A taste of Little Havana: Here are 10 of the best Cuban sandwiches in Brevard
How is it that all the bright, friendly charm of Little Havana or the colorful elan of Ybor City can be captured in roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles, sometimes with salami, always on pressed, baguette-like bread?
It’s called the Cuban sandwich, possibly not a product of Cuba at all, but of its cigar industry workers in Tampa (Ybor City) or Key West who created — or brought with them — the mixto, the quick meal they enjoyed in their home country. Around the beginning of the 20th century, it first was mentioned in newspapers and other reports as having been unique to Tampa, also the birthplace of what we call “Cuban bread.”
It remained here and returned to the island with the people who enjoyed it, and we Floridians do love our Cuban sandwiches. Here are some of the best that may be found in Brevard.
Cuban sandwiches to sit and enjoy
Breakfast in Havana
2251 W. New Haven Ave., West Melbourne, 321-327-2721, breakfastinhavana.org.
If you have spent any time on old Calle Ocho (Eighth Street, Little Havana) in Miami, you know this place is a throwback: a bustling, congenial, Cuban-to-the-core, family-owned breakfast and lunch restaurant.
Café La Tinaja
3850 U.S. 1, Cocoa, 321-305-6409.
La Tinaja is where Central Brevard’s Cuban families and their hungry friends dine for good reasons, one of which is its Cuban sandwich, which is made with bread baked daily. Try a media noche (midnight sandwich), which is served on sweet bread.
Cuban Island
2910 Fla. A1A, Indialantic.
A stylish, date-night sort of place, vibrant Cuban Island is part lounge and part restaurant, a little dressier than most purveyors of a variety of classic sandwiches, not least the Cuban. Call 321-241-4886. www.cubanislandrestaurant.com.
El Ambia Cubano
950 E. Melbourne Ave., Melbourne, 321-327-8389, elambiacubano.com.
Around the corner from the heart of downtown Melbourne, with indoor or outdoor dining, El Ambia is a local classic, filled with Cuban-American pride: mementos of pre-Fidel Cuba decorate its walls, as do certain belongings of its owner, a pilot who defected to this country with his aircraft.
Nini’s Cuban Cuisine
147 Fifth Ave., Indialantic, 321-821-4928, facebook.com/NinisCubanRestaurant.
Patriotic Nini’s also has scenes of Old Cuba on its walls and jokingly refers to “Sanwiches” on its menu, which features a number of specialties, not least, the Cuban.
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Cuban sandwiches for takeout
Café de Havana
409 Delannoy Ave., Cocoa, 321-390-3859, on Facebook.
A relatively recent addition to the shops and restaurants in the Village Bier Garten complex, Café de Havana vows to make its customers “feel at home” with its coffee beverages, pastries, breakfast specialties and sandwiches, not least of which is a Cuban sandwich that has drawn high praise from diners.
Cypress Table
307 Delannoy Ave., Cocoa, cypresstable.com, 321-327-3630, henrys-cuban-cafe.business.site.
A block up the street from Café de Havana is one of the most inventive restaurants of its kind, which makes no claim to be Cuban but produces a thick, pressed sandwich in which go smoky pulled pork and Serrano ham as well as house-made pickles. There’s a vegan version too, and one with beef birria.
Henry’s Cuban Café
500 State Road A1A, Satellite Beach, 321-327-3630, henrys-cuban-cafe.business.site.
Henry’s destroys all negative myths about gas station cuisine, and some of its customers will tell you that it is the best food, period, in Satellite Beach. Cuban sandwiches there are meaty and full of flavor, on exactly the glossy loaves you would expect.
La Cubanita Sandwich
101 S. Babcock St., Melbourne, 321-768-7889, facebook.com/lacubanitasandwich.
When other restaurants had yet to have Cuban sandwiches, the one now called La Cubanita was named after them. It is not a place with a huge menu, nor does it own any semblance of pretense, but it has been a favorite for years among locals.
Tree of Life Cuban Bakery
1200 Malabar Road, Palm Bay, Call 321-372-1453, facebook.com/brevardpalmbay.
If you have spent time around Miami or Tampa, you are familiar with those fragrant, friendly bakeries where people huddle around little tables to drink coffee, talk and eat. Such a place is Tree of Life, with its fresh breads, exquisite pastries and Cuban sandwiches that make you feel as if you’re in the neighborhood.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 10 great Cuban sandwiches on the Space Coast for takeout or dine-in
