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    Franci's Cafe

    4.4 (48 reviews)
    InexpensiveCuban, Cafes
    Open 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Business Info

    FRANCI'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Updated menu 2025

    Great hot home made Cuban food!! open 6 days a week! Have been coming here for years now! Great place!

    Brown rice and plantains
    Brett N.

    Why 3 stars? Because this a solid Cuban spot in my 'hood. --- --- --- I can't believe it took me this long to visit a restaurant less than 2 miles from my house, especially one with a 4.5 star rating. Plus, I love Cuban food, which makes it even more egregious! To be honest, I found the experience to be the definition of 3-stars: A-OK. Because I live so close, I'm sure I will be back again, especially since Arco Iris, my favorite Cuban restaurant in Tampa, recently closed. When you walk in, it's a bit confusing on whether you're supposed to sit down and be waited on or if you're supposed to order from the counter. I basically did the in-between version of that and kind of stood near a table and yelled my order when they asked me what I wanted. The bill came without the opportunity to add gratuity, so I guess it's officially not a server situation. I ordered the following: Cuban Sandwich - 3.5 stars. I didn't hate it and didn't love it. It comes with deli meat, not the real-deal pork, which is fine. I can get down with deli meat, but I found the sandwich to just be ok overall. Rice - 3 stars. Pretty standard stuff. Plantains - 4 stars. Plantains pretty much taste the same (great) everywhere I've had them, and that's the same that can be said here. Cheese Croquetas - 2 stars. I regret ordering these. They were pretty forgettable. The folks here were very nice, and again, I'm happy to have a Cuban spot in my 'hood, but I wasn't overwhelmed by the experience.

    Ropa vieja, yuca, and plantains.
    Karen F.

    Quaint little place located in an out-of-the-way strip mall on Linebaugh Ave. It's kind of hard to find, just know that it's at the traffic light at Plantation Blvd. I went there for an early lunch, which was a bit of a mistake, because the place was swarmed with construction workers, in a hurry to get their generously filled to-go boxes in a small amount of time. Once they cleared out, it was far more of a relaxing atmosphere. You go in and order at the side counter where a window displays the day's offerings. It's plated or boxed, then you can have a seat at one of 5 or 6 tables available. Bottled and canned sodas were available in a nearby cooler to grab as needed. I noticed the staff was very good about cleaning off tables as people got up. I chose the ropa vieja, yuca, and plantains, and it was all delicious. I love mom and pop places like this because you can tell all the food they make is fresh, and they use their tried and true family recipes. I do wish the order came with a hunk of bread - I kept feeling like I was missing something. I paid the Owner at the counter when I finished, and she was very sweet, inquiring how I enjoyed my meal. I will definitely be back to try more of their homemade offerings.

    Roast pork with crunchy skin
    Boon C.

    We have a take home for the meal. The food here is very affordable. The amount of food given is also good. It is cafeteria style food with sandwiches for order. We have the white rice, roast pork, gizzards, yucca, and sweet plantain. All that for less than $14. The roast pork is well marinated. The skin is crispy and crunchy. The gizzards are cook in tomato base sauce and the cook for some time. They are soft and not chewy. Bite size pleasure. The yucca is not my favorite food unless it is fried. But the steam yucca is my wife favorite. Plantain is well cook. Overall the experience is not bad. We also has some crocket which is tasty.

    Egg and Swiss on pressed Cuban bread; medium café con leché, no sugar
    Chris K.

    Have driven by this place countless times but had not gone in due to "fear of the unknown". BUT, thanks to my fellow Yelpers and their helpful reviews I went "All In". Franci' s is located in Plantation Center, a small neighborhood, unassuming strip mall. With only 5-1/2 tables, you'd do well to get there early and best the crowd if you plan to find in. I was craving a Cuban sandwich upon arriving but changed my mind when I saw the selection of the days' hot food items. I wanted chicken and yellow rice, but they don't have yellow rice; only white or morro (white rice mixed with black beans). Well, that wasn't going to work. So, as they serve breakfast all day, I ordered an egg with Swiss on Cuban (no meat) pressed sandwich and a medium café con leché. As Boon C. wrote in a previous review, their portions are generous and prices are affordable. My sandwich, as shown in the photo was warm, crisp and cheesy. I plan to return soon for a late lunch or dinner to try the chicken. I recommend Franco's Cuban Café. Just be sure and save me a seat!

