Las Palmas Cafe

I have recently moved to New Tampa but I am originally from Spain. I have not found a single restaurant since my move to the US 10 years ago that makes me feel at home as this tiny little jewel. Not everything on the menu is Spanish but what I have tried so far is just wonderful. Nice to find a restaurant with so many rich flavors and cultural blending. My husband and I will be there often! more

I live in the Tampa area and have been going to Las Palmas Cafe in New Tampa for many years. They have the best cubans, they are freshly pressed and as authentic as you can get. The Sangria is hands down the best I have ever had. The food has always been great and still is. It has not changed at all. If anyone has anything bad to say and happens to mention another restaurant then I would assume they are just trying to promote there own restaurant. So if you have not tried Las Palmas Cafe you should. I highly recommend the Taste of Ybor meal or the LP Salad, the dressings are also homemade. YUM!!!!! more

To the negative reviewers: I don't understand where you are getting the information that this is authentic Cuban food. Nowhere do they claim to be authentic Cuban. Please be clear about something before posting such a negative review. I am Colombian, have lived in Tampa most of my life and have eaten at many Latin restaurants in Tampa and Miami. Las Palmas perfectly satisfies my cravings for many Latin dishes that are prepared in various Latin countries , their portions are generous AND they are reasonably priced. One of my favorite things is the fish for sure. I also love the ropa vieja, the lechon asado and the beans...well, lots of things! The BEST things of all are the flan and the sangria. more

I grew up on cuban food & have been eating @ Las Palmas for several years now.Very authentic.Just ask my abuela. more

I live in New Tampa and work in West Tampa and usually have to wait till the weekend to eat at Las Palmas Cafe and that's just too long. During the work week my friends take me to the little cuban cafe's in West Tampa and I guess I'm just spoiled. The others are just too bland. So nice to have spanish food cooked with that much flavor. I guess it's not fair to say they cook just Cuban food there's so much more to it. more

I am born in raised in Tampa, FL. I know & love Cuban food. We recently moved to the New Tampa area. I was craving some good ol' Cuban food. I searched & found this restaurant. more

We thought we had found the perfect little Cuban cafe in New Tampa, but we were wrong. Along with the last review, I don't believe any of the cooks were Cuban. That is not to say that you must be Cuban to be able to cook good Cuban food, but the food definitely lacked any feeling of authenticity. It tasted as though the sandwiches came pre-made from a factory and sold in Publix. If you want good Cuban food, try La Cubanita Cafe literally two blocks down the street next to Publix. The food there tastes MUCH better. more

I don't see how this place can be compared to anything in Ybor City. I couldn't even get a cordidito. the server was pleasant enough but being Hispanic I became suspicious that this Cuban food was not being prepared by anyone that even had an accent. I had to laugh when I asked how many Cuban cooks they had and they said none. the food was bland and it just did not seem at all authentic. makes me wonder what these people who gave this place five stars would do if they ever ate authentic Cuban. my advice is stay away and drive into Tampa for the real deal. more

My husband and parents and I had dinner at Las Palmas on May 13th and what a pleasant surprise. We all had the cuban pork with black beans and rice and plantains with Flan for dessert. We also had a pitcher of Sangria. It was all delicious! Being born and raised in Tampa we know cuban cuisine and this place is the epitome of Spanish flavor. We plan on many more visits to this New Tampa gem. Pros: Great little cuban cafe. Cons: Wish it were a little bigger more

I read about this place in the USA Today, stating that it was ""Affordable America."" Well Mr. Shriver was correct it's not only affordable it's the best food I've ever eaten. It's the original Tampa Ybor style food that you can't find in Ybor any more. I wish there were more locations around the bay. Try it, it's worth the drive to New Tampa! Pros: The Real Deal Cons: Can't Get Enough more

My husband and I just discovered this amazing little restaurant. We love it!! We both grew up in the Tampa area and consider this type of food to be comfort food. It's definitely a particular style of food that is hard to come by outside of Tampa. Although really common in South Tampa and West Tampa, it's pretty hard to find elsewhere. I'm so glad we found Las Palmas! Because we live in New Tampa it was usually a treat when we happened to be in those areas that we could enjoy that type of food. That is, until we found this place! Las Palmas had the same great food t hat those places in South Tampa and West Tampa have but even better. You can really tell that the quality of ingredients matter in this place. Everything always tastes fresh and wonderful. I've been for lunch and dinner and I've never been let down. Lunch is usually a bit more crowded than dinner but either way, the food is great! If you live in the Pebble Creek or New Tampa area you just have to try this place! Pros: Fast service, family atmosphere, great for lunch or dinner, good prices. Cons: I haven't found one yet! more

I've lived in New Tampa for many years but for some reason I""ve overlooked this amazing little Cuban restaurant for years. This Gem is hidden in what is probably the oldest plaza in New Tampa, The Pebble Creek Collection. Las Palmas Cafe has apparently been a staple in this small community for many years. I can't believe that I've been driving by it for so long at didn't realize that they had some of the best food in New Tampa. Las Palmas offers the best of the traditional Cuban food that you would find in Tampa. The owners do not claim that their food is better than your Grandmother's, but they definitely make certain that the quality of ingredients and the service of every dish is to the utmost of your expectations. more

I've lived in Tampa for most of my life so I know what Tampa food is supposed to taste like. This place has THE BEST! I don't know why they aren't packed every time I'm there. The service is warm and friendly and the atmosphere is great! They have a few selections for kids so it's great for the whole family. My favorite is the Lechon Asado! You can really tell that the Mojo is homemade and not from a bottle like you get at most other cuban restaurants. It's hard to believe that the food is so fresh and homemade when they are so quick! I really think it's faster than a drive-thru! Oh, and I have to mention that they are awesome with special requests. Any time I've asked for something a special way they've been able to make it happen. I guess to wrap this up I just have to say that I LOVE this place!! more

I could not wait to get home and write this review. They said the restaurant has been there for almost 10 years. I can't believe I haven't tried it until now. This is my new best restaurant in Tampa (all of Tampa). Home-like atmospher, friendly people and the best freshly cooked food I've had since I've moved to New Tampa. I don't miss my old spanish places now that I've found Las Palmas. So clean and well run, you don't have to worry whats going on in the kitchen you can see most of it from the dining room and a much nicer area than your typical boliche blvd. I had the Palomilla steak, done perfectly and the Sangria is the best I've ever had, you haven't lived until you try it! Pros: Great Food, Nice People, Home-like Atmospher more

It's not hard to find great Cuban/Spanish food in town (many places along Columbus Dr. are wonderful), but options are few & far between in Northern Hillsborough. I have given this restaurant two chances, and both have been disappointing. The Puerco Asado on the first visit lacked taste and should have been much more tender. Today I tried the Palomilla Steak Sandwich; it should have been unbreaded (bistec empanizado is the breaded version), again there was little taste to it, and the onions were cut too thick. No more lunchtime trips to Las Palmas for me. A place like Pipos has better food and more reasonable prices (albeit too far from New Tampa for a lunch visit). more

Hard to find but turned out to be a treasure! A quaint and charming little place in the Pebble Creek Collection in New Tampa. The food reminded me of growing up in Ybor City, the best Ropa Vieja I ever had. Great sandwiches and their Sangria is worth driving a 100 miles for. I will bring everyone I know there. more

It's hidden in a little shopping strip but it is a secret treasure. The cafe is small. Only a few tables, so it's really not for large groups, unfortunately. It's definately a place that we'll visit again and again. Pros: inexpensive, good parking, uncrowded Cons: , hard to find more