I don't get lots of chances to come here, but when I can, I run! Owner and sweetheart of a lady Annarella and her family have truly given us something special. This is Cuban food your abuela - and in Annarella's case, her dear Mima - would make for you. (And many of the recipes are hers) Everything on their menu is good. Seriously, you can't go wrong: Mima's daily specials, empanadas, the De Todito Pollo chicken sandwich, Mima's croquetas, the oxtail sandwich, the Cuban sandwich & medianoche, the vaca frita fries (yes, if I lived closer, I'd be even chunkier for sure!) and one of my cravings, the Elena Ruz (a classic Cuban treat of turkey, cream cheese and strawberry jam - it just works!) Important to note: "Asi viene el sandwich meng!" Please don't ask for modifications on anything they make - just trust them and have the true experiencia cubana - they know what they're doing. :) It's a sweet, tiny spot with a cute counter to enjoy your feast. They also have great fruit batidos (shakes) - mango, fruta bomba (papaya) and mamey -- all delicious and made fresh. They'll also make a cafecito for you - all part of the most lovely, authentic Cuban experience you'll ever have for many miles. Dale! read more

Great Cuban spot! We were thinking of heading to Jersey to get Cuban and then found this highly rated cafe so decided to head over and I'm so glad we did. The space is small and cute with a counter to eat and appears to be very clean. The owner (I think the woman is the owner) is super friendly. The food is all reasonably priced and is fantastic. Went with ropa vieja, cuban sandwich, empanada, and the pudding dessert. It's one of those places that after you leave you text ppl in the area telling them they have to come here. read more

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Followed up my El Cubano with a sampler of every empanada on the menu and was equally impressed. So I think the goal now is to try every item on the menu. read more

This place is truly special! If you're Cuban, you'll feel like you've been transported straight back to your abuelita Mima's kitchen. We happily drive an hour just to enjoy these authentic dishes. The croquetas are perfection, and the vaca frita fries are my ultimate savory guilty pleasure. JJ's pan con bistec hits the spot every time with its perfectly seasoned, thinly sliced steak. The empanadas and pastelitos? Easily the best I've ever had. Beyond the food, the service is just as memorable--warm, welcoming, and filled with genuine care. You can taste and feel the love Annarella pours into every dish and every guest's experience. ¡Dale! read more

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Even though the food is fabuloso, don't overlook the coffee!!! Truly the taste of authentic Cuban coffee!!! And the owner Annarella could not be more welcoming and appreciative... GO HERE!! read more

Really delicious food. The shakes weren't overly sweet either. The plantain chips were a nice complement.

I may not be Cuban, but after spending years around Cuban families (thanks to a couple of Cuban boyfriends ), I know authentic Cuban food when I taste it--and this is the real deal! Estaba buenísimo! A cozy café with window stools along wide countertop to dine inside. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, charging station for your cell phone and help yourself to refreshing lemon water. The owner is super friendly, and there's convenient municipal parking right across the street. Can't wait to return! Tostones con Mojo/Fried Green Pantains with Garlic Sauce. (The garlic sauce is a family recipe - absolutely delicious.) I poured the sauce on my sandwich it was that good. Media NochePernil, ham, swiss, pickles and mustard all pressed on sweet Cuban egg bread. (everything I wanted from a Cuban sandwich, but with a softer sweeter bread.) Papi's Pan con Lechon Roasted mojo pork and grilled onions on toasted Cuban bread.(awesome according to my daughter) Cortadito Bon Bon Espresso with equal part condensed milk Jupina - cuban pineapple soda (so good. I had to take a can home.) They're closed on Sunday and Monday . I would recommend calling ahead to place an order if you're going to take out. read more

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I've been dying to try this place since I stumbled upon it on Instagram. I finally got a chance today to stop by during lunch. The spot is quaint and very clean on the inside. They offer take out or you can sit at the bar top on a stool. I ordered the media noche sandwich and OMG it was so delicious. I devoured it immediately. The bread was fresh and had the right amount of texture and size to fit the following on the inside. It had pernil (pork), ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard all on the most flavorful pressed Cuban bread (are you salivating yet?). I also had a side of yuca which had great flavor. The menu includes other sandwiches, daily specials that include stewed oxtail, Ropa vieja (shredded flank steak with onions and peppers slowly simmered) and fried pork chunks to name a few. They also have mango, guava and papaya shakes! Sweet and savory pastries as well. Of course they also sell Cuban coffee! Please note that there is metered parking only and I was able to find a spot within minutes of arriving. I will definitely go back and try other menu items because the pastries looked amazing but I was stuffed from lunch. read more

