This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

La Cubana is Mireya and Lester Ruiz’s Cuban restaurant at 5402 Winner Rd in the Historic Northeast — one of the first dedicated Cuban restaurants in Kansas City. Lester emigrated from Cuba at age 11 with his family and grew up in the Historic Northeast; when he and his wife Mireya noticed there was no Cuban food in KC, they launched a food truck (~2019). After approximately three years on the truck, they converted to a brick-and-mortar on Winner Road. The Pitch reviewed it; the restaurant recently appeared in Flatland KC’s FIFA/World Cup coverage (May–June 2026).

Description

La Cubana is Mireya and Lester Ruiz’s Cuban restaurant in the Historic Northeast — one of Kansas City’s first dedicated Cuban concepts. Lester Ruiz emigrated from Cuba as a child, arriving in Kansas City at age 11 with his family and growing up in the Historic Northeast neighborhood. When he and Mireya noticed the complete absence of Cuban food in KC, they launched a food truck around 2019. After roughly three years of operating the truck, they converted to a brick-and-mortar on Winner Road. The menu draws from Lester’s Cuban heritage — ropa vieja, Cuban sandwiches, tostones — alongside Mexican street tacos reflecting Mireya’s background. The Pitch reviewed it, and Flatland KC featured La Cubana in May–June 2026 coverage on how Kansas City restaurant owners are navigating FIFA World Cup marketing restrictions.

Tier classification

Tier 1 — Lester Ruiz: Cuban-born, KC-raised since age 11, Historic Northeast roots confirmed. Lester Ruiz was born in Cuba but emigrated to Kansas City at age 11 and grew up in the Historic Northeast. Under the KS.City tier doctrine (“Tier 1 = KC-born/raised”), a childhood arrival who grew up in KC qualifies as KC-raised. He built his family and business in the neighborhood where he was raised. No ambiguity on his KC upbringing. Tier 1 confirmed.

Note on Mireya: Mireya’s specific background is not documented in available sources; she appears to be Mexican. If she is also KC-raised, the Tier 1 call strengthens further; if she is an immigrant, the Tier 1 call for the restaurant still stands on Lester’s confirmed KC upbringing.

Last verified: 2026-07-14 · Source: res-discover.com aggregator (mirrors La Cubana’s delivery-app menu); cross-checked vs official site sections (lacubanakc.com) + Yelp · URL(s): https://la-cubana-cuban-restaurant.res-discover.com/menu · Confidence: Medium (full itemized menu with prices; provenance is an aggregator mirror, not the restaurant’s own ordering page — official site publishes the menu only as images)

La Cubana pairs Lester Ruiz’s Cuban home cooking — lechón asado, ropa vieja, congrís, Cuban sandwiches — with fried sides, Cuban coffee drinks, and guava pastries.1

Entradas / Entrées

  • El Típico — lechón asado, arroz congrís, yuca y ensalada / grilled pork, congrís rice, cassava and salad ($15.99)1
  • El Tropical — ropa vieja, arroz blanco, frijoles negros y tostones / ropa vieja, white rice, black beans and fried green plantains ($15.99)1
  • El Malecón — bistec de puerco, arroz congrís, yuca y ensalada / pork steak, congrís rice, cassava and salad ($15.99)1
  • El Valle — masitas de puerco, congrís, yuca con mojo y ensalada / fried pork chunks, congrís, cassava with mojo and salad ($14.99)1
  • La Habana — bistec de res, arroz congrís, yuca y ensalada / beef steak, congrís rice, cassava and salad ($14.99)1
  • La Villita — picadillo de res con arroz blanco y plátanos maduros / beef picadillo with white rice and fried sweet plantains ($14.99)1
  • El Criollo — fricasé de pollo, arroz blanco y tostones / chicken fricassee, white rice and fried green plantains ($14.99)1
  • Sándwich Cubano Con Papas Fritas — roasted-pork sandwich with hand cheese, pickles, mustard and mayo, with fries ($14.99)1
  • Pan Con Bistec — bread with beef steak, tomato and onion ($13.99)1
  • Pan Con Croquetas — bread with ham-and-cheese croquettes ($12.99)1
  • Tacos Cubanos — choose your meat: pork, steak or shrimp ($9.99)1
  • Chicken Tenders ($12.99)1
  • Pargo Frito / Fried Red Snapper ($19.99)1
  • Mojarra Frita / Fried Tilapia ($18.99)1

