About

Havana Nights Restaurant and Lounge was born due to a family tragedy. On March 31, 2022 owner Julio C Roque's mother unexpectedly passed away due to diabetes. Wanting to get away for a bit he traveled to Miami with his wife Maiden A Rios Gomez to be close to his father and family. While there he was invited to lunch at a family member's home that was cooked by their neighbor. Amazed by the authenticity, flavor and resemblance to his mother's cooking, Julio needed to know more about this mysterious neighbor and amazing cook Lazaro Curbelo Novelo that had just put together the best Cuban meal he has had in a very long time. Lazaro was new to the US and had only been in Miami for 6 months at that time. He was born and raised in Havana, Cuba and worked as head chef for a very popular Cuban restaurant "La Canchanchara" which is also the name of a very popular Cuban cocktail. His 23 years of restaurant experience explained the incredible meal Julio and his wife just had. So impressed by how kind and humble Lazaro and his wife Marlen were along with the incredible meal Julio and Maiden extended an offer of opening a restaurant in Worcester, Massachusetts based on his menu and making him head chef. September of 2022 Lazaro and his wife accepted, the journey began and Havana Nights Restaurant and Lounge was born.