The first mayor of West Tampa, Fernando Figueredo and the Cuban revolution.

Collectively, we’re Latins. Ybor City Latins. West Tampa Latins. The Latin Community. We were here first. That’s the deal. There are newer immigrants–Dominicans, Mexicans, South and Central Americans–arriving here every day, making Tampa one of the most diverse cities in the United States. Only, we don’t call new immigrants Latins. In Tampa, that title is reserved. The Spaniards, Cubans, and Italians who “Founded Ybor City” are the real Latins.

For many years, Columbus Drive has been fondly known as “Boliche Boulevard” because so many Latin restaurants could be found there. The namesake dish is an accurate mascot for Tampa’s Latin comfort food.

Alexander Trainor was born in 1895 in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and grew up in Schenectady. In 1911 his father helped him get his first job at General Electric Company as an office boy. It was here that he was first introduced to socialist politics and, soon after, to the Communist Party.

Amid the gleeful chatter I read the headline loudly, “‘River of Beer, Running Out of Sewer, Dipped Up by Kids and Sold for a Nickel Per Drink!’”

Olives have been around for thousands of years. If you are a fan of these tiny green fruits, you may not know that some of Spain’s best olives were bottled right here in Tampa.

The Rooster Funeral in Ybor City and the story about how it started has become a modern legend. See why hundreds of people show up to this Rooster Party and why more keep coming!

Welcome to the Libation lounge. A regular part of Cigar City Magazine, it's a celebration of spirits, both the well-known and obscure. We hope to not only let readers in on particular brands and types of liquor that we enjoy, but also on new finds and drink recipes! READ MORE

The tour will take you to old gambling palaces, street corners and alleys where some mobsters met their demise, and restaurants where wise guys like famed boss Santo Trafficante Jr. held court. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walk through Tampa’s most storied neighborhood. We guarantee you’ll never look at Ybor City the same way again. READ HERE FOR MORE TOUR INFORMATION

In the early 1900s, after years of making cigars at his workbench, he decided to try opening his own cigar business. He borrowed $150 and purchased a bale of tobacco and convinced his father to let him make cigars in the back of his grocery store. He hired 2-3 workers and cigar production began and Antuono was on his way to greatness!

This is the story about one of the most legendary races in the history of the city between Nick Nuccio and a young Dick Greco. Now, both men are regarded as legends, but then, Dick Greco was a young city councilman going up against the powerful, multi-term Mayor Nuccio. Greco has now served more terms as mayor of Tampa than any other person and has the distinction of being the youngest mayor in the city’s history.