La Faraona Cigar Factory

Walk into La Faraona Cigar Factory in Ybor City, Tampa, and the first thing that hits you is the aroma. Locals will tell you the whole place smells amazing, that rich mix of spicy and sweet premium tobacco that fills the air the moment you step through the door. This is a cigar shop that carries its own hand rolled cigars, made right on the premises, and around here people call it five generations of craft still going strong. The centerpiece is a large humidor with a great variety to choose from, and while the selection leans toward their own product, the word around Tampa is that what they make is expert.

Ask anyone who shops here and they'll point you toward Ms. Odelma, a master roller with nearly four decades of experience, known for treating regulars like family and rolling some of the finest cigars in Ybor. Watching the rolling happen at the bench is half the reason people come in, and some folks make a day of it. The factory sits just a couple of blocks from their lounge, and the two share some of the same staff and the same welcoming feel.

Then there's the coffee. More than one regular has been pleasantly surprised by a hot cup of Cuban coffee or a shot from the espresso machine, and the tip going around is to ask Rene to make yours. The atmosphere is laid back and chill, the kind of old world spot that feels like a time capsule, with staff who genuinely know their tobacco and love talking through it with you. We've heard the odd grumble that service can be a little short on a busy day, but that's the exception.

La Faraona has built a strong reputation in Tampa, and most who visit call it a must, some going so far as to say the best cigars in the city. If you're passing through Ybor City, it's an easy one to recommend.