Help Center — Cuban Food Questions, Answered
Real answers about ordering authentic Cuban food online — shipping, coffee, the pantry, Noche Buena, gifts, and more. From the Miami family market that ships it all nationwide.
Ordering & Shipping
Do you offer free shipping?
Yes — orders of $75 or more ship FREE anywhere in the contiguous U.S. Orders between $50 and $74.99 ship for a reduced $4.99, and orders under $50 ship for $9.99. Most shoppers hit free shipping by adding a coffee multi-pack or a few pantry staples — beans, plantain chips, and Cuban coffee are the usual basket-builders.
How fast do you ship orders?
We work to ship orders within 48 hours of receipt (weekends and holidays excluded). Fresh and perishable items — like bakery goods — ship Mondays and Tuesdays so they arrive fresh, never sitting in a weekend warehouse.
Where do you ship?
Across the contiguous United States. We can't ship to P.O. boxes, and a few items (like colognes) travel ground-only. If you're sending a taste of Cuba to family in another state — that's exactly what we do every day.
Do you ship perishable or refrigerated items?
Yes, with care: perishables and bakery items ship Mondays and Tuesdays only, so they never sit over a weekend in transit. Shelf-stable pantry items ship year-round within 48 hours.
Can I ship a gift directly to someone else?
Absolutely — enter their address at checkout and we ship straight to them. Cuban care packages and gift boxes like La Caja de Recuerdos are our specialty; most gift orders land in the $50–$100 range, which also unlocks reduced or free shipping.
What is your return policy?
Unopened, non-perishable items can be returned within 7 days of delivery in original condition (a restocking fee may apply; for sanitary reasons opened food items can't be returned). If anything arrives damaged or wrong, email CustomerCare@CubanFoodMarket.com and we'll make it right.
Do you sell wholesale or in bulk?
We do take bulk and wholesale inquiries — restaurants, cafeterias, ventanitas, and event orders. Email CustomerCare@CubanFoodMarket.com with what you need and we'll quote it. Many pantry staples also come in multi-pack sizes with better per-unit value on the site.
About CubanFoodMarket
Are your products authentic Cuban brands?
Yes. CubanFoodMarket.com is a family-run Cuban market based in Miami, and we carry the brands Cuban families actually grew up with: La Llave, Bustelo, Pilón and Cubita coffee; Conchita and El Ebro pantry classics; Bijol seasoning; Mariquitas plantain chips; Sanchis Mira turrón for the holidays — and hundreds more. Same brands as the bodega in Hialeah, shipped to your door.
What is CubanFoodMarket.com?
One of the longest-running online Cuban food markets in the U.S. — a Miami family business shipping authentic Cuban groceries, coffee, sweets, cookware and gifts nationwide for over two decades. If you grew up with it, we probably stock it.
I live far from Miami — can I really get authentic Cuban food?
That's exactly why we exist. Whether you're in Ohio, Texas, or Oregon, the pantry of your childhood ships to your door: the coffee, the frijoles, the galletas, the malta, even Pan de Media Noche for a proper medianoche. Ask Tía Cary at /apps/comrse to build your first box around what you miss most.
Is CubanFoodMarket.com legit?
Yes — we're a Miami family business (Triway Corporation) that has shipped authentic Cuban groceries nationwide for over two decades, with hundreds of thousands of orders delivered. Real warehouse, real family, real customer service at CustomerCare@CubanFoodMarket.com.
Cuban Coffee
What is the best Cuban coffee?
The classics are La Llave, Café Bustelo, Pilón, and Cubita — every Cuban household has its loyalty. La Llave is the bold, dark espresso most Cuban-American families default to; Bustelo is the widest-known; Pilón carries old-Havana pedigree; Cubita is the premium island roast. The honest answer: try more than one — that's how cafecito debates get settled. Full guide: /pages/best-cuban-coffee-online
What do I need to make Cuban coffee (cafecito) at home?
Three things: a stovetop espresso maker (cafetera), a dark Cuban roast like La Llave or Pilón, and sugar to whip into espumita. Our Cuban Coffee Experience Bundle packs the 6-cup cafetera and the coffee together — one cart, full ritual.
What's the difference between a cafecito, a cortadito, and a colada?
