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Local cuisine

In Tampa Bay, you don't have to go far to find the original flavor of Florida. It's in the spicy scent of our Spanish paella, a rich sip of café con leche, a healthy bite of a Cuban sandwich or the delicate taste of fresh, local seafood.

Tampa Bay's food and restaurant scene tells a distinctive story of its people, its past and its location. Even the trendy, nationally recognized chefs pay homage to the style of cooking Tampa Bay's immigrants brought to this area by building fresh, inventive dishes with traditional ingredients.

Spanish/Cuban cooking is usually spiced up with garlic, onions, olive oil, bay leaves and oregano. Traditional menu items include black bean soup, boliche (spicy sausage stuffed inside a beef roast), picadillo (seasoned ground beef hash with capers) and fried plantains (a yellow-green fruit similar to a banana). And for something sweet, the locals have always had a fascination with anything with guava or Key lime.