La Teresita

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La Teresita
La Teresita restaurant logo.png
FL Tampa La Teresita old01.jpg
La Teresita
Restaurant information
Established1972 (as a market)
Owner(s)The Capdevila family
Food type Cuban cuisine
City Tampa
State Florida
Coordinates 27°57′59″N82°29′47.5″W / 27.96639°N 82.496528°W / 27.96639; -82.496528
Other locationsGrocery market in another location

La Teresita is a historic Cuban cuisine restaurant with affiliated market and bakery in Tampa, Florida, in the West Tampa region. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] La Teresita opened in 1972 as a market. [1] La Teresita is owned by the Capedevila family. [3] A grocery market is located on the other side of the side street off West Columbus Drive from the restaurant and the bakery.

Contents

Founders Maximino and Coralia Capdevila emigrated from Cuba in 1962 after Fidel Castro came to power. [4] [6] They established the business as a grocery store and sold sandwiches. The family business gradually grew over time. [6]

The restaurant has been described by politicians "as a place to be seen", and visited by President George W. Bush, John Kerry, Al Gore, and Mitt Romney. [7] In 2007, Mitt Romney held a campaign stop at the restaurant. Romnney also attended the restaurant in 2012. [8]

Fare

Dishes include staples such as pork, chicken, rice, and beans in preparations such as ropa vieja and papa rellena. There is also arroz con pollo, pressed Cuban sandwiches, fried plantain, fried yucca, sangria, and coffee. Other offerings include grouper, asado meats, and yellow rice. [3] [9] The adjacent bakery sells cakes, guava pastries, cookies, and sweet rolls. [10] La Teresita has been described as providing large portions and modest prices. [4]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Cichowski, Marla (August 28, 2012). "Where to go for Cuban cuisine in Tampa". Fox News. Archived from the original on August 28, 2012.
  2. Roadfood: The Coast-to-Coast Guide to 900 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More 9th edition Jane Stern, Michael Stern Random House LLC, Mar 4, 2014
  3. 1 2 3 Food Lovers' Guide to Tampa
  4. 1 2 3 Top 6 best places to eat Cuban food in Tampa Bay Archived 2014-03-15 at the Wayback Machine CBS
  5. Apple's America: The Discriminating Traveler's Guide to 40 Great Cities by R. W. Apple Macmillan, Apr 7, 2007
  6. 1 2 La Teresita Grocery Tampapix.com
  7. Meacham, Andrew (December 29, 2010). "Founder of Tampa's La Teresita dead at 82". Tampa Bay Times . Archived from the original on 2011-08-25. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  8. Parker, Ashley (October 6, 2012). "Romney, Buoyed by Debate, Shows Off His Softer Side". The New York Times . Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  9. Yahoo Sports
  10. Hispanic Restaurants in Tampa Florida USA Today