It looks like we lost another piece of Tampa Cuban culinary history. The Gold Ring Café and Catering closed, and the building and three adjoining lots were sold in August 2023.

In 1978, Cuban immigrant and tobacco grower Gerencio Cura and his son Gustavo bought the Gold Ring café at Tampa Street and Columbus Drive and turned it into a Tampa Cuban food go-to in Tampa Heights for decades. They opened a second location on Buffalo (now MLK Blvd.) and Orient Rd. The Curas were proud of the way they treated their employees and the longevity and mutual loyalty they developed with them.  Along with local favorites like Cuban sandwiches, Deviled Crabs, and black beans and rice, they were also known for their cheap breakfasts. Gerencio died in 2004.

© Chip Weiner 2023. All rights reserved