La Tropicana Cafe

1822 E Seventh Ave., Tampa, FL 33605

813-247-4040

Categories: Restaurant

Cuisine: Spanish/Cuban

Features: Kid-friendly, Takeout

Cost range: 1.0-10.0

Payment options: Cash only

Alcohol: No alcohol

More in this neighborhood: Ybor City

La Tropicana Café won’t win any beauty pageants, it doesn’t take credit and it’s only open until 3 p.m. Still, just as the old guys finish sipping their café con leches and dunking a little Cuban toast, it fills again with businessfolk, tourists and locals intent on acquiring the Coco Special (that’s a small Cuban sandwich and black beans and rice) or an order of ostrich egg-sized deviled crab. A coffee shop that pulses with Ybor’s original spirit, it also has a drive-through window for when you need your con leche para llevar.