Atelier

Located in a residential area just down the street from a primary school, Atelier could be mistaken for a well-kept villa. (In fact, a Cuban senator formerly lived here.) The foyer features antique furniture on which artifacts such as an antique typewriter, ceramic bird lamps and adding machines are artfully juxtaposed with vibrant modern paintings.

In the airy dining room and back terraces diners choose their meals from daily menus written on ration cards, which—considering that they often feature duck and lobster—can seem like a political statement. While the offerings change daily, delicious seafood and meat with exotic twists are always in the cards6. With cool lounge areas on the terraces, there is a hip factor to Atelier that signals it is one of the new breed of paladares.