    Absolutely delicious mojo pork, yellow rice, black beans and platanos! Wonderful lunch!
    Charlie G.

    Still five stars! I had a huge serving of Ropa Vieja and Platanos Maduros for lunch on Friday... and it was sooooo GOOOD! Staff is very nice...I always enjoy stopping by here!

    Steve E.

    Franci's Café is a fabulous little Cuban café located along Linebaugh Avenue in between Gunn Highway and Anderson Road. You'll find them right at the intersection of Linebaugh and the traffic light at the entrance to the Plantations of Carrollwood. The restaurant sits in a non-descript little strip mall on the north side of Linebaugh in southern Carrollwood, and even though there is a sign for Franci's along the road, it is easy to blow right past the shopping center and miss this local favorite. The café is small, but don't let that fool you. Inside there are only 5 tables and a small counter with the steam tables, coffee machines, and the cashier. It is cramped, but the place is spotless, and the food is wonderful. Most of their business is carry-out, and they really cater to the local Latin community. Franci's is open 6 days a week from 7am till 5pm, and then closed on Sundays. Breakfast is the usual egg sandwiches on Cuban bread with your choice of bacon, ham, sausage or chorizo; scrambled or fired egg platters; omelets; Cuban toast; and then some serious wake-the-heck-up Cafe' con Leche. Super affordable prices -- everything is under $5!!! For lunch and dinner you have your choice of various Cuban sandwiches (pork, ham, fish, chicken, steak, and traditional Cubans), or make your selection from Franci's steam table entrees including the traditional roast pork, grilled chicken, palomilla steak, ropa vieja, and so on. Each entrée comes with two sides, and the cost is between $5 - $7.50. Sodas out of the cooler are $.90 each. She also has salads, soups, fried rice, arepas and croquetas with chicken or pork. If you're driving through southern Carrollwood and want to try a true Cuban café, then Franci's should be on your radar screen.

    Jeremy S.

    Stopped in this little Cuban cafe on a Monday for a quick meal to go. I was greeted by someome from behind the counter as soon as I walked in and was shown what food was available on the steam table. There wasn't a menu next to the food but I was told the names of each entre they had to offer. It's a small cafe, but very clean and all of the food to choose from looked very fresh. There were a few tables and chairs at every available spot and filled by patrons with some placing orders to go like myself. I went with the pork and potatoes with yuca and morro (black beans cooked with rice). The pork was tender and not dry like you would think from it being sat out for you to see. There was juice from the meat that soaked into the potatos and the server also had put some on the rice for me, which was just as good and plenty enough to eat the next day. The yuca was soft and didn't have those little hard slivers of it sticking in the side of my mouth as I ate it...like you get at other places that leave it out too long. I was given some garlic lime juice mixture to put on the yuca and it helped give it a little tangy garlicky bite. Good place for a good quick lunch.

    Sam Q.

    What a gem! Cuban food lovers rejoice! Another small, authentic Cuban eatery. It's small, it's simple, and its authentic. If you are looking for a restaurant type experience, look elsewhere. However, if you enjoy authentic Latin food with real flavor served cafeteria style, this is a great spot. Open for breakfast, they have a best looking and tasting lunch line. The also have sandwiches, soups, and oddly fried rice and spaghetti. I've gotta ask about the origins of those two. There's probably a colorful story behind it. This is a hidden gem. If you appreciate the Latin culture and flavor, give Francis Cafe a visit.

    a plate of mexican food

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Amazing sandwiches especially their cuban and steak! This place has amazing service, they give you your moneys worth of food and more.

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    Columbia Restaurant

    Columbia Restaurant

    4.0
    (4.5k reviews)
    7.9 mi
    $$

    From the moment I walked in, it resembled a little piece of old Cuba or Spain! The history,…read morearchitecture, and cuisine celebrated here, along with the family warmth of the place, certainly caught my attention!! The wait staff were very friendly, Mark my waiter, has worked here for over 20 year! Speaks volumes about how they run this place! The service was chill, and the food was 1000% full of delicious flavor. I tried their classic famous salad, the seafood paella, and the flan! Absolutely hit the spot!! Visiting here on a Sunday evening was a totally different experience! It felt less like dining out and more like sharing a family meal in a much-loved, historic home. I'll definitely be returning and will bring friends and family with me next time I visit Tampa!

