Patch Picks: 5 Best Places To Buy A Cuban Sandwich

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This week's list: 5 best places to buy a Cuban sandwich in Bradenton ...

• , 8799 Cortez Rd W., is the place to go if you’re looking for a truly authentic Cuban dish. In fact, Jose’s Cuban sandwich is often overlooked on a menu full of mouthwatering Cuban dishes like ropa vieja, picadillo, and authentic slow-cooked paella. However, if you’re in the mood for a quick lunch, be sure to stop in and try the Cuban sandwich sometime – you won’t regret it. The folks at Food Network seem to agree — Jose's was in March and will be on June 6.
• , 6218 Cortez Rd W., may be an Irish pub, but these folks know their way around more than corned beef and cabbage. Burgers, strombolis, and calzones are some of their most popular dishes, but it’s the authentic Cuban sandwich that really takes the prize — literally. It has won the Mayor’s Choice Award.
• , 1720 9th St W., is an established local favorite. Located directly across the street from McKechnie Field, the shop has been in business since 1988. A connoisseur of Cuban sandwiches can tell you that the bread is one of the biggest factors in truly making the sandwich — and Ball Park’s homemade bread (delivered daily from a Largo bakery) is some of the best around. Cuban sandwiches are Ball Park’s specialty, and they sell and estimated 150 per day.
• , 5700 5th St E., is one of Bradenton’s best hidden gems. The bakery’s authentic quesitos and flan are rivaled only by the perfection that is their Cuban sandwich, made on freshly baked Spanish bread.
•  , 2127 Cortez Rd W., has made the Patch Picks list in the past for its delicious coffee beverages — namely its Cuban espressos — so it should come as no surprise that its Cuban sandwich is on the list, too. However, Lov A-Da puts a slightly different spin on their version of the sandwich, using chicken breast instead of the ham found on traditional Cubans. If you’re in the mood for a different spin on a traditional dish, give Lov A-Da’s Cuban a shot.