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Wow. What a hidden gem. Super friendly staff in a cute little space. Nice music and a bunch of plants make it feel welcoming to hang out and eat. My media noce sandwich was spot on from the bread to the fillings! Also had some of the potato balls and some fried plantain! All excellent!!! read more

Staff is super friendly, food is really good. Not much else I can really say I can't stop thinking about those empanadas read more

I really would like to love this place as my wife is Cuban but the service isn't friendly and 28 mins for our order at a fast food sit on. No parking and greasy. read more

Had the chance to experience this excellent cuisine through a yelp event at Simple Motive Brewery. The Cubano sandwich was delectable. The Pastries served as a great sweet treat. Tasted very authentic. I couldn't help but to want more. Will have to try those sandwiches again read more

This is big-ticket eating at bus-ticket prices, on Hartsdale Ave closer to Central Ave. I'm thanking the heavens that a real Cuban restaurant set up shop here. There's one so-called 'Cuban' restaurant over in Tarrytown making food with south of the border seasonings (no offense) and the last time hubs and I visited, that was enough to turn us off. But behold Matanzas Cuban Café! The husband+wife team are making a tsunami of an impression in this little space with their authentic Cuban flavors after taking over the previous Chinese take-out space. Matanzas is mainly to-go eating- but you can have a bite to eat here. It sits 4 at most- squeeze in a 5th at the street window counter. We haven't ordered main plates yet, but so far, the few items I've picked up have all tasted wonderful with authentic Cuban flair. The pastelitos de guyaba (with/without queso) are made from scratch and taken to the next level with a puff pastry that has the perfect rise and flakiness- but you won't have a gazillion flakes on your plate. The guayaba, is pure tropical goodness of chunky-almost-purée filling. My husband loves the ropa vieja empanadas and according to him, they're filled with the right ratio of onion-to-beef and love. Hubs also loves their sanguche Cubano (Cuban sandwich)- that's packed with all that Cuban action and placed on la plancha for a nice crunch exterior on the bread. I don't eat pork- but I will note Matanzas' Cuban sandwich has a nice look to it. The Guanabana (soursop) shake has a wonderful consistency- but it needs more Guanabana to make it really pop. This is a tiny but mighty Cuban place. If you talk to the owner, she's all about family and that's what you see, hear, smell and taste here. Annarella runs her place in perfect working order. Service is both personal and friendly and prices are just right. read more

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Okay!!! Where to I start?! Let me start by saying that the owner is a sweetheart! Very welcoming and a great smile. We originally went for a cuban sandwich. Thats quickly turned into 2 cuban sandwich, Croquetas, and one of each of their empanadas along with an order of black beans, arroz con leche and a cafecito cortado bonbon i believe was the cafe i had. The cafesito was on point!!!! 10/10 The cuban sandwich was MIND BLOWING. THE PORK WAS JUICY THE BREAD WAS TOASTY. HOLY COW. 10/10 Every single empanada was on point. 10/10 The croquetas were also delicious 10/10 There is nothing negative to say about this establishment. We WILL be returning. Let also add this. Lol after devouring the food. I was met with a sense of happiness bought to me by this experience. I use the word experience because that's exactly what we had. Also i really didnt take many pictures because we sat down and got BUSY!!!! read more

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Came here for take out with a few friends. Small spot with a couple of seats, but not a full sit down restaurant. They have an extensive menu, but I'll highlight some of what we got, will def come back here another time. Cubano media noche - cuban with diff bread. I think this will be my go-to choice. Lechon sandwich - lots of meat, and then more meat. Vaca frita fries - can do without these, they have shredded flank steak with the fries, but it just wasnt my thing. Yuca - nice and soft with some mojo sauce. always need a side of yuca! read more

Matanzas is very good and has a nice atmosphere! Food tastes really good and the pudding is good.

This is the best Cuban food I've had outside of Miami. Whatever you decide to try, you won't be disappointed. I love the pan con bistec and the Cubano sandwich. Their ropa vieja is great and their arroz con pollo (only on Fridays) is another one of my favorites. They have amazing guava pastries (plain guava and guava and cheese). It's a small spot with a few stools and a counter. Service is excellent! One of the best things about Matanzas is that the food and service are consistently great. read more

Matanzas Cuban Cafe - Pan con bistec - Cuban Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

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Greeted with a welcoming smile from the owner. Every bite was exceptional. The Cuban sandwich was loaded with meat and the bread had a pleasant sweetness and a snap. The Saturday picadillo special reminded me of my favorite NYC place that closed years ago leaving a longing for this dish. Empanadas were crisp and delicious. Such a great addition to the Westchester dining scene. Can't wait to come back! read more

