Cuban Sandwich at La Segunda Central Bakery
The best sandwiches start with great bread. Bread that is traditionally made, and freshly baked. The best Cuban Sandwiches are no different, and naturally the bakery that makes the most authentic and artisanal Cuban bread is going to make an incredible Cuban Sandwich. In Tampa, this bakery is La Segunda Central Bakery, an institution in Ybor City that has been making traditional Cuban bread at the same location for over a century.
The story of La Segunda Central Bakery started in the early twentieth century when a Catalonian born soldier called Juan Moré deserted the Spanish army in Cuba and traveled north to Florida. He eventually settled in Tampa, and became the part-owner of three bakeries known locally as La Primera, La Segunda, and La Tercera. Eventually, Moré became the sole owner of the second bakery, now known as La Segunda Central Bakery. At the turn of the century, most bakeries in Tampa made classic Cuban bread. This was a simple, baguette type loaf that was traditionally made with lard. What distinguished Cuban bread from French bread was the palmetto leaf that was pressed lengthwise along the top of each loaf before it went into the oven. Raymond Moré, a third generation owner of La Segunda believes that the leaf allows gas to escape from the loaf so that the shape of the bread is consistent, and the inside stays soft and airy. It has also been suggested that it allows the breadmaker to monitor the baking since a scorching leaf might mean that an area in the oven is too hot. In the Caribbean, banana leaves are still used when bread is baked in dirt ovens, and it’s very likely that Cuban bakers originally did this, but switched to the saw palmetto since it was so common in Florida.
As time changed and better technology became available, bakers in Tampa started modernizing their methods of making bread. La Segunda Central Bakery on the other hand kept things traditional. To this day, palmetto leaves are still placed across each loaf by hand. Steam is then applied to help the loaves rise, and they are placed in front of a high powered fan so that the signature flaky crust develops. Instead of using a large bread pans like other bakeries, each loaf is then individually placed into the oven so that it heats up faster and more evenly.
Making over 10,000 loaves of Cuban bread like this every day is time consuming, but it has allowed La Segunda to stand out as both a cherished culinary institution in Tampa, and the only source for authentic Cuban bread. Restaurants all across Florida including Beef O’ Brady’s, and Wright’s Gourmet House all use loaves of La Segunda Central Bakery bread for their Cuban sandwiches. The most well known of the establishments using bread from La Segunda is the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. Opened in 1903, this is both the oldest restaurant in Florida, and the oldest restaurant continuously serving a Cuban sandwich. From the time they opened in 1915, La Segunda Central Bakery baked the Cuban bread for the Columbia Restaurant’s Cuban Sandwich. For a time, Columbia tried making their own bread and purchased from other bakeries with mixed results. In the early nineties however, they sought to restore the original Cuban sandwich to its legendary status and once again started using La Segunda Central Bakery Cuban bread. Today, the Columbia Restaurant uses Cuban bread from La Segunda Central Bakery for several items on their menu, including their iconic Cuban Sandwich as well as the Mahi-Mahi Cubano, the Mojo Chicken Sandwich, and the White Chocolate Bread Pudding.
It’s easy to find Cuban sandwiches that use La Segunda bread all across the city, but there is a benefit to buying one directly from the bakery; the bread is fresher than anywhere else as it practically just came out of the oven. The La Segunda Central Bakery Cuban Sandwich begins with freshly baked bread that is cut down the middle and slathered with a mix of mustard and mayonnaise that has been seasoned with garlic and black pepper. This is followed by four dill pickles, slices of swiss cheese and Genoa salami. Mojo pork that was cooked overnight for over six hours is then piled on top, followed by half a pound of black forest ham. The sandwich is then pressed on a buttered grill and allowed to toast for a few minutes.
There are also several other sandwiches at La Segunda Central Bakery that are made with freshly baked Cuban bread. The 1915 Club Sandwich is made with smoked ham, bacon, and oven roasted turkey. The Mojo Chicken Caesar Sandwich is also technically a club sandwich that is made with Parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing, and roasted chicken that was marinated overnight in Mojo seasoning. They also make Tampa versions of popular submarine sandwiches. The La Segunda Italian Meatball sandwich starts with meatballs smothered in a spicy marinara sauce that is then topped with provolone and Parmesan cheese. The Patrinostro is their take on an Italian sub, and is made with ham, capicola, mortadella, salami, provolone cheese, tomatoes, onions, olive oil, and vinegar. Unlike the typical hoagie, these sandwiches are pressed flat with butter on a hot grill just like a Cuban sandwich.
In addition to sandwiches, La Segunda Central Bakery also makes some of the best desserts in Tampa. Their sweet treats include American classics like cookies or brownies, as well as Latin American pastries like Quesitos. A visit to this iconic bakery is one of the top things to do in Tampa, and a sandwich and dessert from La Segunda Central Bakery should be part of any visit to the city.
