Best of Boston

1997 Best Cuban Restaurant

Mucho Gusto Cafe & Collectibles

Have your empanada and eat it, too. Mucho Gusto is as much a museum of kitsch as it is a kitchen of Cuba. Mami Aida turns out perfect pork sandwiches, savory rice and beans, beef picadillo, and exceptional cafe con leche in a delightful time-capsule setting filled with collectibles from the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s (all for sale). The service is prompt, the portions are filling, and the rhumba makes you forget that Massachusetts Avenue is just a block away.

1124 Boylston St., Boston, 617-236-1020,