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    Papi's Cafe

    4.7 (35 reviews)
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    Kim N.

    Found this cute little café while searching for a 'different' Cuban Sandwich shop in South Tampa. Located in the lobby of the Florida Blue office building there's plenty of parking in a nearby garage or directly in front of the building. Was pleasantly surprised by the food, quality and selection. Even better pricing is very fair and affordable, cheaper than a fast food meal. There is a hot food bar that changes daily, most of the customers were ordering that, but I was just craving a solid Cuban sandwich and they did deliver. The portion is big enough to share. I was only able to finish half. I would maybe ask for light mustard next time as that was a bit heavy and running off the sandwich. Can't wait to revisit and try the hot food selections.

    Cuban Sandwich  Beef Empanada
    Sammie23464 A.

    Visiting nearby and walked to this awesome restaurant! At first I was a little intimidated walking into the business building but as soon as I walked in it was directly on my left. It's a cute little cafe for a bite to eat, they serve breakfast and lunch with plenty of space to dine inside! I ordered one beef empanada, one chicken empanada, one blueberry muffin, and one Cuban sandwich. The Cuban and the beef empanada were my absolute favorite, followed by the yummy toasted muffin! The lady who helped me was very pleasant and answered all the questions I had with a smile! I wish I had time to try more delights as everything looked wonderful! They also have an assortment of drinks and snacks (chips and cookies) you can order as well. Everything was very reasonably priced and I had a great experience! Definitely will be back!

    Super clean restaurant and great light

    Had the Cuban sandwich...sooooo good! Really friendly staff and super clean. Highly recommend!

    In the store
    Carissa A.

    This was a great stop about 5min away from TPA. They stopped serving breakfast at 11am so I squeezed in just a few minutes prior. Their menu looked delicious. I had ordered an egg sandwich with egg whites, chorizo, and Swiss cheese on Cuban bread. They made the sandwich to order and prepared everything after I placed the order. The 2 employees were very nice and genuine. Fortunately the wait for the food to be prepared was only 7min or so because I'm unsure if I would be able to stand there looking at the baked goods without being increasingly more hungry. The sandwich itself was very good. I do not often see chorizo sliced as thin deli meat so that was a pleasant surprise. The size of the sandwich was relatively big so I had half for breakfast and half for lunch. I had paired the sandwich with a medium passion fruit juice which was the right amount of sweetness. The overall experience was great though the parking situation is a little confusing as all of the spots say Reserved or Deliveries. However, I parked in a "deliveries" spot and had no issues. This was a great brunch experience. Please be aware that this cafe is in a building and there is not a sign for the cafe outside of he building

    10. Cuban Sandwich
    A J.

    Delicious Cuban sandwiches. Close to the airport. It's in the lobby on ground floor of an office building

    Ginger L.

    Papi's Cafe is a blessing to society. My husband has raved about it for a couple of years, as it is in his office building. If he could, he would have a cafe con leche from Papi's every day. And so when I finally got the chance to try...my expectations were high. And I am happy to report they were surpassed after just one empanada. The portions- awesome The flavor- fantastic The price-shocking! The menu is always changing, which is a delight, and the owner himself is a delight! Overall, I would highly recommend tucking in here for a quick lunch or stop for breakfast on the way to work, even if you're not working in this building. (There are plenty of public parking spots.)

    10. Cuban Sandwich
    Kila O.

    Hard to find but worth the search. It is located off the lobby of an office building without outside signs. The service is enthusiastic and with a smile. The place is clean and no frills but the FOOD! Legitimately one of the best Cuban sandwiches I have had. Large portions and a great price.

    T C.

    Papi's is located inside the building. It has a chalk board menu on the outside by the door. The inside is very spacious and clean. We stopped by after a drop off at the airport. We were greeted as we came in by a very nice gentleman. They had a display of stuffed potatoes and chicken and beef empanadas. We ordered Cafe Con Leche and a stuffed potato, beef empanada and cuban toast. The coffee was delicious and the food was also excellent. The stuffed potato was amazing. I can see why they were so busy with the people in the building stopping by on the way upstairs to work. We will stop again when in the area. We want to try lunch.