    Recommended by our friends, we made a reservation at Columbia Restaurant during our visit to Ybor…read moreCity on Friday. As the oldest restaurant in Florida and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world, we felt it was a must-visit to experience its rich history and unique atmosphere. We also reserved seats for the Flamenco dance show, which had a $10 cover charge per person. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful and enormous, with so many different dining rooms. You could probably get lost trying to find your friends inside, just kidding! We were lucky enough to get a table near the stage, so we could enjoy the Flamenco performance while having dinner. For our meal, we started with the Caldo Gallego "Giant Soup" ($10), which was hearty, flavorful, and incredibly comforting. We also ordered Columbia's Original "1905" Salad ($18). Made with crisp iceberg lettuce, julienned baked ham, natural Swiss cheese, tomatoes, olives, grated Romano cheese, Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire sauce, and their famous garlic dressing, it was fresh, light, and absolutely delicious. Our main dish was the Mojito Chicken ($25). The chicken was very flavorful, especially with its delicious citrus-garlic sauce. Although the chicken itself was just a little on the dry side in my opinion, the flavorful sauce made up for it, and the dish was still very enjoyable. We also had the Paella "a la Valenciana" ($40), which was loaded with clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, calamari, chicken, and pork, along with green peppers, Spanish onions, ripe tomatoes, garlic, and a splash of white wine. It was a generous portion packed with fresh seafood and rich Spanish flavors. The New York Strip Sirloin "The Bambino" ($53) was another excellent choice. The 14 oz. USDA Choice wet-aged boneless strip steak was tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly. To finish our meal, we ordered the Flan ($8). It was smooth, creamy, and absolutely delicious, a perfect ending to a wonderful dinner. The Flamenco dance show was fantastic! The dancers were energetic and passionate, making the entire dining experience even more lively and memorable. Combined with the excellent service, it made for a truly enjoyable evening. Overall, Columbia Restaurant is much more than just a place to eat, it's a historic landmark and an unforgettable dining experience. Between the beautiful Spanish architecture, rich history, delicious food, outstanding service, and exciting Flamenco performance, it's definitely worth visiting when you're in Ybor City.

    Photos
    A dining room
    A dining room
    Crab bites (appetizer)
    Crab bites (appetizer)
    Gem of the ocean cocktail. Yes!

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    Gem of the ocean cocktail. Yes!
    La Teresita Cafe

    La Teresita Cafe

    3.9
    (1.3k reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    Brought friends here for lunch and decided to try the milanesa today, with fries and yellow rice as…read moresides. Just as I expected, this place never disappoints. I've only had Argentinian-style milanesa before, and I can easily say I liked the Teresita style better. The marinara sauce on the milanesa brings enough acidity to cut through the grease from the fried meat -- the meat is thin and crispy, but not at all dry. The fries and yellow rice make the meal an absolute steal based on the amount of food you get. My friend had the fried fish, which looked delicious -- excited to try it myself next time. Will definitely be back to try more items on the menu!

    This place was okay. There was a guy that was kind and did a good job. The girl up front spoke so…read morelow we could not hear or understand her. Definitely needed to speak up or louder. We tried a few things: -Churro: okay but definitely stale, wish it had been fresher. This was a bit disappointing. -Chicken and rice: chicken was not very flavorful. Parts were cooked perfect and some of it was a little dry. Definitely not great... The rice was fantastic, perfectly cooked and seasoned -Salmon and fries: this was really good, flavorful and cooked great. We just wish it was a little bigger for the cost. -Vanilla Flan: very good, just a bit small. -Tres Leche: stole the show! Fabulous! I would come back just for this! The texture was perfect and the flavor was flawless! It was sweet but not too sweet. Great dessert! Definitely check your food before leaving though as they did forget part of the meal. Not a big deal as the guy up front was super apologetic and friendly. That dude was great! They need more just like him. Also, not the cleanest, floors needed swept and mopped. (That definitely would have helped the experience) Overall, it was a good/okay experience, just not great.

