Guide to Unusual and Hidden Places in Mexico City / Café La Habana, Where Che and Fidel Planned a Revolution
Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Fidel Castro Ruz, leaders of the 26th of July Movement (M-26-7) that culminated in the Cuban Revolution, met in Mexico.
By: Jajo Crespo / Photos by Farisori
Che Guevara entered Mexico through the Guatemala border in 1954, headed for the capital. Fidel Castro, on the other hand, arrived in 1955 as an exile, and it was in that same year that his brother introduced him to Ernesto in Mexico City, where they organized the leadership of the 26th of July Movement. One of the favorite haunts of these revolutionaries was Café La Habana, which was already bustling at the time. In addition to Cubans, the café attracted Spanish Republican exiles fleeing the Franco regime.
Some sources falsely claim that the assault on the Moncada Barracks was planned at the bar of Café La Habana. However, this is inaccurate; the failed assault occurred on July 26, 1953, while Fidel and Che didn't meet until 1955. In honor of that initial insurrection attempt, the plan they did devise together was named the "26th of July Movement," beginning on November 25, 1956.
Café La Habana Beyond the Revolution
Apart from being a center of insurgency, Café La Habana was throughout the 20th century a favored meeting place for Mexican intellectuals. Here are a few scenarios to fuel your imagination when you visit:
- Picture Gabriel García Márquez, in poverty, writing pages upon pages of *One Hundred Years of Solitude* "like a train."
- Imagine Octavio Paz, before his fame, writing Freedom Under Parole.
- Mario Santiago Papasquiaro, Roberto Bolaño (another exile, as usual), and José Vicente Anaya chatting at a corner table, unaware that this would lead to the birth of the Infrarealist movement.
- Now, imagine yourself sitting at any table in Café La Habana, and in Roberto Bolaño's imagination, you become an environmental character in Café Quito, inspired by Café La Habana, as depicted in his novels *The Savage Detectives* or *Amulet*.
- In 2023, journalist Cristina Pacheco acknowledged the café's significance by dedicating an episode of her series *Aquí nos tocó vivir* to it. The show aired for 45 years and was recognized by UNESCO in 2010 for its contributions to the memory of Mexico City.
In the end, may there never be an end.
Café La Habana was founded in 1952, boasts over 70 years of history, and leaves a mark on global importance. The coffee and food are decent but won't change your life. However, if you're in the mood for a coffee and don't mind the place, consider that consuming at Café La Habana helps this globally significant venue continue to thrive.
- Address: Av. Morelos 62, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Mexico City, CDMX
- Contact info: +52 55 5535 2620
- Operating hours: Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 12 am. Sundays from 7 am to 11 pm.
- Ideal for: having coffee and a Mexican breakfast
- Payment: cash and cards
- Accessibility: yes
- Parking: no
- Reservations: possible by phone but not necessary
- Nearby public transport: Hidalgo metro station
- Pet friendly: no
- Suitable for children: yes
- Vegan options: no
- Price of beer: 45 pesos