A cafecito is the straight shot of sweetened Cuban espresso. A cortadito 'cuts' it with steamed milk, roughly half and half. A colada is the party size — one styrofoam cup, several thimble cups, meant for sharing at work. Same coffee, three social contracts. The cafetera makes all three.
Is Cuban coffee stronger than regular coffee?
It's espresso-style — dark-roasted, finely ground, brewed concentrated in a stovetop cafetera, and whipped with sugar. Cup for cup it drinks much stronger than American drip, which is why it's served in small tacitas. Espresso cup sets and cafeteras are both in our cookware aisle.
What size cafetera (Cuban coffee maker) should I buy?
The 6-cup is the family workhorse — 'six cups' meaning six Cuban tacitas, one strong colada's worth. Our Cuban Coffee Experience Bundle pairs the 6-cup stovetop cafetera with the coffee to break it in. Smaller households go 3-cup; entertainers keep both.
Cuban Drinks
What is malta? Is malta alcoholic?
Malta is a non-alcoholic malt beverage — dark, sweet, carbonated, brewed from barley like beer but never fermented. Zero alcohol, beloved by Cuban kids and abuelos alike, classically poured over ice with condensed milk. We carry Malta Hatuey, the iconic Cuban brand, in 6-packs.
Where can I buy Materva or Cuban sodas online?
Right here — Materva (the Cuban yerba mate soda) ships nationwide, including our Exotic Soda Variety Pack pairing Materva with Jupiña pineapple soda. The taste of a Miami ventanita, delivered.
What Cuban sweets and candy do you carry?
A full dulcería: tamarind ball candy, Africanitas chocolate-covered cookies, coconut pastries, Torticas de Morón, panqué con pasas, boniatillo, Masa Real, and the guava-and-cheese essentials. For holidays, the Sanchis Mira turrón lineup joins from October.
The Cuban Pantry
What is sofrito and can I buy it ready-made?
Sofrito is the aromatic base of Cuban cooking — onion, garlic, pepper, and tomato cooked down in oil. It starts the beans, the picadillo, the arroz con pollo. We carry Conchita's imported Spanish sofrito in 13oz cans for nights when you want abuela's flavor without abuela's prep time.
What is Bijol?
Bijol is the classic Cuban annatto seasoning — the secret to golden-yellow rice without saffron prices. A small tin lasts months and colors everything from arroz amarillo to fricasé. A true Cuban pantry never runs out of it.
What is vino seco?
Vino seco is Cuban dry cooking wine — the splash that goes into picadillo, ropa vieja, and frijoles negros for depth. We carry Edmundo, the golden Spanish-style cooking wine Cuban kitchens have used for generations, up to the restaurant-size 128oz jug.
What is naranja agria (sour orange)?
Naranja agria is the bitter orange juice that makes real Cuban mojo — the marinade for lechón, yuca, and pork shoulder. Fresh sour oranges are hard to find outside Florida, so we stock Badia's bottled sour orange. With garlic, oregano, and cumin, you have mojo.
Do you sell Spanish chorizo?
Yes — El Ebro chorizos in lard, the cans Cuban families have cooked from for decades. Slice into frijoles, fold into tortilla española, or eat straight with Cuban bread and no regrets.
What is guava paste and how do I use it?
Guava paste (pasta de guayaba) is the dense, sliceable guava confection at the heart of Cuban sweets — pair it with white cheese, bake it into pastelitos, or try Masa Real, the Cuban guava sandwich cake we stock ready-made. Unopened it's shelf-stable; refrigerate after opening.
What is membrillo (quince paste)?
Membrillo is quince paste — guava paste's Spanish cousin, classically served with manchego or white cheese. We carry La Cubanita membrillo in 15oz packs. Put both on a board with galletas and watch which disappears first.
Do you sell Cuban tamales?
Yes — El Ebro tamal casseroles with pork, the 15oz heat-and-serve cans. Cuban tamales are softer and sweeter than Mexican ones, with the corn and pork cooked together. A pack of three keeps the freezer honest.
Can you ship Cuban pastelitos?
Yes — our Cuban guava pastelitos ship in party-size boxes of 12. As a perishable, they ship Mondays and Tuesdays so they arrive fresh. One box covers an office celebration; two barely survive a family visit.
Where can I buy Cuban crackers (galletas cubanas)?
