Fresh off its wins of both the Judge’s and People’s Choice awards at the Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-off, Havana’s is gearing up for the summer season.
 
“This year our building turns 100 years old,” owner Pete Donats said. “It’s a lot of upkeep, but it provides that old beach cottage feel that you can’t find anywhere else in Carolina Beach.”
 
Havana’s has expanded two of its outdoor seating areas: the covered patio and front deck. Lighting in the outdoor areas has been updated as well as much of the furniture. 
 
“We’re the only place with a fenced front yard where kids can play corn hole and run around while parents enjoy a drink and a bite to eat on the deck or the porch,” Donat said. “And we’re hands down the best spot to view the Thursday night fireworks.”
 
Since opening in 2009, Donat has revised his menu to better serve a changing clientele on Pleasure Island. Donat describes Havana’s atmosphere as “polished casual” and says he and his culinary team strive to create dishes with a full range of both flavors and price points.
 
“There is such a diverse crowd of people here on the island that it’s important that we have a little bit of something for everyone,” Donat said. “By offering a broad menu we have broad appeal.”
 
New to the menu this season is the chill bar, a selection of chilled seafood dishes that includes shrimp cocktail, tuna tartare, blue crab cocktail and tuna Hawaii, a seared and chilled yellowfin tuna served with seaweed salad and ponzu sauce. The shrimp cocktail and tuna Hawaii are available in three portion sizes.
 
Some of the menu’s standouts, according to Donat, are the shrimp and lobster grits, the tuna tortilla, the Coca-Cola steak tips and the French Quarter pasta. And of course Havana’s signature dessert, the hot rum bananas Foster.
 
Havana’s is located at 1 N. Lake Park Blvd. in Carolina Beach. It serves lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. and brunch on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
 
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