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There's nothing like a nice Cuban sandwich.
Several ingredients are clasped between two crisp pieces of Cuban bread: ham, roasted pork, swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. This popular Florida dish can be traced centuries ago from indigenous Cuban cultures before being influenced by European and eventually American tastes.
The Tampa Bay area birthed the modern-day Cuban sandwich, which has captured the hearts of Sunshine State residents.
Where can you find the best Cuban sandwiches in Tampa Bay then? Yelp, in honor of National Cuban Sandwich Day (August 23), have released the Top 15 restaurants on their restaurant serving this dish:
- Bodega (St. Petersburg)
- Flan Factory
- La Segunda Central Bakery (Ybor City)
- Columbia Restaurant (Sarasota)
- La Segunda Bakery & Cafe (Kennedy)
- Columbia Restaurant (Tampa)
- Bodega (Tampa)
- The Boozy Pig
- Alessi Bakery
- Cigar City Brewing
- West Tampa Sandwich Shop
- Healthy N Fresh Cafe
- Pepo's Cuban Cafe
- La Teresita Cafe
- Hemingway’s Cuban Kitchen
Yelp Tampa Bay also announced a virtual event to celebrate Latinx Heritage on September 15, 2021. "The Secret Life Of The Cuban Sandwich" will feature a live discussion with Andy Huse about the history of the Cuban sandwich. For more information about the free event, visit the website.
Click here for a dedicated page for other Tampa Bay-area spots serving up Cuban sandwiches.