Eva Mendes is bringing one of her favorite Cuban traditions to Instagram, and this time she has family by her side. The actress and entrepreneur shared a video of herself making Cuban coffee with her sister, offering followers a glimpse at a ritual that has long been connected to Mendes’ Cuban-American upbringing.
For Mendes, cafecito is clearly about more than getting a caffeine boost. Over the years, the 52-year-old has repeatedly talked about Cuban coffee, her mother's cafetera, and the family memories tied to spending time together in the kitchen.
© Eva MendesEva Mendes makes Cuban coffee with her sister
In the Instagram video, Mendes and her sister come together to make Cuban coffee, turning the everyday kitchen routine into a family moment.
Mendes has made her Cuban heritage a recurring part of her social media presence. She frequently references Cuban expressions, food, family customs, and the habits she picked up growing up.
Mendes was born in Miami to Cuban parents and was raised primarily in Los Angeles. She has described growing up surrounded by a strong Cuban influence. In a previous interview with Glamour, she recalled living in a Cuban community where neighbors would make "cafecitos" and spend summer evenings together. "We lived in a little Cuban community in Los Angeles around a lot of Latinos," Mendes told the publication.
© WireImageShe also remembered how coffee was woven into those gatherings, recalling that people "made their cafecitos" and sat outside together late into the evening.
Cuban coffee has a special place in Eva Mendes' family
This is far from Mendes' first public declaration of love for Cuban coffee. While traveling in 2022, she shared her disappointment when a room-service coffee couldn't deliver the familiar taste she wanted. "When a Cubana is on vacation and gets room service coffee and realizes it's not un cortadito!" she wrote at the time.
Her next thought went straight to home and her mother. "Ayyy, if only Mami was here with her cafetera Cubana..." Mendes added.
© Eva MendesA cortadito traditionally combines strong Cuban-style espresso with milk and sugar, creating a small but potent coffee that is a staple of Cuban coffee culture.
Eva Mendes has a close relationship with her sister Becky
Mendes has also spoken affectionately about her older sister Becky Canino. In an April 2026 Instagram post, Mendes called Becky her "big sister" and said she was "like a second mom to me while I was growing up." She added, "She was a huge influence in my life."
Becky's influence apparently extended to beauty, too. "My beauty inspiration is my beautiful sister Becky," Mendes previously told ELLE Canada. "I'm 10 years younger than her, and I have vivid memories of being in awe watching her getting ready."
Mendes said Becky taught her how to blow out her hair and recalled watching her older sister's beauty routine when she was young.
© Eva MendesMendes has also shared throwback photos with sisters Becky and Janet over the years, giving fans occasional glimpses into a part of her life she generally keeps private.
The kitchen means so much to Eva Mendes
Coffee is only one piece of Mendes' connection to the kitchen.
She has explained that cooking, cleaning, and gathering in the kitchen were central parts of growing up in her Cuban household. "I grew up in a very, very Cuban household," Mendes told TODAY in 2025. She remembered that despite the family's small kitchen, everyone would gather there. One person might cook while someone else washed dishes or cleaned alongside them.
© Eva MnedesThat tradition has continued in her adult life. Mendes said her mother and sisters still arrive with food, start cooking, and immediately get to work in the kitchen when they visit. "It's always kitchen first, let's get it done," she explained.
She has similarly told Glamour that cleaning the kitchen was never simply a chore in her childhood home. "My mom and my sisters and my aunts love to clean, love to do the dishes," she said, describing the kitchen as an "emotional bonding experience" when family members were together.
Mendes has consistently embraced her Cuban heritage publicly, from speaking Spanish and sharing family memories to joking about distinctly Cuban habits on social media.