    Lunch menu
    Teresa M.

    This place is a true hidden gem. It is hard to find though. It is located on the lobby floor of the Bankers Life building across from Fairfield Inn and Suites. Everything is freshly made. The empanadas are so good, but they sell out fast. Call ahead if you want some. They are open Monday- Friday 7:30 - 3:00.

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    14 days ago

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    9 days ago

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    2 months ago

    Amazing Cuban sandwiches!!! Great service. Highly recommend. I stop here every time I fly into Florida.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Food is good at there but only has limited options to choose for lunch menu. The staff is nice too.

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Cuban food was good. Breakfast food just ok. Would recommend for Cuban. Cuban sandwich and empanadas worth a stop.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Best cafe in Tampa by far !! Great food and great service! I would highly recommend stopping here if you are in the area.

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    I take my mom here weekly on Fridays. Fantastic people, delicious food, always leave happy.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Highly recommend. Black beans and rice are on point. Like my abuelo used to make. Roast pork melts in your mouth

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Ask for a ropa vieja Cuban sandwich it was fantastic. With every other restaurant in this area being expensive it's my go to lunch spot

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Food is authentic and very good. Yellow rice and macaroni was delish. Cuban one of the best I've had in Tampa. New work pit stop.

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    La Teresita Cafe

    La Teresita Cafe

    3.9(1.3k reviews)
    1.1 miWest Tampa
    $$

    Brought friends here for lunch and decided to try the milanesa today, with fries and yellow rice as…read moresides. Just as I expected, this place never disappoints. I've only had Argentinian-style milanesa before, and I can easily say I liked the Teresita style better. The marinara sauce on the milanesa brings enough acidity to cut through the grease from the fried meat -- the meat is thin and crispy, but not at all dry. The fries and yellow rice make the meal an absolute steal based on the amount of food you get. My friend had the fried fish, which looked delicious -- excited to try it myself next time. Will definitely be back to try more items on the menu!

    I really wanted this to be a home run, especially being in Tampa, where the Cuban sandwich was…read moreborn, But what I got instead was a foul ball. I ordered takeout at lunchtime expecting something fresh and satisfying. The Cuban sandwich was the biggest letdown. They try to get slick by loading you up with slices of ham while giving you very little pork, when the pork should be the star. I even left specific notes on the order: no salami and add mustard. Somehow, they still left a piece of salami in there and didn't put any mustard at all. A Cuban sandwich without mustard? I don't know. It was so bad I had to take both halves of the sandwich and move all the pork onto one side just to make it resemble something decent. There was one tiny slice of pickle. Don't take my word for it--check the pictures. That's why I always include them. The soup? It reminded me of Lipton soup. No knock if you like that, but this was basically Lipton soup with grease. As for the coffee, it was takeout coffee, so I can't even complain too much. I got it to wake me up, but honestly... after this meal, I should have just stayed sleeping. Overall, really disappointing given the expectations.

    Photos
    La Teresita Cafe
    La Teresita Cafe
    La Teresita Cafe - Where you go in

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    Where you go in

    Bulla Gastrobar

    Bulla Gastrobar

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    2.6 miSoHo
    $$

    I've been wanting to get here for so long and it was beyond worth the wait. Absolutely adored my…read moreexperience at Bulla Gastrobar -- from velvety dates to robust sangrias, top to bottom this was so good. It's a must try! They offer a prix fixe menu, but we opted for the Saturday brunch menu on the Luna Lounge rooftop, which is packed with incredible options -- tapas, paellas, large plates, sweet plates and charcuterie. The bottomless mimosas were so reasonably priced, this alone is enticing me back. $23 for bottomless mimosas & sangria! They were also incredibly balanced and delicious. The sangria (I preferred the white but both were delicious) was a bright sweetness, and the mimosa was sweet but punchy on the tastebuds! I loved it. Definitely get this. (Pro-tip get the passionfruit mimosa & thank me later!) Ham croquettes had a crispy outer shell with a savory, cheesy inside that completely melts in your mouth with the salt of the crunchy bits of meat. All of that is countered by the sweetness of the fig jam, it's such a great combination of textures and flavors. It was indulgent! The ceviche de jalapeno was a highlight of the day -- such robust and bold flavors. the shrimp and fish were so fresh with the perfect texture and. The lime mixture was divine, I couldn't stop eating it! Tangy, tart and sweet. the heat was light for me but i loved the kick from the jalapenos. The dates were also a homerun -- the way the sweet dates melted into the salty bacon and savory chorizo was fantastic. We also tried the calamari, and it was okay but nothing to write home about. Here's what I recommend: * Serrano Ham Croquettes * Ceviche de Jalapeno * Bacon-wrapped chorizo stuffed medjool dates * Chicken & Waffles w/ rosemary syrup

