Nothing is more enjoyable than a perfectly made Cubano sandwich with its crispy flaky outside, melted cheese inside, and beautiful blend of mouthwatering flavors that will make your taste buds dance. The Cuban sandwich is the epitome of what a ham and cheese sandwich should be. To be authentic, every sandwich begins life as a prime cut of marinated pork (lechon) slow-roasted to perfection. Once the meat is falling from the bones, it is then mixed with the finest ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles available. The traditional Cuban bread is then smothered with a thin yet flavorful layer of yellow mustard before being toasted in a Panini (plancha) press. If you prefer the Tampa style, then slices of the salami can also be stuffed inside. So, if you’re wondering where to find the best Cuban sandwich in Austin keep reading.
Tropicana Cuban Restaurant
If you are looking for the best place in Austin to sit down and enjoy some authentic Cuban food, then look no further than the Tropicana. There are several great restaurants within the greater Austin area, but none of them can live up to the atmosphere, taste, and authenticity of the Tropicana Cuban Restaurant. You will find that the restaurant, parking lot, and restrooms are kept clean at all times. And, the helpful staff is some of the friendliest in the Austin metro area.
When you first walk into the Tropicana, you realize that it’s a lot more than just a restaurant. They have an entire bakery where they create fresh Cuban bread and a wide assortment of pastries every single day. For those who sit down inside for a meal, the large menu provides a little bit of something for everyone. You will also find that the Tropicana has a wide assortment of imported drinks such as Jupiña, Malts, and Materva, which makes the experience even more enjoyable.
But, nothing beats the Tropicana Cuban Restaurant’s Cubano. You will simply fall in love with their mouthwatering sandwich, which is made from the freshest locally sourced ingredients possible. While many other restaurants make their Cubanos using whatever bread is available, the Tropicana makes its own fresh Cuban bread every single day. When you bite into their delectable, crispy, and gooey ham and cheese sandwich, you will see why the Tropicana is so popular. Head on down to Lamar Boulevard to see what all of the fuss is about.
Address: 9616 N Lamar Blvd
Phone: 512-669-5242
Chichos Sabor A Cuba
When you want a little bit of Miami in the greater Austin area, you need to head on over to Chichos Sabor A Cuba. This centralized destination features a plentiful menu that provides all of the popular flavors from home. Each and every item is prepared using nothing less than the freshest locally sourced ingredients possible, using truly authentic Cuban recipes.
Just about everything served by to Chichos Sabor A Cuba has some sort of pork in it, even their pastries. Whether you are interested in their double queso pizza, the borrachitas, or even their tantalizing sponge cake, you will simply fall in love with the amazing flavors that are truly Cuban.
But, one of their most popular menu items is the Cubano sandwich. The pork shoulder is always tender, and it is never overcooked. Great emphasis and care are put into the proper marinating and slow roasting of the pork shoulder, to ensure that every sandwich is nothing less than the greatest. From the moment you bite into the crispy outside, and taste the gooey, melted Swiss cheese inside, you will fall in love. If you want to try this delectable sandwich, then head on over to Farm to Market Road.
Address: 15424 Farm to Market Rd 1825
Phone: 737-209-0363
Cuba 512
If you’re looking for a truly unique Cuban restaurant and bar in the greater Austin area, then look no further than Cuba 512. Every effort has been made to provide you with a truly authentic Cuban experience, that caters to all of your 5 senses. Every aspect of the restaurant ambiance is uniquely Cuban, from the décor to the music, and of course the aroma of freshly cooked Cuban dishes.
Every single item on their menu is prepared fresh with locally sourced, hand-picked ingredients. And every meal is served with fresh cocktails and smoothies made of tropical fruits that will simply make your mouth water. Whether you are looking for stew, beans and rice, or even a traditional Cuban sandwich, you will find it all at Cuba 512.
Speaking of their Cuban sandwich, it is to die for. Simply put, it is prepared using fresh, locally sourced ingredients that are served together in generous proportions. From the tantalizing mojo marinated pork to the mouthwatering ham, and the slightly bitter Swiss cheese, you will simply fall in love with a Cubano from the very first bite. If you want to try the Cuba 512 Cuban sandwich, then head on over to West Gate Boulevard.
Address: 6800 West Gate Blvd
Phone: 512-382-1022
Habana Soco Restaurant
The Habana Soco Restaurant first opened its doors back in 2001. It was the dream of Yasbel Flores to bring the flavor, culture, and cuisine of Cuba to the greater Austin area. For more than a decade, the Habana Soco Restaurant has continued to provide Austin with some of the most authentic Cuban dishes imaginable.
