Café Cuba

Colourful, welcoming and proudly unpretentious, this long-loved Palmerston North icon brings a little Cuban warmth to the heart of central city.

If you’ve ever wandered around looking for a lunch spot, you’ll almost certainly have ended up at Café Cuba. It’s simultaneously relaxed and bustling, with tables full of happy, hungry locals on any given day, as well as all the familiar comforts of a classic Kiwi café.

The offering is simple in the best way: Havana coffee, all-day breakfast, brunch, fresh house-made cabinet food, sandwiches, cakes and plenty of gluten-free and vegan-friendly options. Their iconic Silk Cake has its own dedicated fan base (locals have literally been coming back for it for years), but there’s always something new and tempting in the cabinet if you’re just passing through.

The building itself has a colourful history, too. Originally built in 1917 as Palmerston North’s Soldiers’ Club, it later became the RSA clubrooms, and is now a listed heritage building. That sense of time and character suits the café well. Current owners Charlotte and Shaun took over in October 2025, giving the space some much-needed love without trying to sand off the endearing quirks locals knew it for. Alongside the café, Charlotte works in nursing, while Shaun spent years managing a bread wholesale business before moving into hospitality, which perhaps explains the mix of practicality and warmth behind the place.

More than anything, this spot feels like a local meeting point. It’s the kind of place we all love – where the staff know people’s names and treat travellers passing through like they’re old mates. Whether you’re stopping by for a coffee or a proper feed, there’s a good reason that this is a local go-to place.