Nineteen61 Latin Cuisine, opened Fall of 2015 in Downtown Lakeland. The conceptualized Restaurant is an integration of Modern Spanish style with Latin American and Southern propensities, in a setting unique to Central Florida.

A letter from the Chef :

Dear Friend,
1961 is the year my parents were exiled from Cuba. Without the year 1961, this restaurant, perhaps even I, would not exist. My parents journey posed a complex question:
“How can we adapt to a new world and yet preserve the culture that gives us identity?”
This restaurant is a way for us to explore that question.

Nineteen61 is the beginning of a change in Lakeland’s hospitality culture.

We named it, The Food Revolution.
With the understanding of quality and the value of creating an in depth memorable experience beyond a crafted dish, the wine poured in your glass, and linens on your table- we believe it requires more than just that.

Satisfying our appetite to offer the Nineteen61 experience requires partnering with local growers for pure and rich ingredients: our chickens, our pigs, our honey, our produce.
It requires celebrating our hardworking, creative, and dedicated team members.
It requires building a system and culture of excellence with personal accountability, and then as a whole these parts come together as a constellation of fresh and unique perspectives that shines through in every guests experience.

At Nineteen61, we position ourselves as a benchmark for Lakeland dining. A new standard that shows what is possible—what Lakeland diners should expect from their restaurants.

Despite of it all, including of our humbling success, it has never been about monetary success. It is not about recognition or press.
Instead, it is about the food, the freedom, and sharing these bounties with a community we love.

That is the revolution.