Havana's 'Cathedral of Ice Cream' back in from the cold

An employee of Coppelia ice cream parlor serves customers in Havana on February 12, 2025. Coppelia, Cuba's most famous ice cream parlor and the set of the famous film 'Fresa y Chocolate' (Strawberry and Chocolate), reopened its doors after a three-month hiatus to adjust its prices, face growing private competition, and remain the island's ‘cathedral of ice cream'. — Photos: YAMIL LAGE/ AFP

For three months, residents of Havana were deprived of a rare affordable treat when their beloved state-owned Coppelia ice cream parlor closed its doors – another victim of tough economic times.

Now reopened, it boasts not only new flavors, but also an updated price list that – despite a 60-percent government subsidy – may freeze out many clients in a country where the average monthly salary is just over US$40.