@matanzascubancafe WOOW! This is is exactly why we started a food page, to find small places with HUGE flavor! * Guys this is just a small preview of what they have from pastries to full blown oxtail stew dinners! * Every day of the week there is a specific item that's the daily special, so Thursday we will be here for the Oxtail stew and Friday for the chicken stew * This is a perfect place to grab amazing Cuban food! read more

Small little cafe with a few lunch counter style seats. Great brightly light interior with Cuban/Latin accoutrements. A very friendly and attentive staff. The owner herself attended to us. I initially wanted the El Cubano but I saw the Papi's Pan Con Lechon and I need that mojo pork right away. It was delicious with the caramelized onions and buttered bread. We also had the ropa Vieja that was tender and flavorful. This place gets two thumbs up! read more

Matanzas Cuban Cafe - Papi's Pan Con Lechon - Cuban Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

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I am a city girl who loves Cuban food and travels far and wide for it - now living in Westchester I felt that I had super limited options for comida criolla . I've been eyeing Matanzas for some time and once they were featured in "Westchester best " this year ; figured it was a sign . I came in on a Saturday afternoon with my husband and infant. The staff is super friendly and as a new mom, I still don't know how to fully navigate eating out and the staff was so accommodating in getting us a high chair and helping us get comfortable . As folks mention, it is a small seating space but you/they make it work . My husband had the cubano, and I had the pernil with rice and beans . Because we grew up in the city , we associate $14-16 entrees to maybe not be meal sizes to split . Welp- we were wrong . The portions are pretty generous and we ended up packing food to go ( travels and reheats well). The food was quick to arrive , flavorful , but you can tell made with a lot of love . We will def be back and so happy to see an authentic Cuban restaurant in such proximity to our home ( we can stop traveling to Miami lol). read more

Matanzas Cuban Cafe - Cubano; café con leche ( iced ) - Cuban Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

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I finally got to check this place out and it was worth it! It was smaller than I expected and has a few stools to sit if you wanted to eat in. We were greeted warmly upon entering and provided menus. I love that they have an open kitchen in the back and can see the hard work and love being put into the food. I ordered a cuban sandwich, ropa vieja empanada, papa rellenas, pernil platter and the guava bread pudding. I was offered a sample of the bread pudding and able to secure the last piece they had. It only took a decent amount of time to put my order together to take home but worth it. The cuban was one of the best Ive ever had. The ropa vieja empanada was sooo good and soo flavorful. The papa rellenas perfectly seasoned and crispy. The pernil was also delicious and included white rice and black beans. The guava bread pudding was outstanding. I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu. They have different specials every day which I will also have to try. read more

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Very nice place! There's a public parking lot across the street behind ihop. Its 25 cents for 15 minutes there. Service is really good. You can sit inside. It's nice and cozy. The cafe con leech was good, so was the flan. They're really popular. A lot of people were coming in for to go orders. They have specials every day. read more

Matanzas Cuban Cafe - Cafe con leche was so good on a really cold day! - Cuban Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

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This place is near to my home so I decided to try it out. It's small but cute; definitely more for take out than actually dining in. The staff is friendly & they offer complimentary lemon water. Our order was very quick, barely a wait time. The Cuban sandwich was good but the papi's pan con lechón was even better: the sweet onions were such a good contrast to the meat. I would get that next time because it's that good. We also got the beef pastelito (it's ground beef inside) which was okay. I was expecting another type of meat inside but the puff pastry was flaky & delicious, so I would want to try the guava next time. The only thing I really did not like were the vaca frita fries which were too greasy and soggy for my taste. The fries have mojo which may have contributed to the sogginess but I would definitely pass on that for next time. But overall, solid Cuban place & will be back to try the other stuff on the menu. read more

Matanzas Cuban Cafe - Complimentary water - Cuban Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

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Great juicy sandwiches . Cuban, roast beef. Short rib and chicken all great . Very savory and delicious

Second time I went to this place and they were closed. No internet notice, no phone message, ZERO. Done here

Matanzas' customer service is top tier! Small but inviting space and you're immediately greeted upon entering. Great shakes, flan and empanadas. The owner is hands on, super pleasant and inviting. Check them out, you won't regret it! read more

Amazingly fluffy & light papas rellenas. Not at all greasy or heavy. I just wish I ordered more. They also make mini ones for catering, which I think would be amazing for my next cocktail & app gathering, or pot luck Last good one I had was in Queens a while back. Their croquetas are also very good, plus their guava puff pastry empanadas . It's in Hartsdale around the corner from Fantasy Cuisine read more

