According to a Plan Review application recently filed with the city of Tavares, Havana 1959 owner Luis Tejada — operating under the banner Santiago’s Kitchen LLC — is currently in the process of launching Ole, a Spanish tapas restaurant located at 134 W Ruby St, across from Lake Dora. Tejada could not be immediately reached for comment.
After serving in the military, working as a maintenance supervisor, and owning a barber shop, Tejada opened Havana 1959 in 2018 and quickly garnered a reputation as one of the best Cuban cuisine establishments in the area. The following year, he the restaurateur was voted Best Entrée at a Taste of Tavares award ceremony, which saw some 500 diners doling out the coveted honors.
Tejada, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, initially opened Havana 1959 as an homage to the chef’s parents. In an interview with Daily Commercial shortly after the restaurant opened, Tejada explained, “Growing up in the Dominican Republic, my father and mother ran a factory for Cuban coffee which led to opening a Cuban restaurant when we moved to New York. My father taught me how to cook and run a restaurant. He loved it so much.”
