturing the full complexity of its aroma and taste. It’s an excellent choice for those who appreciate a fresh grind but want the consistent, rich profile of a classic.
This medium-dark roast offers an exotic, roasted flavor and a robust, full-bodied character that stands up well in any preparation. Whether you use it in an espresso machine, a Moka pot, or a standard drip coffee maker, it delivers a powerful and authentic espresso-style experience that forms the perfect base for a traditional colada.
Cafe La Llave Espresso Dark Roast Coffee
Cafe La Llave is a favorite among Latin espresso lovers, known for its consistent quality and strong character. This dark roast coffee is pure 100% coffee, delivering a straightforward and potent espresso experience. Its reputation is built on providing an authentic taste that resonates with tradition.
The brand is committed to more than just flavor; its Direct Impact Initiative ensures that business decisions consider the preservation of natural resources for future generations. This means you can enjoy a cup of coffee that not only tastes good but also supports responsible practices.
Chock Full o’Nuts Original Roast Ground Coffee
Chock Full o’Nuts Cuban Roast is inspired by the rich, dark coffees found on the island. This ground coffee features a blend of beans roasted to perfection, producing a cup that is bold with subtle sweet notes and a completely delicious flavor. Its unmistakable aroma will fill your kitchen with an inviting fragrance.
This coffee comes in an all-purpose grind, making it suitable for virtually any type of coffee maker. From a standard auto-drip machine to a French press, the first scoop will get you on your way to brewing a smooth, full-bodied cup of coffee with ease and convenience.
Café Bustelo Coffee Espresso
This is the classic Café Bustelo espresso, packaged in its recognizable brick or can. As the number one selling Cuban coffee, it has earned its place in countless households. Its strong and powerful character is precisely what is needed to make a perfect, shareable colada.
The finely ground coffee is ready to use in your Moka pot or espresso machine, delivering a consistently robust and full-bodied shot every time. It’s a no-fuss, reliable option for those who value tradition and a potent, caffeine-rich start to their day.
Pilon Gourmet Whole Bean Restaurant Blend Espresso Coffee
Pilon has been crafting coffee since 1865, bringing a long history of expertise to every bag. This Gourmet Whole Bean Restaurant Blend is a testament to that tradition, offering a truly gourmet experience. The whole beans ensure you get the freshest possible flavor when you grind them at home.
This is a rich, dark espresso roast that provides a deep and complex cup. It’s the same quality of coffee you might find served in restaurants, making it ideal for those who want to bring a professional-grade coffee experience into their own kitchen.
Café Bustelo Espresso Dark Roast Ground Coffee
Presented in a classic metal can, this Café Bustelo Espresso Dark Roast is a pantry staple. Its ground coffee is ready to brew, offering incredible convenience without sacrificing the bold sabor latino the brand is famous for. The robust, full-bodied flavor is captivating with or without cream and sugar.
The fine grind is specifically designed for espresso-style brewing methods like a stovetop Moka pot. It produces a concentrated coffee with a rich crema and an intense aroma that is the very essence of a traditional Cuban coffee break.
Naviera Cuban Style Dark Roasted Coffee
Naviera brings a taste of tradition with its Cuban Style Dark Roasted Coffee, roasted daily in its facility in Tampa, Florida. This connection to a historic Cuban-American community underscores its authenticity. The coffee is known for delivering a rich and smooth flavor profile that is both satisfying and approachable.
As an American-made product, it supports local roasting jobs while staying true to the Cuban coffee tradition. It’s a great choice for those who want to enjoy a smooth, dark roast coffee with the convenience of a pre-ground format.
Pilon Espresso Ground Coffee, Dark Roast
Another excellent offering from the historic Pilon brand, this Espresso Ground Coffee is pre-ground for your convenience. As a dark roast, it provides the intense and rich flavor that is characteristic of a good Cuban-style coffee. It’s a reliable and widely available option for your daily brew.
This coffee is crafted to deliver a consistent performance, whether you’re making a single shot of espresso or a larger pot of strong coffee. Its deep, roasted notes make it a solid choice for anyone building their home coffee repertoire with trusted, classic brands.
Buying Guide: How to Choose Your Cuban Coffee
When we start looking for the best Cuban coffee brands, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the options. The key is knowing what makes this coffee style unique. Authentic Cuban coffee is known for being dark roasted, oily, and having a powerful, full-bodied flavor with low acidity. It’s the kind of coffee that stands up well to sugar, which is essential for making a classic cafecito.
First, consider the roast. A true Cuban-style roast is very dark, often labeled as espresso or Italian roast. Don’t be afraid of shiny, oily beans; that’s a sign of a deep roast and it’s exactly what you want for that traditional, robust taste. If you prefer a smoother, less intense cup, you might look for a medium-dark roast instead, but it won’t be as authentic.
Next, think about the grind. For the classic stovetop cafetera (or Moka pot), which is the most common way to brew Cuban coffee at home, you need a fine grind, similar to what you’d use for espresso. Many brands offer pre-ground coffee specifically for this purpose, which is super convenient. If you buy whole bean, you’ll need a good grinder to get that fine, powdery consistency.
Finally, pay attention to the blend. While 100% Arabica beans can produce a fantastic cup, many traditional Cuban coffees use a blend with a portion of Robusta beans. Robusta adds that signature crema and an extra caffeine kick, contributing to the intense, slightly bitter profile that cuts through the sweetness of sugar so well. Your personal preference for a smoother (more Arabica) versus a stronger, more traditional (some Robusta) cup will guide you here. Finding the best Cuban coffee brands is all about matching these characteristics to your own taste and brewing method.
FAQ
What makes Cuban coffee different from other types of coffee?
The main difference lies in the roast and how it’s typically prepared. Cuban coffee is almost always a very dark roast, which gives it a strong, bold, and slightly smoky flavor with very low acidity. The most famous way to drink it is as a cafecito, which is a small, potent shot of espresso sweetened with a generous amount of demerara sugar during the brewing process to create a creamy foam on top.
Can I use a regular coffee maker to brew Cuban coffee?
You can, but you won’t get the authentic experience or flavor. The traditional method uses a stovetop Moka pot, often called a cafetera. This brewer creates a concentrated, strong coffee that is the foundation for drinks like the cafecito and cortadito. A regular drip coffee maker produces a much milder brew that doesn’t hold up the same way when sugar is added. For the best results, we recommend using a Moka pot.
Why is Cuban coffee often pre-ground?
This is largely a cultural and practical tradition. The Moka pot requires a fine grind, and for decades, it was simply more common and accessible for people to buy coffee that was already ground to the perfect consistency for their cafetera. While whole bean coffee is now widely available, many of the most popular and authentic best Cuban coffee brands still sell their product pre-ground to maintain that tradition and convenience.
What is the difference between Bustelo and Pilon?
Both are excellent, widely available brands that represent the classic Cuban-style profile. The difference is subtle and comes down to personal taste. Cafe Bustelo tends to have a slightly more intense, bitter, and robust flavor, often attributed to a higher Robusta content. Cafe Pilon is often described as having a slightly smoother, more aromatic profile while still being very strong. It’s a great idea to try both and see which one you prefer.
How do I make a traditional Cuban cafecito at home?
It’s simpler than you might think. First, brew a very strong coffee using a Moka pot. While the first few drops of coffee come out, add a tablespoon or two of demerara sugar to your serving cup. Add a small spoonful of the freshly brewed coffee to the sugar and vigorously whisk it with a spoon until it becomes a light brown, creamy paste. Then, slowly pour the rest of the brewed coffee into the cup, stirring gently. The result is a sweet, strong coffee with a beautiful layer of espuma (foam) on top.