Yasbel’s story began when she was only 18 years old. She arrived in Austin with her parents and spent many years working at a number of popular local restaurants and cafés. Through her years of hard work and dedication at various restaurants, she learned just about every aspect of running a successful business. So, when she married Ron Flores in 2000, the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself when she bought a small Caribbean restaurant and converted it into the Habana Soco.
With the help of her mother, Yasbel and Laura put together an amazing menu that featured family recipes that had been passed down for generations. They were able to create a truly authentic ensemble of Cuban dishes that captured the flavors and aroma of the island nation. Ron on the other hand set out to re-create some of the finest cocktails that he had the opportunity to sample when he was in Havana.
Their hard work and dedication paid off in 2001 when the family-owned Habana Soco Restaurant opened its doors for the first time. They were an instant success and focused purely on providing the local Cuban community with traditional, and authentic Cuban cuisine rather than the Cuban-American dishes that were available elsewhere. If you want to see what a truly authentic Cuban restaurant is like, then head on over to South Congress Avenue.
Address: 2728 S Congress Ave
Phone: (512) 443-4253
Iska’s Secrets
Nothing beats truly authentic Cuban food, like ordering from the back of a food truck. Iska’s Secret stays parked along Menchaca Road, near Stinson Park, across from the South Austin Beer Garden. Here, you will find numerous other vendors, selling a wide selection of Cuban and Mexican cuisines. When it comes to amazing Cuban food in the Austin area, look no further than Iska’s Secrets, where all the food is prepared using family recipes that have been passed down for generations.
Despite the size of their truck, Iska’s offers a wide selection of excellent Cuban dishes that are perfect for just about anyone. Their empanadas are to die for, and they come served with fresh chimichurri sauce. If you are hungry for some yuca frita, then you are in luck, because there’s is amazing and comes complete with garlic mojo sauce.
Iska’s best-selling menu item is of course their Cuban sandwich. Every one of their sandwiches is made from the freshest locally sourced ingredients imaginable. The pork shoulder is slow-roasted to perfection and generously mixed with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and yellow mustard before being toasted in a Panini (plancha) press. If you prefer the Tampa-style Cubano, then there is no need to worry because Iska’s even has an option to add salami to it. If you want to try out Iska’s Secrets Tampa-style Cubano, then head on over to Menchaca Road.
Address: 10701 Menchaca Rd.
Phone: (512) 287-0872
Cuba Bakery & Cafe
If you are looking for a place to get some amazing bread, coffee, and sandwiches around the Round Rock area, then head on over to the Cuba Bakery & Café. This lovely little sandwich shop is centrally located in a strip mall, making it easy to access. You can spend a lazy mid-morning enjoying any one of their many espresso-based drinks or a café con leche, as you snack on a traditional Cuban pastry.
As lunch rolls around, the Cuba Bakery & Café picks up the pace a bit, as they offer a wide selection of daily specials to the local Cuban community. They are known for having some of the best Cuban sandwiches in the greater Austin area. Every one of their delectable sandwiches begins with the baking of traditional Cuban bread, one of the most important parts of any true Cuban sandwich.
While the bread is being baked, the pork is slowly roasted to a tender and juicy, marbled perfection. When everything is ready, the mojo-marinated pork shoulder is mixed with ham, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, and a few pickles, all of which are stuffed inside their homemade bread. This lovely concoction is then toasted to a crispy, golden perfection.
Of course, the Cuba Bakery & Café has a selection of other excellent dishes to choose from. In fact, you will find just a little bit of something for everyone at the café. You can meet up with some old friends and sip one of the finest coffees in the greater Austin area, as you enjoy a wide assortment of tantalizing and delectable Cuban pastries. But you will only find the Cuban Bakery & Café on Palm Valley Boulevard.
Address: 1200 E Palm Valley Blvd
Phone: 512-782-0361
Explore the Essence of Cuban Cuisine with Noelle – a devoted culinary enthusiast enamored by Cuban flavors for over 30 years. Guided by her husband’s mami and abuela, she refined her skills using the ‘by eye’ technique, converting cherished recipes into precise culinary treasures. Continuously enriching her expertise, Noelle actively engages in cooking classes, infusing her platform with measured recipes and an authentic taste of Cuban food, inviting the world to savor the essence of this vibrant cuisine.
