Plaza Midwood is getting a new international resident – Cuban Pete’s Café. Opening Wednesday, February 10, in the space that previously housed The Graduate, Pete’s will offer classic Cuban home style cooking along with traditional Cuban drinks and homemade desserts. The menu will include everything from appetizers and soups to sandwiches, seafood, and meats. And if that isn’t enough, Pete’s has a variety of bars to suit any taste.
Their Coffee Bar will be offering traditional coffee drinks like espresso, cafe con leche, cortadito (an espresso topped with steamed milk), plus sweet and savory foods too munch on – Cuban sandwiches, media noches, guava pastries, stuffed potatoes, empanadas, croquets and more.
If you are looking for something “stronger,” check out their other three bars. The main bar will offer specialty drinks, various mojitos, and local beers. The Sangria Bar will offer six different types of sangrias, and the International Rum Bar will offer, well … rum!
Cuban Pete’s Café
1308-E The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205 (Midwood Corners Shopping Strip)
11am-10pm Monday to Thursday
11am to 11pm Friday & Saturday
Bar open until 2am
Closed Sundays
This article appears in Jan 19-25, 2010.
Who is the owner? Any previous experience?
Cuban Pete’s Café owner is Tony Ortiz. Gary Sikorski, General Manager of Cuban Pete’s Café, has been in the restaurant industry for 38 years. Some of his more well-know restaurants include The Fulton Café in Cleveland, The Lincoln Road Juice Bar in South Beach, and Stillwaters Restaurant in Provincetown. Executive Chef Robert Garcia, a veteran of the Charlotte culinary community, will run the kitchen, and Antonio Cabral from Havana, Cuba, is the food consultant.
Wow can’t believe the owner is passing himself off as Cuban. Heard from a waiter he was from Venezuela. They have a different cuisine than Cubans. Heard the chef isn’t Cuban either. I decided to try this restaurant anyway. Having lived in Miami for many years and eating authentic Cuban food, this restaurant is far from authentic. The menu had choices that I’ve never seen before in a real Cuban restaurant and the food was nothing to write home about. Guess I’ll have to travel back to Miami to get some REAL Cuban food.
Margaret… I’m a long time resident of Miami as well… and as you can guess from my name, I’m Cuban. With a name like Margaret, I’m guessing you’re not! The food is authentic. I don’t care where the owner is from. I met him. He’s charming. The next time you go back to Miami to get some Cuban food, do Charlotte the favor of staying there.
This restaurant has absolute charm, as does the staff. Everyone is friendly, from the greeter/seater to the servers and busboys, barkeeps and barristas. And the owner greets practically EVERY table with his huge smile and a “hello friends”; what more could you ask for? What a great and warm environment, I can see why people really seem to enjoy working there.
In answer to the above….I do not think the owner has tried to pass himself off as cuban, unless you consider having an accent “being cuban…” which is just plain in bad taste. However, you’ll find nothing but gooood taste at Cuban Pete’s, in my humble, gringo opinion
CLOSED,DIDNT LAST LONG .