Welcome!

A little history about us, for you... When Victor’s 1959 Café opened in April 1999 we were excited about bringing great Cuban food to our south Minneapolis neighbors – and we still are! What we couldn’t have imagined was that all these years would pass and we would have the pleasure of not only being part of a wonderful community, but that we would receive guests from all over the world, making new friends and meeting so many amazing people.

It continues to be a rich and rewarding experience for us to serve all of you! We’re delighted that you enjoy our Cuban food so much and for those of you who have been with us from the beginning as well as those of you who are newcomers, we thank you for your tremendous support!!

Our quirky little building has gone through many phases in its lifetime which lends to the character. Its small size makes it a challenging space to work with sometimes, but we’re always trying to make the most efficient use of every inch this tiny tropical joint! In 2004 we remodeled the kitchen which made it possible for us to offer dinner in addition to the breakfast and lunch we had already become well known for. Jill Cordes of The Food Network visited us in 2003 for their “Best Of” show and featured our breakfasts.

2005 was the year when I, Niki, learned how to do the only part of the business that I hadn’t done yet – the cooking! My Cuban born ex-husband,Victor, taught me the traditional Cuban recipes he had learned from his father and I picked it up enthusiastically.

In 2007 we added our lovely patio that we have so enjoyed making into a tropical outdoor dining space. We made a rain garden and re-configured the whole parking lot/patio area to make it more eco-friendly while also adding extra outdoor seating which we love having for you in the summer months! Summer of 2008 brought the Food Network back for a 2nd visit, this time they featured us on their popular show, Diner’s, Drive-ins and Dives. We cooked up some “off the hook Cuban food” with host Guy Fieri and it was a blast! What an experience that was – tons of fun!

2008 also brought my step-son, Vic, back to town and to take the helm in the kitchen again so I could concentrate on other parts of the business… Together Vic, Niki, and an awesome crew work hard every day to continue bringing you the best Cuban food in Minneapolis! It’s still a family affair and we’re still having a great time bringing a taste of Cuba to our south Minneapolis neighborhood and guests from all over. In September of 2010, we did a little bit of remodeling in the dining room to make the flow of the space work better, added a beautiful bar/counter and made the space more energy efficient and user friendly!