Looking for a mouthwatering Caribbean meal near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Caribbean restaurants around Tampa, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to meet your needs.
1. La Segunda Central Bakery
Topping the list is La Segunda Central Bakery. Located at 2512 N. 15th St. in Ybor City, the bakery and Cuban spot, which offers coffee and tea and more, is the highest-rated cheap Caribbean restaurant in Tampa, boasting 4.5 stars out of 228 reviews on Yelp.
At this spot, you can enjoy a media noche sandwich or a guava and cheese turnover with a cafe con leche.
The site can tell you a thing or two more about the history of La Segunda Central Bakery that Juan More founded in 1915 after spending time in Cuba.
"He brought the recipe of Cuban bread from Cuba to Tampa to feed the cigar workers at the beginning of the 20th century," the business notes in its Yelp profile. "For over 100 years, we've used the same hand-baked process and traditional recipes to ensure a taste and texture that can't be duplicated."
2. La Teresita Cafe
Next is Northeast Macfarlane's La Teresita Cafe, situated at 3246 W. Columbus Drive. With four stars out of 891 reviews on Yelp, the Cuban and Spanish spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a low-priced option.
The site has lots more information on La Teresita Cafe and the faces behind the business. Cuban-born Maximino and Coralia Capdevila fled Cuba in 1962 and opened La Teresita 10 years later. "Even though they did not know the language and they did not have any resources, they knew that if they worked hard, they could achieve the American Dream."
Curious about who's behind the business?
In terms of signature items, "La Teresita Cafe (West Side) is a counter-style restaurant that is a popular hotspot with the locals," according to the business's Yelp page. Specialties include churrasco with beans, rice and plantains; pollo fricase, ropa vieja and tres leches cake for dessert.
3. El Gallo De Oro
Wellswood's El Gallo De Oro, located at 4007 Fiesta Plaza, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the inexpensive Cuban and breakfast and brunch spot, which offers salads and more, 4.5 stars out of 52 reviews.
Yelper Jessica G. noted, "El Gallo De Oro restaurant excels at both customer service and delicious food. I wanted everything on the menu, but I settled for cafe con leche and palomilla steak and eggs. This meal came with one side, so I had the eggs served over white rice. The entire meal was so good!"
4. Arco Iris Cafe
Arco Iris Cafe, a Cuban spot in Wellswood, is another inexpensive go-to, with four stars out of 66 Yelp reviews. Head over to 4001 N. Habana Ave. to see for yourself.
Yelper Brian C., who reviewed the cafe on Feb. 12, wrote, "My family brought me here while I was in town for work. The roast pork and fried rIce were great. The Cuban bread was nice and warm and buttered for an early treat. The black beans were cooked perfectly. You have to try the flan and rice pudding. The prices are very reasonable and the service is great!"
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
