Chicago Paulies, Box of Cubans and Gulf Coast Sourdough & Wild Yeast Breads recently served up knuckle sandwiches to the other sandwich joints in Tampa, and all placed on a new Yelp list of the top 100 sandwich shops in America.
Every Florida shop placed in the top 50, but Chicago Paulies—located at 1301 N Howard Ave. in the shadow of Interstate-275—took top spot in Tampa Bay at No. 6. Known for its huge Italian beef and Chicago-style dogs, this walk-up hole-in-the-wall is only open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Even then, the Yelp reviews stay consistent and say Paulie serves up some of the best Italian beef—and extended conversation—in the area.
Riverview’s family-owned Box of Cubans was next at No. 29. Besides its juicy Cuban sandwich, the restaurant also serves breakfast, a dozen different gourmet sandwiches, bowls, bakery items and an impressive lineup of empanadas. After being named Yelp’s best restaurant in Tampa Bay in 2023, it opened up a location in Tampa right off of Interstate-75 just south of the Wesley Chapel exit.
Also representing the Bay area on the list is Seminole Heights’ Gulf Coast Sourdough & Wild Yeast Breads (No. 47), located in one of the most undersung strip malls of Tampa. While it isn’t open for dinner, Gulf Coast’s pressed sandwiches on a bed of house-made sourdough are available until 3 p.m. Sandwich lovers can grab one of its specialty sandwiches like meatball, pastrami or Italian. Additionally, the made-by-hand bread is sold by the loaf at the restaurant.
Yelp reviewers hold sub-stantial power. They fashion themselves as picky, observant and brutally honest, so Florida showed out and had a total of eight sandwich shops on the list.
The Sunshine State also took the top spot with Franky’s Deli Warehouse in South Florida being named 2025’s ultimate sandwich shop in the U.S.
Chicago Paulies
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This article appears in Jul 24-30, 2025.