For the past 20 years Cubana has been a hot staple in Sheffield, with its Latin music, salsa dancing, tasty tapas food and Havana-filled cocktails, infusing a vibrant explosion of joy into a rainy English day.
Bringing colour to the city, Cubana is perfect for drinking and dining in a fun-filled environment. Inside you’ll find a spacious bar filled with a variety of food, drink and music from around the world – all part of this bustling cultural hub in Leopold Square.
Co-owner Adrian Bagnoli first discovered his passion for Latin music while visiting a Brazilian nightclub called the Maracanã in Florence, Italy. Falling in love with the lively atmosphere, he came to realise that this was precisely what Sheffield needed. He started by launching the Steel City’s first Latin club night “Viva Salsa” in 1995 at city centre night spot Club Uropa. In 2000, Adrian joined forces with Brad Charlesworth to open Cubana Tapas bar on Trippet Lane, where they achieved huge success before unleashing an upgraded two-floored venue on Leopold Square in 2014.
The first Cubana was on Trippet Lane and a popular late-night hangout for the city’s Latin American community
The eccentric atmosphere manifests into the culinary experience; their extensive menu has won national acclaim, combining classic Spanish tapas with South American flair and flavour, including both meat and plant-based options. Cubana takes pride in its team of chefs, all blessed with a wealth of experience, which explains why they are held in such high regard when it comes to quality and consistency. Accompanying the tasty tapas is an award-winning rum collection, quality wine list and a plethora of exotic cocktails, promising to add a liveliness and sparkle to your evening out.
Cubana’s extensive menu has won national acclaim, combining classic Spanish tapas with South American flair and flavour
When you think of Cubana you immediately think of live music; there are regular performances from local and nationally renowned musicians almost every night. They also host a series of popular dance classes, covering everything from Cuban salsa to Argentinian tango and Bachata from the Dominican Republic. With this in mind, Cubana organises one of the biggest outdoor salsa events in the country, ‘Salsa In The Square’, which takes place over three Bank Holiday Sundays each year and attracts hundreds of people for a mix of live Latin music, salsa displays, outdoor dancing and more. The event has become a veritable cornerstone of Sheffield’s cultural events calendar.
Accompanying the tasty tapas menu is an award-winning rum collection, including this rare Havana Club “1519” – becoming the first bar outside of Cuba to stock the highly sought after sup. Here are owners Adrian Bagnoli and Brad Charlesworth proudly displaying the bottle following their 9,000 mile round trip to acquire it.
Despite the latest lockdown meaning Cubana has had to close its doors, putting its much-loved dance classes and vibrant club nights on hold, the lively Latin spirit still remains ever present, and we’ve been assured that they will be ready to welcome you back with open arms and for many more years to come. The show must go on!
Read about more of Sheffield’s finest independent businesses in ‘The Little Book of Sheffield’, available to purchase online here.
