Worth the longish taxi drive to the suburbs. Lilliam and her team serve huge portions of delicious Cuban and International food in an artfully-lit, jungly garden with water features, statues and huge trees towering overhead. It can be slightly unnerving sitting under the latter when flowers, seeds and assorted wildlife start splashing into your soup, but Lilliam's regulars just keep their cool and treat them as garnishes.

Doctor Café is an expatriate favourite for good reason. Fresh fish as well as beef and lamb steaks cooked on a large BBQ are all excellent and the overall ambience is comfortable with a steady buzz and good quality service.

El Aljibe is one of the busiest restaurants in Havana, catering to the business and diplomatic crowd as well as to many large tour groups. The reason for the steady stream of clients is the best Creole food in Cuba; rice, beans and chicken really do not get any better than this .The atmosphere is provided by palm leaf/bamboo themed designs, attractive during the day.

A really fine paladar. The effect as you wait for your table is of a quaint English drawing room some-how mixed up with an art deco-gone-baroque style. There is no menu which means that one of the two owners will lovingly or brusquely depending on their mood, recite the options for you. It also means that the final bill will generally not be cheap. Having said that, food is prepared with care and the overall experience is generally excellent. Highly recommended, make sure that you book.

La Fontana has been one of the most upmarket paladares for some years and has a steady clientele. The outside terrace is currently under renovation which still leaves space at the ranchon out back and an inside air conditioned space. Grilled meat and seafood, including octopus, snails and fish, are the speciality.

One of a set of good quality Miramar paladares, El Diluvio is truly Italian and has one of the only traditional clay ovens which explain the quality pizzas. Real Italian flavour is also provided for a range of pastas. The service is excellent and the chef excellent.

La Finca is extremely up market, set in the suburbs of Siboney past the Convention Centre it is run by Cuba's gastronomic guru Tomás Erasmo. The atmosphere is provided by an abundance of tropical greenery within whose confines you may enjoy lobster termidor or fresh fish beautifully prepared. Not cheap and often quiet.

Opinions vary on La Giraldilla. It is next to the Macumba nightclub which is extremely popular on nights with good groups playing. The entire complex is very upmarket featuring acres of white marble. The restaurant itself is either overpriced serving bland food or one of the most elegant high class places in Havana. We tend to the former view.

A new development, this is a great Chinese option if you are around the marina or somewhere close. Located at the end of one of the jetties the food offers an excellent alternative to Chinatown, especially if you value peace and quiet over the hustle of Chinatown.

Don't expect to be able to use a wireless internet connection here but do expect good quality simple sandwiches delivered quickly and efficiently in a clean and popular environment. Three different types of bread and a variety of ingredients including turkey and cream cheese may not sound like much but don't underestimate the value it provides.

If you are out at the Marina Hemingway, Havana's premier marina, then Pizza Nova provides a good option. Thin crust pizza served on a charming outdoor patio overlooking one of the canals makes for a pleasent experience.

Opposite La Finca, the attraction of Rancho Palco is really as a venue for large scale events (US agricultural delegations seem to like it). The eating area is very large within both an outside and inside airconditioned area with the food (especially fish) good but unspectcaular.

When it was opened by Erasmo, the Tocororo was one of the first up-market restaurants in Havana. It remains an excellent option if you have the time for an elaborate lunch within a tropical garden replete with piano player by day and jazz band by night. Steak and lobster are the real house specialities and are done well. The Tocororo is also the location for Havana's only Japanese restaurant; located to the left as you enter the main restaurant, which serves good sushi, sashimi and tempura and a new Tapas bar which has live music until 2am.

Opened in 2006 Yasmín generated a lot of enthusiasm as a new restaurant proving Middle Eastern cuisine. Unfortunately while the food, prepared from imported ingredients and prepared by a Syrian chef is excellent the place lacks a certain charm, especially for dinner, and is somewhat isolated with not much else close by.