Thursday Regional Sandwich (April)

Sandwich: The Miami Cubano
Region: Miami, Florida

The Story(ies): It wouldn’t be a Regional Sandwich without a little bit of controversy. The Cubano will spark a heavy debate on who should claim ownership of the invention of the sandwich, Miami or Tampa. The truth is, while both can claim credit for transforming the sandwich into what it is today, the true origins of this sandwich hail from Cuba. There is a popular street food in Cuba called the “sandwich mixto” that consists of roasted pork, ham, pickles, cheese, and mustard served on Cuban bread. The mixto serves as the foundation of the Cubano sandwiches that later became popular in both Tampa and Miami.

The Tampa Cubano rose to popularity when Ybor City, a neighborhood in Tampa, saw an increase of Cuban immigrants in the late 1800s to early 1900s. They came to work in cigar factories in the city and a vibrant Cuban community formed in the city. The Cubano sandwich became very popular amongst the working class as an affordable and delicious sandwich. You could only find this sandwich at street vendors but as the popularity and demand increased, it wasn’t long before the sandwich was all over Tampa. The Tampa style Cubano includes one key ingredient that differentiates it from it’s Miami competitor, that is the addition of Genoa Salami, likely influenced by the Italian community in Ybor City.

Miami saw a rise in Cuban immigrants during the late 1950s during the Cuban Revolution. As the Cuban community grew and neighborhoods bloomed, such as Little Havana, so too did the Cubano. The Miami Cubano does not include salami and also includes variations that come with tomato, mayo, onions, and more that were influenced by the Latin American and Caribbean cultures in Miami. Some argue that Miami’s version is more authentic since it does not include salami.

BP Spin: Our Miami Cubano, begins with a 6” french bread roll that is layered with yellow mustard on both sides. We then add a healthy layer of Boar’s Head Sweet Slice ham and a slice of Boar’s Head Roasted Pork. We then add a layer of swiss cheese and a layer of our House-Made pickles. The sandwich is delicately pressed and grilled on the flat-top before serving to perfectly toast both sides of the sandwich giving it an excellent crunch with every bite.

Join us at our “getty” in April as Bitter Pops celebrates our 8th Year Anniversary! We will be celebrating all month long with new food and drink items, and we will have plenty of fun activities as we roll into year 9!

Dasit! See You Soon!