~ History & Vision ~


A QUICK GLANCE AT THE SIXTY-YEAR LONG HISTORY OF A HAVANA BUSINESS
La Bodeguita Del Medio

Each place in the world has something to pride itself on or at the very least, which sets it apart from everywhere else. The Cuban metropolis Havana is certainly no exception to this rule. That said, you will be hard pushed to find any other venue in the city boasting such a long and rich history and with so many famous guests on its books as La Bodeguita del Medio on central Empedrado Street which truly unites the colonial past with contemporary life.
For some reason unbeknown to us, it is said that the Bodeguita stands at a distance of one hundred paving stones from the largest American Baroque building in Cuba, which if tested, unarguably proves to be Havana cathedral.  In 1950, La Bodeguita del Medio restaurant (which in Spanish means pub in the middle of the street) first opened its doors at number 27, Empedrado Street. To most of us, this choice of location might appear quite logical, however in fact the preferred  “strategic point” for restaurants and bars is that of a street corner.
As you enter the Bodeguita  (in Havana) for the first time, your olfactory senses will revel in the delightful aroma of Cuban mint, while sampling the special herbs apparently does wonders to your digestive system. Thus, these inseparable ingredients became the rudiments of the famous drink we now know as MOJITO, whose current form and taste were developed right here in La Bodeguita. At the back of the Havana Bodeguita restaurant, guests have the chance to sample excellent Cuban cuisine, while at the same time sit back and take in the sounds of traditional melodies sung by a Cuban trio.tria.

Let us now return to the war-torn years of the twentieth century, looking, in particular  at the year 1942, when Angel Martinez Borroto finally gave in to the powers of his entrepreneurial intuition and bought a small shop in the still fortified historical part of the city. Soon after embarking on this business venture, he set about managing and developing his small enterprise, going by the name La Casa Martinez.  Shortly afterwards, Felito Ayon, a man of similar character to Martinez, set up his own printing shop nearby.  For some time, the establishment had no telephone line and so, customers would occasionally wander over to the Bodeguita to settle business over a glass or two of rum.
Among the most prominent regulars to frequent the Bodeguita at the time, were the classic Cuban poet Nikolas Guillen and the notable prose writer Alejo Carpentier. Gradually La Bodeguita established an impressive clientele base proving a popular choice for intellectuals, artists and simple Bohemians alike. Indeed, over time, the Bodeguita became a forum for progressive thinking intellectuals (arriving from Latin America as well as the wider word) to meet and discuss.
During the first stages of its operation, visitors’ indulgent behaviour was confined to the bar. Some time later, however, the guests (usually friends of Martinez) could also sit down to eat.  Initially meals were only available to family members and the sparse waiting staff, prepared by Martinez’s wife, nicknamed  “Armenian girl” (presumably for her dark skin tone). At this time, the main ingredients comprised a combination of black beans and white rice, or as it was more often referred to: Maoris and Christians, or simply “CONGRI”.  To finish off, guests were served pieces of baked pork, called “Masas de puerco fritas” and either fried banana chips or small banana pancakes, referred to by the locals as “Tostans de platano.”

Martinez was clearly devoted to satisfying the requests of his most trusted customers and subsequently began serving food, despite the fact that people only paid for the drinks.

In 1950, the title of Martinez’s enterprise was changed indefinitely from La Casa Martinez to the name that regulars had been using for some time: La Bodeguita.
This same decade also saw the arrival of a new wave of clientele coming from all over the world, including the likes of the American singer, Nat King Cole, Nobel prize winner for literature, Ernest Hemingway, the idols of female beauty, Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren, the American actor, Spencer Tracy, not to mention Errol Flynn, Austin Lara or Mario Moreno. Together with their Cuban intellectual counterparts, these names have attracted a constantly growing number of dedicated visitors.
Today La Bodeguita del Medio serves as an unfading reminder to its Bohemian past where guests, whether intellectuals, politicians or passers-by continue to meet and while away the time.

As to the colonial building of the Bodeguita, dating back to the end of the 19th century, many visitors believe that the collection of invaluable signatures, memories and photographs preserved on the stonewalls deserve to feature in the Guinness book of records.
Let us now move on to the history of the Prague Bodeguita, established on 17th December 2002 - 60 years after the opening of the original Havana restaurant.