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.