We stock Antonellas authentic Cuban-style crackers — the thick, flaky galletas made for café con leche dunking and butter. We also carry galleta molida (Cuban cracker meal), the traditional breading for croquetas and steaks.
What dried and canned beans should a Cuban pantry have?
The core four: black beans (El Ebro's Cuban-style is the house favorite), frijoles colorados (red kidney — Goya dry or El Ebro's ready potage with bacon and sausage), garbanzos (El Ebro's chickpea stew), and white beans for fabada nights. Stock the multi-packs; Cuban pantries never run out of beans on purpose.
What's the secret to great Cuban frijoles negros?
Three moves: a proper sofrito base (Conchita saves the prep), a bay leaf and cumin in the pot, and the old-school depth booster — a ham flavor packet (we carry Goya's ham concentrate envelopes). A splash of vino seco at the end and you've matched la abuela.
Do you sell harina de maíz (Cuban cornmeal)?
Yes — yellow corn meal in fine and coarse grinds. That's harina dulce with milk and cinnamon for breakfast, savory harina con cangrejo or picadillo for dinner, and the base for tamal en cazuela.
What's the difference between guava paste and guava jelly?
Guava paste (pasta de guayaba) is dense and sliceable — for cheese pairings and pastelitos. Guava jelly (jalea, like our Mi Encanto 18oz) is spreadable — for toast, glazes, and the famous timba sandwich. Most Cuban kitchens keep both within reach.
Cooking Cuban Dishes
What do I need to make ropa vieja?
Flank or chuck for shredding, then the pantry does the rest: sofrito (Conchita saves a step), tomato, vino seco, olives, and cumin-bay seasoning. Serve over white rice with sweet plantains. Every shelf-stable ingredient ships in one cart — ask Tía Cary at /apps/comrse to assemble it.
What do I need to make picadillo?
Ground beef, sofrito, tomato, olives, raisins if your family is team-raisin, a splash of vino seco, and white rice under it all. It's the great Cuban weeknight dish — 30 minutes, one pan, and the pantry items keep forever.
What's the difference between congrí, moros, and black beans with rice?
Moros y cristianos cooks black beans and rice together in one pot; congrí is the same idea (in eastern Cuba, traditionally with red beans); 'arroz con frijoles' serves the beans ladled over separate white rice. All three start from the same shelf — rice, beans, sofrito — which is why Cuban pantries buy beans by the multi-pack.
How do I make a Cuban sandwich or medianoche at home?
The bread is the battle — and we ship it: Pan de Media Noche, the soft, slightly sweet roll that defines the medianoche. Layer roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard, then press it (a heavy pan works). For the classic Cubano, same build on Cuban bread. Bread in the cart first; everything else follows.
What are tostones vs maduros?
Same plantain, two lives. Tostones are green plantains, twice-fried and smashed flat — salty, crisp, mandatory with garlicky mojo. Maduros are ripe plantains, fried sweet and caramelized. Our bamboo tostonera press flattens perfect tostones, and bottled mojo para yuca y tostones handles the dip.
How do I make Cuban flan?
Flan is a caramel custard baked in a water bath — and the right mold matters more than people admit. We carry stainless individual flan molds (set of 6) for the classic single-serving flanes. Caramelize sugar in the mold, pour the custard, bake gently, chill, flip. The flip is the religion.
What dessert should I serve with a Cuban dinner?
The shortlist: Masa Real (guava sandwich cake), Boniatillo (Cuban sweet potato dessert), Torticas de Morón butter cookies, or the eternal cheese-and-guava pairing. And cafecito after — dessert in Cuba is a two-act show.
What's a quick Cuban dinner when I don't have time to cook?
The Cuban pantry was built for this: El Ebro's canned picadillo over white rice (15 minutes, start to plate), tamal en cazuela casseroles, or the ready bean potages — red beans with bacon and sausage, garbanzo stew. Heat, serve over rice, add plantain chips, done.
What do Cubans eat for breakfast?
Café con leche with buttered Cuban crackers or toast for dunking — that's the daily ritual. Weekends add pastelitos de guayaba and harina dulce (sweet cornmeal porridge). We stock all of it, crackers to coffee.
Holidays & Gifts
What should I buy for Noche Buena (Cuban Christmas Eve)?
