Havana's Chinatown (Barrio Chino) was once the largest Chinese community in Latin America, established by indentured workers brought from China in the 19th century. Today it is a shadow of what it was — most of the Chinese-Cuban community left after the revolution — but the area around Calle Cuchillo and the Barrio's ornamental gate retains some character. Several Chinese-Cuban restaurants survive, serving food that is genuinely different from standard Cuban cuisine.
The gate (Barrio Chino arch) on Calle Dragones makes for a distinctive photograph. The neighbourhood is much smaller and more subdued than its equivalents in other cities, but the Chinese-Cuban fusion food is worth seeking out — the combination of Cantonese technique with local Cuban ingredients is unique to Havana.