Is the torta cubana from Cuba?

No, despite the name, the torta cubana is 100% Mexican, originating from the Historic Centre of Mexico City. It received its name because it was invented on Calle de Cuba in the first quarter of the capital, not from the Cuban sandwich of Miami or Havana. The original Cuban version is completely different: Cuban bread (a French variant) with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, pressed on a griddle.

What does the torta cubana taste like?

It tastes of a complete carnivorous explosion: the crunchy breaded milanesa, the sweet smoked leg of pork, the salty ham, the fatty sausage, the spiced chorizo, the creamy melted cheese, the soft avocado, the fresh tomato, the spicy pickled chillies and the unctuous beans. Each bite is different. It is an overwhelming, excessive and pleasurable dish because of its contrast of textures and flavours. The Mexican-style scrambled egg adds moderate heat to the whole.

How is the torta cubana served?

It is served hot, freshly assembled and pressed on the griddle so that the cheese melts and the flavours combine. It is wrapped in waxed paper or aluminium foil to hold it together because of its size. It is accompanied with extra pickled chillies, hot sauce to taste and a large soft drink. It is common to share between two or three people because of its size. Some torterías cut it in halves or thirds to serve.

Where does the torta cubana originate from?

It originates from the Historic Centre of Mexico City, specifically from the area around Calle de Cuba in the first quarter of the capital. It was consolidated between 1930 and 1950 as a creation of popular torterías that combined all available fillings into a single huge piece. Today it is a chilango identity icon and is found at Mexican torterías throughout the country and in the United States.

Back to guides

Torta cubana: the three-storey chilango torta from the Historic Centre

What is it?

The torta cubana is the largest, most substantial and most excessive torta of Mexican street cuisine. Despite its name, it has no connection to Cuba: it originates from the Historic Centre of Mexico City and is called that because, according to popular legend, it was invented on Calle de Cuba in the first quarter of Mexico City. It is prepared in a large telera bun filled with a veritable 'tower' of meats and cheese: breaded beef milanesa, baked leg of pork, ham, Vienna sausage, chorizo and sometimes head cheese, all combined with melted yellow or Oaxaca cheese, avocado, tomato, onion, lettuce, refried beans, pickled chillies and Mexican-style scrambled egg. It is a three-storey torta that weighs more than half a kilo and is considered 'the most Mexican torta in the world' for its excess. El Financiero and Chilango document it as a chilango identity icon of the Historic Centre. It is common at historic torterías such as Tortas Robles, Don Polo and La Castellana, where it is ordered to share or as a single lunch.

Origin and history

The torta cubana was born in the Historic Centre of Mexico City, probably between 1930 and 1950. El Financiero documents two versions of its origin: the first says that it was invented on Calle de Cuba, in the first quarter of the capital, where a torta maker (some attribute the name 'Don Armando' to that first torta) decided to combine all the available fillings into a single piece, creating an excessive torta that he called 'cubana' after the street where it was sold. The second version, gathered by Chilango, claims that the name comes from exiled Cuban migrants who opened torterías in the area and combined meats in the style of the Cuban sandwich (pork and ham) but adapted to Mexican telera bread and with more fillings. Excélsior documents that by the mid-20th century the torta cubana was already an iconic dish of the Historic Centre, especially on Calle López and around Eje Central. The industrialisation of ham, sausages and yellow cheese (Fud, Zwan, Sello Rojo, Bafar) facilitated its mass adoption. Today it appears on the menus of torterías throughout the country, although it is identified with Mexico City.

Characteristic ingredients

The telera bun — an oval flat bread, divided into three by two surface grooves, made with flour, lard and yeast — is the base. It measures approximately 20-25 cm to hold the contents. The canonical construction of the torta cubana: a layer of refried beans on one half and mayonnaise on the other, breaded and fried beef milanesa, sliced baked leg of pork, slices of cooked or smoked ham, sliced Vienna sausage, fried Mexican chorizo, yellow (American) cheese, Oaxaca string cheese, sliced head cheese, Mexican-style scrambled egg (with tomato, onion and chilli), sliced avocado, tomato, onion, lettuce and pickled chillies or jalapeños in slices. Some torterías also add chicken or tuna. Regional variants: the 'torta del rey' doubles the fillings; the 'torta hawaiana' adds pineapple; the 'torta mexicana' carries nopalitos. Excélsior details the canonical recipe: the quantity of meats varies but it always carries at least 5 to 7 different types. Assembly is done by lightly pressing the torta on the griddle so that the cheese melts and the flavours combine.

Cultural significance

The torta cubana is one of the icons of street and popular cuisine of the Historic Centre of Mexico City. Legendary torterías such as 'Tortas Robles' (operating since 1968), 'Don Polo' (Calle López) and 'La Castellana' have maintained the traditional recipe with loyal clienteles over several generations. Chilango and Time Out CDMX dedicate tourist routes to the best torta cubanas of the first quarter. The 2010 UNESCO declaration of traditional Mexican cuisine implicitly includes the corpus of capital street cuisine. The torta cubana has transcended borders: it appears at Mexican torterías in the United States — especially Los Angeles and Chicago — as a symbol of migrant cuisine. Economically, it is one of the most expensive street dishes (between 60 and 120 pesos in Mexico City, according to 2024 data) but also one of the most filling because of its size. In popular culture it appears in programmes such as No Kitchen Required, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown and Mexican series such as Diablero. Chefs such as Eduardo García and Carmen Titita Ramírez Degollado have mentioned it as an example of the excessive but beloved creativity of Mexican cuisine. It is the perfect dish to show the character of chilango tortas: bites that can have anything, all together, without asking permission.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Torta Cubana

Ingredients to cook it

Find where to buy authentic ingredients in Mexican shops in the US:

Frequently asked questions

Is the torta cubana from Cuba?: No, despite the name, the torta cubana is 100% Mexican, originating from the Historic Centre of Mexico City. It received its name because it was invented on Calle de Cuba in the first quarter of the capital, not from the Cuban sandwich of Miami or Havana. The original Cuban version is completely different: Cuban bread (a French variant) with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, pressed on a griddle.
What does the torta cubana taste like?: It tastes of a complete carnivorous explosion: the crunchy breaded milanesa, the sweet smoked leg of pork, the salty ham, the fatty sausage, the spiced chorizo, the creamy melted cheese, the soft avocado, the fresh tomato, the spicy pickled chillies and the unctuous beans. Each bite is different. It is an overwhelming, excessive and pleasurable dish because of its contrast of textures and flavours. The Mexican-style scrambled egg adds moderate heat to the whole.
How is the torta cubana served?: It is served hot, freshly assembled and pressed on the griddle so that the cheese melts and the flavours combine. It is wrapped in waxed paper or aluminium foil to hold it together because of its size. It is accompanied with extra pickled chillies, hot sauce to taste and a large soft drink. It is common to share between two or three people because of its size. Some torterías cut it in halves or thirds to serve.
Where does the torta cubana originate from?: It originates from the Historic Centre of Mexico City, specifically from the area around Calle de Cuba in the first quarter of the capital. It was consolidated between 1930 and 1950 as a creation of popular torterías that combined all available fillings into a single huge piece. Today it is a chilango identity icon and is found at Mexican torterías throughout the country and in the United States.