Press

Greg Cox of The News and Observer gave COPA an honorable mention as Restaurant of the Year 2019. "What sets Copa apart is a smattering of dishes sprinkled throughout the menu that, to my knowledge, you won't find in any other restaurant in the country... In short, Copa isn't just very good, it's unique. And in my book, that contribution to the local dining landscape makes it worthy of special notice.

Greg Cox, acclaimed food critic for The News and Observer named COPA one of the "Best New Restaurants" in the Triangle and Best in Class (Cuban), saying, "Knowing that their first restaurant, Old Havana Sandwich Shop, would be a tough act to follow, husband-and-wife owners Robert Copa Matos and Elizabeth Turnbull aimed high with their second. Copa hit the target with a Cuban tapas menu (including a few gems inspired by a 19th century cookbook) and one of the best restaurant bars in the Triangle.

Greg Cox, acclaimed food critic for The News and Observer gave COPA 4 stars, saying "it's hard to go wrong here no matter what you eat" and praising the "outstanding selection of Cuban cocktails.

At Copa, Roberto Copa Matos translates the aromas and textures from his Cuban childhood into plates of plátanos rellenos, chicharrones or ropa vieja on cassava flatbreads. His wife, mixologist Elizabeth Turnbull, has dug deep to find authentic recipes and Old Havana back stories for the Daiquiri, Cuba Libre, Mary Pickford and other rum-soaked classics. The results are memorable..." –Margaret Shakespeare.

Visit Copa for 19th-century Cuban dishes like plátanos rellenos (plantains stuffed with pork picadillo, then fried) and arroz con almejas (saffron rice with clams).

With their own farm, Turnbull and Copa Matos have more control over their ingredients, not only in the kinds of crops they grow but also in how they're grown; it also allows Copa Matos to achieve his science-based farming dream." –Layla Khoury-Hanold

Read our Q&A with Matos and Turnbull below to learn about the food and drinks they’re most excited to introduce, which items will follow from Old Havana, and how the interior of the restaurant is designed to bring diners on an amazing journey to Old Cuba.

Get the Recipe for our Classic Canchanchara Cocktail