A family-owned Cuban restaurant chain that built its name across North Jersey has crossed state lines for the first time, opening its first Florida location in Palm Springs on Friday. Rumba Cubana's new spot sits at 3208 Forest Hill Blvd, bringing slow-roasted pork, pressed Cuban sandwiches and golden croquetas to a corner of Palm Beach County that hasn't had this particular taste of New Jersey before.
Husband-and-wife owners Alan and Nairelys Lopez built the brand across North Jersey before heading south, according to a report from Yahoo. The couple's roots in the business go back further than the Rumba Cubana name itself — New Jersey Monthly reports they opened a cafeteria-style Rumba Cafe in Jersey City back in 2004, then launched the first full-service Rumba Cubana in 2009, a timeline that frames Friday's opening as the latest chapter in a two-decade run.
What's on the Menu
The Palm Springs menu leans on the dishes that made Rumba Cubana a staple up north: ropa vieja, vaca frita and lechón asado, the last of which is marinated for 24 hours in sour orange citrus, per the same Yahoo account. The restaurant's pressed Cuban sandwich stacks slow-roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles, while the dessert case offers housemade tres leches and flan alongside churros fried to order. Cocktails round out the offerings, with some reportedly turning into full-blown productions at the table.
Pricing accounts vary slightly depending on the source. The Yahoo report describes the menu as priced almost entirely under $25, while New Jersey Monthly has previously put most dishes under $22 — the two accounts don't specify whether they're describing the same menu or timeframe.
A Chain Already Six Locations Deep
Rumba Cubana wasn't exactly a stranger to expansion before Palm Springs. The Palm Beach Post reported the group now operates six locations spanning New Jersey's Passaic, Hudson and Bergen counties, and that Palm Beach County marks its first step outside the Garden State. Back in May, NorthJersey.com described Rumba Cubana as a popular New Jersey-based chain that was about to open a second Bergen County location in Teaneck that summer, underscoring how much ground the company was already covering before it looked toward Florida.
The company's own website says it proudly operates six locations, with two more opening before the end of the year — including the expansion to the West Palm Beach area. That suggests Palm Springs may not be the only new stop on Rumba Cubana's map before the year is out, though the company has not detailed where else it plans to land.
