Tabanero Cigars

Tabanero Cigars sits in Ybor City, and it's about as authentic a cigar experience as you'll find in Tampa. This is a shop that makes its own cigars by hand, and locals will tell you that's the whole draw. The lineup runs from mild to medium, with hand-rolled sticks like the sun-grown toro, the Nero robusto and toro, and the Maceda Sweet Lips among the names people come back for. Ask anyone who has smoked one and they'll tell you the quality holds up stick after stick.

If you go in, ask for Devin. His name comes up again and again around here, and for good reason. People love that he takes the time to walk you through everything, from the fillers to the wraps, and helps you land on exactly what you're after, whether it's something to enjoy on the spot or a gift for a friend's wedding. Sebastian is another name we've heard, going out of his way to call about an order and make things right.

The owners themselves are often around and happy to sit and talk about the cigars and the history behind the shop, which regulars say makes the whole visit feel personal. The coffee is nearly as famous as the cigars. Cafe con leche, espresso, cortadito, whole-bean to take home for your own machine, people swear it's the best in Ybor City, and a Cuban coffee paired with a fresh smoke is a ritual here. There's comfortable seating inside and out, and the space stays clean and free of cigarette smoke, so the cigar aroma is what greets you at the door.

Word travels well beyond Tampa on this one. Folks passing through on cruises and cigar tours of Ybor make it a favorite stop, and the mail-order side has a reputation for quick, careful shipping. One of the highest-regarded cigar shops in the area, and it earns that standing the honest way.