Spotlight
Iconic Sandwich
| USF News
Photo courtesy of the Columbia Restaurant
While there have been many contributions from immigrants to Tampa’s restaurants, Andy Huse, assistant librarian in Special Collections, admits the Cuban sandwich is the most recognized in the city.
The sandwich is so intertwined with Tampa’s rich history that it was crowned the signature sandwich of the city of Tampa by the Tampa City Council last year.
The official Tampa sandwich is made with thinly sliced ham and mojo roast pork layered over salty salami and Swiss cheese, all topped off with a few pickles and a drizzle of mustard, then hot-pressed in fresh Cuban bread.
Huse is researching the evolution of food in the city of Tampa as part of an ongoing project to document Tampa’s history through its food and restaurateurs.
“I learned the history of the community here through the food and the culture, and the Cuban sandwich is of course a part of all that,” says Huse. “It’s the thing people are most interested in, they’re drawn to it.”