Cuban Sandwich at the Columbia Restaurant in Tampa

The Cuban Sandwich is a minor source of contention in Florida. There are arguments over where to find the best Cuban sandwich in Miami or Tampa, and debates over the different regional styles. The Miami Cuban Sandwich is considered the classic version, and it’s made with Cuban bread, ham, roasted pork, mustard, pickles, and swiss cheese. The Tampa Cuban Sandwich uses these same ingredients, but Genoa salami is also added. Similarly, Cuban Sandwiches in Key West use the same ingredients but mayonnaise, tomato, and lettuce are included. In Jacksonville, where there is less insistence on authenticity, it’s possible to see Cuban Sandwiches with tomato, salami, and mayonnaise, and bacon instead of ham.

While the debate on the best regional style of Cuban Sandwich in Florida might never be settled, Tampa has the claim to fame of being the city with the oldest Cuban Sandwich still being served. It comes from an institution famous for being the oldest restaurant in Florida, and also the largest Spanish restaurant in the world; The Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City.

Originally opened as the Columbia Saloon in 1903, it became an official restaurant two years later when they began selling food. In 1920, the neighboring La Fonda restaurant was incorporated, and the dining area of the Columbia Restaurant doubled in size. Further expansions came in 1935 with the remodeling of the kitchen, and the construction of the Don Quixote Dining Room which was the first air conditioned dining room in Tampa.

In 1937, an outdoor dining area was constructed. Inspired by patios in southern Spain, and Italian villas, it featured a replica of a statue found in the ruins of Pompeii, and an overlooking balcony where diners could be seated. It’s now covered by a translucent roof and known as the Patio Dining Room.

Also in 1937, the King’s Room was built. Reminiscent of a dining hall in a Medieval palace, this cozy room is often used for private events. The walls of this room bear portraits of the Kings and Queens of the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago, which is a group dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of Tampa’s rich Latin heritage and culture. Several members of the Gonzmart family who are the owners of the Columbia Restaurant are past royalty of the Knights of Sant’ Yago, and their portraits are among those in the room.

The earliest recipes for Cuban Sandwiches from the Columbia Restaurant also go back to the late 1930s, and the version currently served is a modern take on this early preparation. It’s simple and straightforward, but it relies on high quality ingredients. The bread comes from La Segunda, a bakery that has focused on Cuban Bread for over one hundred years. It’s still made the traditional way, with a razor palm leaf pressed across the length of the loaf. This scores the bread, ensures that it doesn’t rise too much, and allows the baker to monitor the bread since the leaf lifts off from the loaf when it’s finished baking.

Both the pork and ham comes from a farm in the midwest that specializes in well-marbled meat, while the salami comes from Genoa since the Italians make it with more coarsely ground peppercorns. When putting the sandwich together, the ham goes on first, followed by the roasted pork, and then slices of salami. Mustard, swiss cheese and pickles bring the sandwich together and compliment each other. They go on last, before the sandwich is slathered with butter and pressed.

When it comes to cutting the sandwich, the Columbia Restaurant insists on slicing it diagonally into two triangles. This is so that the diner can hold the sandwich at the base, and start eating from the pointed corner working their way down without getting messy.

The Cuban Sandwich from the Columbia Restaurant is definitely delicious, however almost every Cuban Sandwich sold in Tampa is delicious as well. Most restaurants use the same bread, ham, and cheese, so the choice of roasted pork is where they have an opportunity to stand out. Some places use mojo pork that is marinated for longer, and roasted slower. In addition to that, they’re more generous with the slices of meat in the sandwich, and they slather the bread with lard instead of butter. In Tampa, it’s easy to find a better Cuban Sandwich at a better price. However, the Cuban Sandwich from the Columbia Restaurant comes with the opportunity to visit a truly historic restaurant.