Cuba Libre, 801 Ninth St., NW.Â
One recent night at Philadelphia-based Cuban restaurant Cuba Libre, owner Barry Gutin ran into friends at two separate tables who told him that they were taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs. One had a special order with cut-up steak added to his soup. The other explained how he was seeking smaller portions that were high in fiber and protein. They suggested it would be helpful to have a special menu tailored to people on popular appetite-suppressing medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Now, Gutin and his team are making it happen. On October 27, Cuba Libre’s locations in Penn Quarter and elsewhere are launching a “GLP-Wonderful” menu, featuring smaller, protein-packed portions developed with the guidance of a doctor specializing in obesity medicine.
“We just jumped on the idea, because it’s a need, and because we wanted to be first,” says Gutin, who’s unaware of any full-service restaurants around the country offering a menu explicitly catering to the Ozempic crowd. Gutin notes that it’s become common for restaurants to offer gluten-free menus when less than one percent of the population has celiac disease. By contrast, as many as 12 percent of adults have taken a GLP-1 drug, according to recent estimates.
Culinary Directory Angel Roque, a nutrition-minded chef who’s based in Cuba Libre’s Orlando location, collaborated on the menu with Dr. Charlie Seltzer, a board-certified internist and obesity expert based in Philadelphia.
Their “GLP-Wonderful” menu includes five dishes, which are variations on existing plates. For example, the restaurant’s popular vaca frita—braised brisket with a citrus-garlic sauce—comes in a 3.5-ounce portion versus the regular 6 ounces. Instead of rice and beans, it’s accompanied by broccolini and half an avocado. Meanwhile, a salmon portion remains the same size, but Roque says they had to nix the rum-based “mojito” sauce that typically comes with their fish—along with the side of coconut rice—because of the calories. Instead, they offer a simple grilled filet with mushrooms and asparagus.
The dishes are priced 25 percent less than the regular menu items. All of them list nutritional facts, including the calories, fat, fiber, carbs, and protein content per portion. Beyond the numbers, though, they’ve aimed to try to keep the dishes as visually appealing as possible.
“Otherwise you might as well just get boiled chicken and a stalk of broccoli,” Gutin says.
CORRECTION:Â The GLP-1 menu launches on October 27, not 22.Â
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
