Walk-Up Window · Pressed Classic

Cuban Sandwich (Sándwich Cubano)

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Tampa's version traditionally adds a slice of Genoa salami, a legacy of the city's Italian immigrants, which Miami's version leaves out.

Cuban bread is layered with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard, then flattened and grilled in a sandwich press until the bread turns crisp and the cheese melts. It's sold through walk-up cafeteria windows (ventanitas) and from food trucks and carts in Cuban communities, especially in Miami and Tampa.

Why it's made this way: Combining leftover roast pork with ham reflects the resourcefulness of Cuban home cooking, and pressing the sandwich flat let cafés and street windows serve a hot, portable meal quickly to workers on a short lunch break.