Acompañantes / Sides

  • Empanadas De Pollo / Chicken Empanadas ($6.50)1
  • Empanadas De Res / Beef Empanadas ($6.50)1
  • Croquetas De Jamón / Ham Croquettes ($6.50)1
  • Croquetas De Pollo / Chicken Croquettes ($6.50)1
  • Papas Rellenas De Picadillo / Beef-Stuffed Potatoes ($6.50)1
  • Tamal Con Chicharrón / Tamal With Cracklings ($6.99)1
  • Tamal Cubano — seasoned tender corn, no meat ($4.50)1
  • Yuca Con Chicharrón / Cassava With Pork Cracklings ($7.99)1
  • Chicharrones ($7.99)1
  • Yuca Frita / Fried Cassava ($4.50)1
  • Yuca / Cassava ($4.50)1
  • Tostones / Fried Green Plantains ($4.50)1
  • Plátanos Maduros / Fried Sweet Plantains ($4.50)1
  • Congrís / Cuban Rice ($4.50)1
  • White Rice / Arroz Blanco ($4.50)1
  • Frijoles Negros / Black Beans ($4.50)1
  • Papas Fritas / Fries ($4.50)1
  • Mixed Salad / Ensalada Mixta — lettuce, tomatoes, onions and dressing ($4.50)1
  • Aguacate / Avocado ($1.99)1

Postres / Desserts

  • Flan De Queso / Cheese Flan ($3.99)1
  • Flan De Vainilla / Vanilla Flan ($3.50)1
  • Pastelito De Guayaba Con Queso / Guava & Cheese Pastry ($3.50)1
  • Pastelito De Guayaba / Guava Pastry ($3.25)1
  • Pastelito De Coco / Coconut Pastry ($3.25)1

Bebidas / Drinks

  • El Cubanazo (Cuban Iced Coffee) — condensed milk, malta, Cuban coffee, whole milk ($5.99)1
  • Café Con Leche ($3.99)1
  • Cortadito — a shot of espresso Cuban coffee with a small amount of steamed whole milk ($3.50)1
  • Café Cubano / Cuban Coffee ($2.00)1
  • Licuado / Shake — mango, strawberry, plantain or blueberry, 20 oz ($4.50)1
  • Jugo Natural / Natural Juice — freshly prepared mango juice, 20 oz ($3.99)1
  • Materva ($2.99)1
  • Malta / Malt ($2.99)1
  • Jupiña ($2.50)1
  • Ironbeer ($2.50)1
  • Coca-Cola ($1.99)1
  • Coca-Cola Dietética / Diet Coke ($1.99)1
  • Sprite ($1.99)1
  • Powerade ($2.99)1
  • Agua / Water ($1.99)1
  • Beer — Modelo, Corona Extra, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra ($4.99 each)1

Sources

Footnotes

  1. La Cubana Cuban Restaurant — full menu via res-discover.com aggregator (mirrors the restaurant’s delivery-app menu; the official site lacubanakc.com publishes the menu only as images), https://la-cubana-cuban-restaurant.res-discover.com/menu (accessed 2026-07-14). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20 ↩21 ↩22 ↩23 ↩24 ↩25 ↩26 ↩27 ↩28 ↩29 ↩30 ↩31 ↩32 ↩33 ↩34 ↩35 ↩36 ↩37 ↩38 ↩39 ↩40 ↩41 ↩42 ↩43 ↩44 ↩45 ↩46 ↩47 ↩48 ↩49 ↩50 ↩51 ↩52 ↩53 ↩54 ↩55

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On the record — ks.city/registry/la-cubana-kc · record updated 2026-07-17