Zip over to Zydeco

Come along with me on a journey into the heart of historical Ybor City. Located just outside downtown Tampa you’ll find a handful of restaurants offering wide selections of cuisine depending on what you’re looking for. This was my first time heading into Ybor City on the weekend during the day for lunch and if you haven’t been it is something to experience. It is so lively with busy filled streets, weekend popup markets, live music, and on some occasions, you may be able to catch a parade.

While strolling through the city, I decided to try out a craft brewery spot called Zydeco Brew Werks. After sitting down and browsing the menu I was informed by my server that Zydeco is one of four breweries that Ybor City has which I thought was so interesting as they are all within a block or two of one another offering different kinds of beers throughout. Zydeco Brew Werks, in particular, is a NOLA inspired experience located in the heart of Ybor City with unbelievable cuisine offered.

They had a select handful of cocktails as well as multiple different kinds of beer to choose from and although they are known for their beer, I went ahead with a cocktail instead. Recently, I have discovered that I like Moscow mule cocktails and have found that each restaurant has their own spin on the classic mule. With that in mind, when I saw the NOLA mule, I had to give it a whirl as the raspberry puree added into the cocktail was so unique compared to any others that I have had before. Let me just say…out of all the mules I have had on my journey, this has to be one of my favorites. The raspberry puree added such a refreshing twist in addition to the flavor that the squeezed lime brought out.

Unsure of what to order for an appetizer, our server suggested trying J Paul’s Dozen which was a shrimp dish tossed in buffalo sauce accompanied by slices of Cuban toast and it was phenomenal! If you like heat as well as shrimp, this one’s for you. The flavor from the shrimp was incredible and the bread on the side was such a nice compliment to eat with the shrimp and to dip into the extra sauce as well.

While sitting enjoying the appetizer, I kept seeing this one sandwich brought to almost every table in the restaurant, so I asked my server because I had to know what it was. After figuring out that it was the Muffuletta sandwich, which is true Cuban cuisine, I had to try it out as it looked delicious. Let me just say that it was in fact delicious and did not disappoint. It was absolutely incredible and unlike anything, I have ever had before as I do not normally have Cuban cuisine. To start, the sandwich portion size was huge, I only ordered the half portion and it was still a lot of food. At first, I was skeptical because the consistency of the bread seemed very thick from afar, however, after getting the sandwich and taking the first bite I was blown away. The bread was light and airy and made the sandwich easy to eat and did not overfill me which I loved as it allowed me to eat more than I had anticipated. The combination of the genoa salami, capicola, black forest ham, mortadella, provolone, and spicy olive spread was out of this world, my mouth is watering just thinking about how amazing it was.

The food was delicious, our server was fantastic, the atmosphere was fun, and the restaurant décor was a spin on modern industrial which fit perfectly because behind the bar you could see where the beer was made with all the brewing equipment. I though this was such a unique feature to have for customers to see! If you catch yourself in Ybor and are looking for a great, fun spot, be sure to head on over to Zydeco Brew Werks, you will not be disappointed!