It was a war between Miami & Tampa for the best known original sandwich in the Tampa Bay area, the authentically distinct Cuban Sandwich (aka “mixto”)! Known as the workers sandwich in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. It was in a lot of the immigrant Cuban cafes in Ybor City for the cigar rolling workers.

    It has a great diverse make-up of ethnicity. Cuban, Spanish, Italian, & German. The components include: Fresh baked Cuban bread with palm leaves baked on top, Spanish Ham, Cuban Roasted ‘mojo’ pork, German Swiss cheese, German yellow mustard, Kosher Dill pickles, and Italian Genoa salami slices. Only later did mayo, tomatoes and lettuce appear for the non traditionalist! Then toasted in a sandwich press (plancha early panini press machine).

    For the competition Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Tampa City Council members Yolie Capin, Harry Cohen and Mike Suarez, Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor, State Rep Janet Cruz, YCDC Manager Vince Pardo, HCC Cuban Sandwich Artist David Audett, Columbian Restaurant owner Casey Gonzmart, GaYBOR’s Carrie West and a dozen others are included as official taster and judge testing the difference between Miami’s version of the Cuban Sandwich and local Tampa & Ybor City Cuban Sandwiches. A great blindfold test of tastes! 1000’s of people came to taste and experience the Cuban sandwich fight!