Afro-Cuban History Is on the Menu at Soul de Cuba Cafe in Tampa

There’s no shortage of Cuban restaurants in Florida. But one stands out for its commitment to the history and culture of Cubans of African descent.At Soul de Cuba Cafe in Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood, the decor includes dozens of framed family pictures—the ancestors of the restaurant’s founder and CEO, Jesús Puerto. On one wall, there’s a mural-size black-and-white photo from 1944 depicting dark-skinned people socializing and dancing—the women in dresses, the men in suit jackets and Panama hats. They were members of Martí-Maceo Society, a social club for Tampa’s Black Cubans, formed because segregation kept them from joining a similar group full of their lighter-skinned counterparts.Jesús wants guests to leave with knowledge—and with full bellies, of course. The menu includes traditional Cuban favorites like roast pork and ropa vieja, as well as modernized options, such as mojo salmon and veggie empanadas. He also sells a line of take-home sauces.Jesús chatted with Dalia about what makes Afro-Cubans unique, the importance of knowing your history and Soul de Cuba Cafe’s must-try foods and cocktails. He also makes a case for why Tampa, not Miami, deserves bragging rights as the birthplace of the Cuban sandwich.Thanks to Jim Webb for the episode suggestion and photos of Soul de Cuba Cafe. If you’d like to suggest a Zest guest, email us at [email protected] episodes:Former “Real Housewife” Ana Quincoces on Her New Cookbook, “Modern Cuban”Miami Herald’s Carlos Frías on Cuban Coffee, Edible Iguanas & Winning the James Beard AwardThe Cuban Sandwich: Our National TreasureHow “Food Led the Way” for Cuban Influence in Tampa