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    La Teresita Cafe
    La Teresita Cafe
    Where you go in

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    Where you go in
    Columbia Cafe on the Tampa Riverwalk

    Columbia Cafe on the Tampa Riverwalk

    3.7
    (685 reviews)
    8.3 mi
    $$

    Drinks only review. Stopped here after Riverwalking over to History Museum, and decided that a…read moreproper mojito would make the museum visit even better. Sat at the outdoor bar, and received prompt service. My mojito was tall, well muddled (if Columbia Cafe can't get a mojito right, who can?) and had all the right components, just a bit too much ice. Offspring's strawberry daiquiri was also quite refreshing. We didn't realize there's an entire other bar and seating area (air conditioned!) up on the second floor museum level - the bar up there looks quite ornate and fits in with the museum-oriented atmosphere.

    So my wife and I came in around noon on June 25th for lunch. Food was very good but a couple issues…read morethat ruined my experience. My wife ordered the empanadas and the half 1905 salad and I ordered the half and half......half Cuban and half 1905 salad. My wife should have added 'bring them together' but she didn't and the server didn't bother to ask so the empanadas came out and everything else came out 15 minutes later. My wife had a cocktail and the bill was $60.20. Issues to fix: 1)I ordered a Coca Cola, $4.00 and in 92 degree weather it melts in 5 minutes. We were there for an hour and not one time did she ask if I'd like a refill. 2)When she made the 1905 table side she literally 'dropped' a handful of salad ON THE FLOOR between my wife's and my seat......she kind of chuckled, gave us our salads and walked away. She literally left the SALAD ON THE FLOOR THE ENTIRE MEAL! During the course of our meal probably 20 employees walked by and never bothered to pick it up. That in itself was the epitome of laziness and complete lack of respect to the customer. Our bill was $60.20 and I tipped $12 which normally I'm a 30% tipper and I could kick myself for giving her 20%. She deserved zero. I know I will never get a response from management but do you think I will ever come back? Nyet.

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    Columbia Cafe on the Tampa Riverwalk
    Columbia Columbia's Original"1905" Salad with "Shrimp Al Ajillo"
    Columbia Columbia's Original"1905" Salad with "Shrimp Al Ajillo"
    Patio

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    Patio
    Sal Rosa

    Sal Rosa

    4.0
    (37 reviews)
    7.6 mi

    I only came here for a drink before heading out for festivities but it was a solid experience at…read morethe bar that is located in the main hall of what was the old courthouse where Le Meridien now resides. Located on the second floor, accessible by the front entrance, the stairs from the lobby, or the elevators on adjacent sides, Sal Rosa comprises a coffee bar and ice cream parlor, a full restaurant, and a bar and lounge. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week if you aren't looking to leave the hotel property in downtown Tampa for a day or night. The dirty martinis are ok but I felt they could be dirtier, especially since I asked for extra -- for some reason, bartenders in more than one establishment tend to still be sparingly with the olive brine. But the service was attentive regardless.

    Excellent breakfast offered by the Le Meridien's restaurant. Great deal, I could not finish this…read moremassive stack of pancakes even though I tried. Everything was hot and tasty, coffees were delicious. I'm excited to see what other offerings they have here.

    Photos
    Sal Rosa offers Latin-American dishes, craft cocktails, 
and an exciting line-up of events and happenings.
    Sal Rosa offers Latin-American dishes, craft cocktails, and an exciting line-up of events and happenings.
    Located in the heart of downtown Tampa with an eclectic dining experience that combines classic Latin cuisine with a modern American twist
    Located in the heart of downtown Tampa with an eclectic dining experience that combines classic Latin cuisine with a modern American twist
    Where bold flavors meet Tampa's social heartbeat, 
Sal Rosa offers Latin-American dishes and craft cocktails

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    Where bold flavors meet Tampa's social heartbeat, Sal Rosa offers Latin-American dishes and craft cocktails

    Franci's Cafe - cuban - Updated July 2026

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