A Little bit of Havana comes to Downtown Punta Gorda -- Morales Sizzles

Cross the threshold of the little cottage on Taylor that used to be a hair salon a few years back and walk into a a little bit of Havana right in the center of Punta Gorda.   Morales Cuban Cafe sizzles with both the flair and flavor of a place so long denied Americans that it has a special mystic for those who have left it behind and those who have never been.  Morales gives Punta Gordans a window into that forbidden world.

From its green, chocolate and beige walls hung with colorful paintings, artworks and other memorabilia to its extensive menu of Cuban delights, Morales has the nostalgic feel of another place in another world in another time. The high ceilinged spacious rooms ( the new owners knocked down some of the walls that made the building feel cramped), the cozy little porch totally transformed, the rich paint  and touches on the tables all add to the charm and tropical island feel of the new cafe.

Then there is the food. It's authentic.  That's because the owners are both from Cuba.  Alex Madera was brought to Miami from Havana over 30 years ago as a child.  There he met his wife Dayani Morales, who has now been in the US about 10 years.  They were first lured to the Punta Gorda area  by a friend, a Port Charlotte physician, and found what they thought would be a perfect location for their Cuban-style cafeteria in South Punta Gorda.   Struggling there at first, their small cafe/deli became of favorite of frequent travelers between Fort Myers and points North.  More recently their lease ran out and they decided to look elsewhere and were shown the place on Taylor by a local realtor.

Mandera told us how surprised he has been at the crowds that have descended so quickly on the comfortable bodega.  "We started out with 25 Cuban loafs for our sandwiches a day.... we are already up to 75 a day," he explained, "and it's now even season."  "We are very happy about how fast we have been accepted here," he indicated.   This is evidenced by the cars that now fill the parking lot and empty lot near the cafe and line Taylor street every day since the Morales Cafe has opened.

The menu is daunting with everything from empanadas, a plethora of roast and fried chicken dishes with rice and black beans, plantains and more.  All starts at 8 a.m. with breakfast with good Cuban coffee and ends at 9 or 10 at night with a huge list of choices including desserts like flan. (Been told they are holding off on breakfast for time being--no matter go for lunch or dinner.) You're going to like it here!

Morales Cuban Cafe
(941) 833-9355
321 Taylor St
Punta Gorda, FL 33950