For vegetarians the choice is very limited, normally only cheese sandwiches, spaghetti, pizzas, salads, bananas and omelettes. If you are staying at a casa particular licensed to serve food, or eating in a paladar, they will usually prepare meatless meals for you with advance warning. Always ask for beans to be cooked in vegetable oil. Rum is the national drink and all cocktails are rum-based. There are several brand names and each has a variety of ages, so you have plenty of choice.
Beer is good and there are regional varieties which come in bottles or cans.
The locally grown coffee is good, although hotels often manage to make it undrinkable in the mornings. The most widely available beer throughout the island is Cristal, made by Cervecer a Mayabe, in Holgu n. From the same brewery is Mayabe, also popular. Hatuey, made in Havana, is reckoned by some to be the best of Cuba s many beers, named after an Indian chief ruling when the Spanish arrived. It is becoming more widely available after a lengthy patent battle.