The Cuban sandwich is an all-American savory creation first made in Tampa, Florida, over a century ago. It features the flavors of many different cultures that built Tampa.

The U.S. consumed some 300 million cigars by the mid-19th century, and many Cuban cigar-makers migrated to nearby Florida, where Tampa became known as “Cigar City” by the early 20th century.

Travel | August 5, 2021. The Last Cigar Factory in Tampa. After a multi-million renovation, the J.C. Newman Cigar Company in Ybor City offers visitors a museum and tours of its working factory ...

So it's no surprise that Tampa, nicknamed Cigar City, claims to have put the Cuban sandwich on the map (in America, at least). The sandwich itself was not mentioned in any U.S. records until 1906 ...

In the 1920s, there were more than 200 cigar factories, most in Ybor City and West Tampa. Tampa has 25 remaining cigar factories, 23 are being used. Here’s how.