Housed in a former auto-repair shop at 4801 Central Ave., Caribbean Café has been rustling up authentic Cuban food in the ‘Burg since 1995. Customers rave about the delicious lunch bowls, meat-stacked sandwiches, and affordable prices. According to the current owner, Cassie Abel, they’re committed to keeping prices about 20% less than competitors, making Caribbean Café a great choice to stop for a quick lunch or to cater large events.

Forget rum, if you want a taste of the Caribbean, visit this long-standing St. Pete staple. The menu boasts a wide variety of sandwiches served on Cuban bread, deliciously seasoned rice and beans, and all sorts of jerked meats. All are original recipes of Cassie’s late father and former owner, Jimmy Abel. There are also bowl options. My personal favorite is the honey-mustard jerk chicken bowl, which I’ve yet to see anywhere else. Of course, the menu wouldn’t be complete without an authentic Cuban sandwich. And Caribbean café has its variation of the classic.

All about that ham, man

While many declare shredded pork the most important ingredient in a Cuban, at Caribbean Café, it’s all about that ham, man, that Jamaican sweet ham. “There’s room for every variation of the Cuban sandwich in St. Pete,” says Cassie. “This is ours.” She further informs me that a ham-man known simply as “Captain Ed” provides the goods. While this begs more questions, I get little more information. But I do get the Jamaican sweet ham squeezed between pressed bread, along with the fixings: salami, pork, pickles, cheese, and mustard. Highly recommended.

Community legacy in St. Pete

Since taking over her late father’s restaurant two years ago, Cassie has made some updates. St. Pete muralist, Brian McAllister, painted a tropical mural, making an oasis of the exterior wall, for example. The signage has been updated, too. But Cassie wants to retain the original mom-and-pop feel of her father’s restaurant, or if I may, a daughter-and-pop feel.

Cassie is a third-generation St. Pete resident, and the daughter of Jimmy Abel, who was a local icon in his own right. Jimmy was known for riding a motorcycle along the coast, wearing Oakley sunglasses with a wide smear of zinc across his nose. During the pandemic, the father/daughter duo fed 400 nurses and doctors caring for patients at the John Hopkins All Children Hospital. Jimmy, Cassie, and the Caribbean Café certainly made their little island in our beloved city, and we’re glad Cassie continues her father’s legacy, serving delicious food to residents of the ‘Burg.