Looking for a taste of Cuba? This Kentucky city should be on your radar.
Best known for the Kentucky Derby and bourbon, Louisville is also home to one of the fastest-growing Cuban populations in the U.S., bringing an entirely new flavor to the city’s music, culinary, and arts scenes.
(September 17, 2025) - I walked into Sweet Havana, instantly transported to the Miami of my youth. The bakery-restaurant owner, Carmen Margarita Coro, told me how she had built her business into a central hub for Louisville’s Cuban community in just five years. Hearing stories of the Highview neighborhood’s colorful characters—like Officer Vlad, who created TikTok and Instagram accounts to help Spanish-speaking immigrants understand Kentucky laws.
What I found most heartwarming in Louisville, Ky., was connecting with my own Cuban heritage, in the most unexpected of places. Louisville is best known for the Kentucky Derby, bourbon distilleries, and the birthplace of pro boxer and civil rights activist Muhammad Ali. The city is also home to more than 50,000 Cuban immigrants, creating one of the fastest-growing Cuban populations anywhere in the United States. The community thrives with Cuban restaurants, nightclubs, and cultural celebrations, making it a lesser-known destination for travelers eager for Latin experiences.
A growing Cuban community in Louisville
Cubans are the largest immigrant group in the city, with a significant increase in population in the last five years. But how did Cubans end up in Louisville?
Since the 1990s, Louisville has actively presented itself as a resettlement city for immigrants, initially attracting Cubans who had no family in the U.S. or who felt South Florida was too saturated for advancement opportunities. In 2000, Louisville created the Office of International and Cultural Affairs, which was later renamed the Office of International and Immigrant Affairs in 2023, to meet the needs of the growing population.
Louisville’s population had been declining, and as major companies, such as United Parcel Service (UPS), built their headquarters in the city, the need for employees became apparent.
“One of the things that establishes Louisville as an attractive [resettlement] destination is the fact that we have growing industries that require a workforce. And the cost of living is low. We have a small town-big city vibe, and as we grow the population, we become more cosmopolitan. And I think that’s one of the biggest attractions,” says Amos Izerimana, the director of International and Immigrant Affairs for Louisville Metro Government.
Louisville becomes a destination for Cuban cuisine
Cubans are influencing Louisville’s culture and revolutionizing its restaurant scene. “Talk to anyone here and they will tell you they love Cuban food because it brings a different flair to the city. It creates a totally different environment for visitors to these restaurants and grocery stores. I’ve taken colleagues from the mayor’s office who’ve lived here for 30 to 40 years, and they’re like, ‘This exists in Louisville? I had no idea,’” says Izerimana.
One of Louisville’s first Cuban restaurants was Havana Rumba, opened by Marcos Lorenzo in 2004. Today, Lorenzo owns four Cuban restaurants throughout the city.
In 2020, Sweet Havana began its transformation into the multifaceted eatery and event space it is now. In July of that same year, La Bodeguita de Mima opened, bringing Cuban flavor to the trendy NuLu neighborhood. Today, the high-end Cuban restaurant is a popular destination for dining, date nights, and celebrations, also attracting a non-Cuban crowd.
“When you enter La Bodeguita de Mima, you feel like you’ve entered a Cuban restaurant in the 1950s. It reminds you of the prosperous Cuba we had before communism,” says Darién Barrios Moreno, who arrived in Louisville in 2007.
In summer 2025, Nachely Martinez opened Sweet Colada in the Shelby Park neighborhood. The new café and bar is an extension of Sweet Havana. She took inspiration for the name from the whipped espresso (colada) that keeps Cuban conversations quick and lively.
“Sweet Havana is kind of the Miami version of a Cuban bakery, but we’ve opened Sweet Colada in a very hipster part of town. It’s only the second ethnic restaurant in the area. My dream is to make pastelitos and croquetas part of the culture in Louisville—to make Cuban food as popular as tacos,” says Martinez.
Today, Louisville has more than 30 Cuban restaurants and places to eat, according to El Kentubano, a monthly publication catering to the city’s Cuban and other Spanish-dominant communities.
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This article was written by Ivan Quintanilla. You can read the full article via the link below.