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Absolutely love this cafe! It's so great to have a local Cuban spot that is this good. I had the De Todito Pollo (grilled chicken breast sandwich) with plantain chips and my fiancé had the JJ's Pan con Bistec (marinated steak sandwich) and we were both so happy with our choices. These sandwiches were cooked just right, incredibly flavorful, and you can't go wrong with the Cuban bread! I'm a fan of garlic so definitely tasted a hint of it in my sandwich, which I loved. We also had a chicken pastelito, one of my favorites due to its flaky crust. The storefront itself is quaint / small - there are some stools along the window maybe enough for 4 people max so it's more of a grab and go / order & pick up type place. We did get to grab two stools and eat on site, which was nice. The staff was also very friendly and all had smiles on their faces. You can tell they really welcome their patrons and are happy to have you there and serve you some amazing Cuban food :). We'll definitely be back and would recommend it to locals and Westchester visitors alike! read more

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Delicious authentic cuban food that taste like it was made with love. A trendy cute little spot! With amazing service and one of the best iced coffees I've ever had :) will be back !! read more

Matanzas Cuban Cafe - Sandwich cubano, oxtail sandwich, and iced cafe con leche - Cuban Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

Loved the food and staff; I'll be back! I am Cuban and it bought back the authentic tastes of my childhood, the good old days great food and family! read more

The pickiest eater I know just called this Cuban sandwich a dream. It was the best one she has had. And she is a fan of Cuban sandwiches. This was great. read more

All I have to say is that I can't wait to come back here!!!! But on a serious note, Westchester county and tbh NYC lacks Cuban food so when this little cafe popped up on my Yelp, I immediately went the next day. The food was amazing, freshly prepared, and the best Cuban food I've had in my life. My roommate is Cuban and from Miami so I know I can trust her judgement when it comes to good Cuban food and let me tell you, her expectations were high and the food went over and beyond those expectations. The menu is quite extensive and it ranges from bakery pastries to dinner meals. It's a little Cuban-inspired cafe with bar stool seating. I would recommend sitting in to eat so you can eat when the food is hot and fresh. Staff is very kind. My expectations were met in every category! Overall, 10/10, can't wait to come back!! Craving a cortadito bon bon already. read more

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I was so excited to hear that there was a cuban restaurant nearby. I love cuban sandwiches and medianoche's. We ordered a cuban and their smash burger. Unfortunately; the cuban was super greasy which made it very soggy. The smash burger was okay. All in all, I will keep searching for a good hot pressed cuban in Westchester County. read more

la comida es buena pero los batidos no tienen sabor a nada aguados y sin dulce lo demás muy bueno read more

Placed a decent sized order for the first time and had company over, wanting them to try Cuban food. Ordered a variety of dishes and appetizers to get a good feel- Food was delicious, very authentic and hubby approved (he's Cuban American). Highly recommend!!!! read more

Food was excellent. We had Ropa Veija, Cuban Sandwich and the best empanadas I've tasted. Staff were so friendly. I have the food 5 Stars. Only disappointment was parking and space too small to dine in. I highly recommend. read more

I've seen this place for awhile and we decided to go as a family today. It lives up to everything it appears to be. Great food, friendly welcoming staff service and authentic absolutely delicious recipes. Everyone left smiling and talking about it. read more

I ordered for takeout. Vaca frita fries, media noche and papis pan con lechón. They were all very delicious. I love eating protein and it definitely came with a lot of it in each meal all with great flavor and seasoned correctly. The sandwiches were huge. I was not expecting any of that, which all was a pleasant surprise . It made me feel like I was being fed by a typical Hispanic family that always gives you a lot of food even though you don't ask for it. And at good prices. read more

Best Cuban sandwich in Westchester! Westchester has been sorely lacking in good Cuban food since the closing of the Latin American Cafe in White Plains. That seems to be changing with Matanzas. We went here today and had a lovely lunch of ropa vieja, platanos, and pastelitos. Earlier in the week, my family had eaten here and brought home a Cuban sandwich, which was delicious. The ropa vieja, platanos, pastelitos, and rice and beans were also uncommonly good, especially for Westchester. Remember, pastellitos are not the same as empanadas in that pastellitos are sweet. The restaurant is tiny. There are no tables, only a counter next to the window. It really is better as more of a take-out place. The little space they do have has been decorated with funny bumper stickers and Cuban memorabilia. Next time I come here, I will try the coffee which was heavily advertised throughout the store. The service was good. read more