Noche Buena is the biggest table of the Cuban year: lechón with mojo, congrí or moros, yuca, plátanos — and the non-negotiable Spanish turrones; Sanchis Mira is the name to know. We stock the full spread including El Ebro tamales and the turrón lineup from October. Order early; turrón sells out every December.
What is turrón and when should I order it?
Turrón is the Spanish almond nougat that ends every Cuban Christmas dinner — Jijona (soft), Alicante (crunchy), and yema tostada (toasted egg-yolk, the sleeper favorite). We import Sanchis Mira, the standard-bearer since 1725. Stock peaks in October–November and sells through by mid-December — order early.
What's a good gift for Cuban parents or grandparents?
La Caja de Recuerdos — 'the box of memories' — brings the flavors a Cuban abuela grew up with: the coffee, the sweets, the guava. For bigger gatherings, the Cubanísimo combination feeds the whole family. Nationwide delivery, straight to their door, no airport guava-smuggling required.
Can you ship a Cuban care package to a college student or family member?
That's one of our favorite jobs. Build your own — coffee, Mariquitas chips, galletas, candy, Malta Hatuey — or start from a ready-made gift box. Most care packages land in the $50–$100 range, which also unlocks reduced or free shipping.
What do I need for a Cuban party or dominoes night?
The official kit: a double-nine dominoes set (ours comes with holders — yes, double-nine; nine is the Cuban way), Mariquitas plantain chips, something off the party tray, Materva on ice, and a colada's worth of cafecito for the second wind. We stock all of it.
What is Agua de Violetas?
The scent of Cuban childhood — the violet cologne splashed on every Cuban baby's hair for generations. We carry the classic Violetas Francesa splash. As a gift for a new Cuban-American parent, nothing lands harder; expect tears.
What Cuban food should I serve for Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) is the perfect excuse for a Cuban spread: party-size guava pastelitos, Mariquitas plantain chips, a colada of Cuban coffee for the room, Materva on ice, and a dominoes set on the table. For offices we ship everything shelf-stable in one box — order by early September to beat the rush.
What Cuban food works for a summer BBQ or cookout?
Mojo is the move — marinate pork or chicken in sour-orange mojo overnight, serve with congrí, tostones (our tostonera press makes them easy), and ice-cold Materva and Malta Hatuey. Finish with guava pastelitos. Cuban summer, any backyard.
Dietary & Practical
Do you have vegetarian Cuban food options?
Plenty of the Cuban table is naturally vegetarian: black beans and rice, tostones and maduros, yuca con mojo, guava pastries, café con leche. Build the meatless version of the classic plate from our beans, plantain, and pantry aisles — Tía Cary at /apps/comrse can assemble a vegetarian cart on request.
How should I store guava paste, membrillo, and turrón?
All three are shelf-stable unopened — that's why they've fed islands for centuries. After opening: wrap guava paste and membrillo and refrigerate; keep turrón cool and sealed and it holds well past the holidays (if it survives them).
Is Cuban food spicy?
Almost never — that surprises people. Cuban cooking is aromatic, not hot: garlic, cumin, oregano, sour orange, bay. The heat on a Cuban table is the coffee. If you cook for spice-shy eaters, Cuban food is the safest crowd-pleaser in the Latin kitchen.
Membership & Help
Do you have a subscription or membership program?
Yes — Cuban+ is our quarterly membership ($79.99/quarter): every quarter you receive a themed box of Cuban favorites curated around the cultural calendar, plus free shipping on the box AND your reorders that quarter (5 free deliveries per quarter in total). It's the easiest way to keep la cultura flowing all year. Details: /products/cuban-plus
Can someone help me figure out what to order?
Ask Tía Cary — our Cuban kitchen guide at /apps/comrse. Tell her the dish, the occasion, or the memory ('what my abuela made on Sundays') and she'll build the cart: the recipe, the right brands, and the things that belong together. She knows every product in the store.
Do you have recipes for Cuban dishes?
Yes — and they're shoppable. Picadillo, ropa vieja, congrí, flan, mojo pork: each recipe lists the exact ingredients we stock so you can add them in one pass. Start with Tía Cary at /apps/comrse or our guides like /pages/best-cuban-mojo-marinade.
How do I contact customer service or track my order?
Email CustomerCare@CubanFoodMarket.com for anything — order status, returns, wholesale, or product questions. You'll also receive tracking by email as soon as your order ships (most orders ship within 48 hours, weekends excluded).