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La Segunda Central Bakery ★ 4.8
La Segunda in Ybor City has baked Cuban bread daily since 1915, with 18,000-plus loaves a day and the palmetto frond baked into the top loaf for steam.
The Tampa Cuban: pressed Cuban bread with roast pork, ham, Genoa salami, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard and dill pickles. The Genoa salami separates a real Tampa Cuban from anything else.
The Cuban sandwich was invented in Ybor City's cigar factories in the 1890s. Cuban, Spanish, Sicilian and German immigrants worked rolling cigars side by side, and the sandwich is a fusion of their cuisines. The Sicilian Genoa salami is the Tampa-Miami line: Miami's later 1959 exile version omits the salami. The City of Tampa formally declared the Cuban sandwich its signature sandwich in 2012. Roast pork is mojo-marinated overnight with sour orange and garlic before going on the bread.
5 editor picks for Cuban sandwich (Tampa style) in Tampa, ranked by editorial score. All Tampa signature dishes · Cuban sandwich (Tampa style) across every city.
Alessi Bakery ★ 4.8
Alessi Bakery on West Cypress has run an Italian and Cuban bakery in Tampa since 1912, with famous hand-carved Cuban sandwiches, deviled crabs and cannolis.
Brocato's Sandwich Shop ★ 4.6
Brocato's on East Columbus Drive in Tampa has built Cuban sandwiches, deviled crabs and stuffed potatoes since 1948 from a neighborhood storefront.
OrderThe Cuban sandwich with a deviled crab on the side.
TipCash and card both work; the party finger sandwiches (mini Cubans and mini deviled crabs) are the catering pick.
Columbia Restaurant ★ 4.5
The Columbia Restaurant on East Seventh Avenue has plated 1905 Salad and Cuban sandwiches in Ybor City since 1905 and is Florida's oldest restaurant.
Order1905 Salad tableside, Cuban sandwich with the house Cuban bread, and the Spanish bean soup.
TipBook the flamenco performance nights Monday through Saturday; the restaurant spans an entire city block with 15 dining rooms.
Wright's Gourmet House ★ 4.4
Wright's Gourmet House on Dale Mabry Highway has run a Tampa sandwich and bakery counter since 1963, famous for Cuban sandwiches and the legendary rum cake.
OrderThe Cuban sandwich pressed crisp and a slice of the famous rum cake to take home.
TipThe Casper family bought Wright's from the founders in 2024 to keep the recipes in Tampa hands; cash and card both work.
Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide
Cuban sandwich (Tampa style) makes more sense with someone from Tampa explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Book food experiences in Tampa
Guided tour · 3 hours
Tampa: Ybor City Stories and Flavors Experience
Discover the history of Ybor City on a guided walking tour in Tampa. Learn about the cigar industry, explore the lives of the workers, and enjoy food tastings that ref...
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Guided tour · 3.5 hours
Tampa: Ybor City Food Tour with 5 Local Delicacies Tastings
Discover Ybor City on our Secret Food Tour! Taste 6+ dishes including Cuban sandwiches, deviled crab, and Greek specialties while exploring Tampa’s vibrant history, cu...
from$98 Check dates
Guided tour · 2 hours
Iconic Ybor: Cuban Sandwich and History Tour
Sip cafe con leche and enjoy a 90 minute walking tour with historic landmarks, architecture, and the stories of Cigar City. End with a famous Cuban sandwich at Florida...
from$70 Check dates