    I tried Bullas today with some friends and I have to say it was a good time,…read more I really enjoyed their $17 two course lunch special. I had the Flatbread and the Pollo al Chilindron Platter with a Pineapple Mezcalita. Delicious! Our server was Anna and she was also very engaging and had a wonderful presence with us. I will definitely return!

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    Bulla Gastrobar
    Bulla Gastrobar
    Bulla Gastrobar

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    HAVANA 86 - Authentic Cuban Flavor - El Cubano - Cuban Sandwish

    HAVANA 86 - Authentic Cuban Flavor

    3.4(132 reviews)
    0.9 miWest Tampa

    I had Havana 86 while I was in Tampa for work and ended up eating there twice because it was that…read moregood. The first night I ordered Uber Eats, and the food arrived well packed, hot, and fresh. I ordered the vaca frita with yellow rice and added sweet plantains. The steak was incredibly tender and full of flavor, and the rice paired perfectly with it. The sweet plantains were spot on, and I honestly devoured the entire meal. It was so good that I took my boss back for lunch in person. He ordered the classic Cubano sandwich, and it was done right -- the ham and pork were perfectly balanced, the bread was fresh, and it was grilled just right. We also shared the sampler platter, which was a great way to try a variety of their tapas and appetizers. Everything we tried was solid. I also ordered a guanábana shake, which was fresh and absolutely delicious -- a flavor I had never had before. I liked it so much that I ordered it two days in a row. If you're looking for authentic Cuban food in Tampa, I definitely recommend Havana 86. The prices were very reasonable for the area, the food was consistently great, and it's already become a new favorite of mine. I'll absolutely be back next time I'm in town.

    So let's get the simple statement out of the way... Mighty fine Cuban food…read more I typically love Ropa Vieja... I'm shocked that I didn't order it. I just wasn't in the mood. I was in the mood for a sandwich. But I wasn't in the mood for a Cuban... Oddly enough, I've never really been a big Cuban sandwich fan. Good thing I went with my wife and sister-in-law. Sister-in-law ordered the Ropa. Wife ordered the Cuban sandwich. I got the Lechon sandwich. The pictures speak for themselves. Large sandwiches come with delicious fries. You could definitely share the sandwich if you wanted to. The Ropa Vieja looked like a pretty small portion... It was bigger in reality. Not huge... Not La Teresita huge. The sandwiches are well priced... The Ropa was a little expensive. Service was great. Very kind staff. Tons of servers... Probably too many -- It's not that big of a restaurant. Restaurant is super cute, clean, and the tables are awesome -- Tons of those rounded booth tables. Very comfortable. Probably my only downside... I wouldn't expect the inside of the restaurant based on the outside. If this wasn't a recommendation from my sister-in-law... I would have driven right by. So, maybe you'll see this review and give this restaurant a chance. I would've never gone there if it wasn't for word-of-mouth.

    Photos
    HAVANA 86 - Authentic Cuban Flavor - Storefront

    Storefront

    HAVANA 86 - Authentic Cuban Flavor - ARROZ FRITO - FRIED RICE Ox Tail with Black Beans & Rice

    ARROZ FRITO - FRIED RICE Ox Tail with Black Beans & Rice

    HAVANA 86 - Authentic Cuban Flavor - Outside Entrance

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    Outside Entrance

    Papi's Cafe - spanish - Updated May 2026

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