In its short tenure, Flan Factory in Ybor City has gone from a hidden gem to one of the most beloved dining destinations in the city. It grew in renown after it took home the Best Cuban Sandwich Award at the International Cuban Sandwich Festival in 2022. The locally owned restaurant just expanded its space at 1718 N Nebraska Avenue, and the results are stunning.
Flan Factory’s impressive (and extensive) list of flans are a sweet, jiggly delight. They even offer a list of vegan flans if you’re so inclined. Flavors such as starfruit, guava, matcha dark chocolate, pistachio, and strawberry are on the menu, in addition to the original flavor.
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The team also specializes in some savory eats such as the 1985 sandwich. Savor brioche bread is deep-fried in cinnamon batter and filled with guava sauce, cream cheese, with oven-roasted turkey breast in the center. The Timba appetizer, a plate of flash fried chunks of queso blanco with guava sauce, is also a major crowd pleaser.
Apparently, the coup de gras of menu items is Flan Factory’s Cuban sandwich. The owner wrote the following message on Instagram following the restaurant’s victory at the International Cuban Sandwich Festival:
“We did it guys! By we I mean our amazing staff (who kill it), mama Esther and papa Tony, family, friends & EVERY single one of you that continues to support us. Thank you for everything Flanatics!!”
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Flan Factory’s classic Cuban sandwich is made with slow-roasted Cuban pork, Genoa salami, serrano ham, melted Swiss, pickles, mayo and mustard and is served on pressed Cuban bread.
In addition to the Cuban sammie, Flan Factory also offers up amazing empanadas, Cuban bread French Toast, and Cuban-style fried rice (available only on weekends).
“As a first generation Tampeño born and raised in West Tampa, it was always important to my abuela that we held on to our Cuban heritage and traditions,” writes Flan Factory owner Joseph Palau. “When my abuela passed away in 2014. I would often find myself reminiscing about the countless family dinners she had hosted, and the evolution of her flan. In 2016, I decided to honor my abuelas memory and keep her legacy alive by introducing the world to Flan Factory.”
Celebrate and support a local business at The Flan Factory, 1718 N Nebraska Avenue.
See more menu teasers on Facebook.
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