‘Mom and pop’ restaurant celebrates 10 years in Riverview

By LOIS KINDLE

If you enjoy Cuban food or have always wanted to try it, there’s a unique little slice of the island in Riverview.

Even though it’s surrounded by chain restaurants, pizza joints and other assorted eateries, Little Habana Café has not only survived but thrived for 10 years in the business.

Al Estevez and his wife, Tanya, owners of the Little Habana Café, were both born in Cuba and came to the United States as small children. Their team effort has made their small restaurant a favorite of many residents in the South Shore area.
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“They serve the best Cuban food I’ve ever eaten,” said Apollo Beach resident Phyllis Gannon, referring to the restaurant’s owners, Al and Tanya Estevez. “I’ve been a customer for many years, and we’ve become good friends. I bring new people there every chance I get.”

Sydney Nguyen, of Riverview, is a semi-regular diner at Little Habana. “It’s a really nice place, and the food is very good,” she said. “Everything is very authentic and filling.”

Lynn Kessel, of Sun City Center, agrees. “I enjoy taking my family there when they come into town,” she said. “My favorite is Ensalada de Churrasco (tender skirt steak over chopped garden salad). I also enjoy stopping by occasionally for café con leche.”

Seafood Paella is but one of the many authentic Cuban dishes featured on Little Habana’s diverse menu.
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Referrals are essentially what built Little Habana’s business — that and Al’s authentic Cuban cuisine. It includes favorites like Bistec de Pollo al Ajillo (chicken breast in spicy fresh garlic, olive oil and wine); Rabo Encendido (oxtail simmered in savory, spicy tomato-and-wine based creole sauce); Camarones al Ajillo (shrimp sautéed in spicy fresh garlic, olive oil and wine); Lechon Asado (traditional slow-roasted, pulled pork); Seafood Paella and dozens more.

The restaurant also features numerous daily specials, offers catering and has a children’s menu. Beer, wine, homemade sangria and mimosas are available. Food can be ordered to go.

“Al buys only top-quality meat, the best available in the market,” said Tanya, 48. “He slow roasts his pork from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. daily, and we use only Serrano ham. Our bread comes from La Segunda Bakery.

Al Estevez, co-owner of the Little Habana Café in Riverview, prepares to serve some authentic Cuban dishes he prepared from scratch in his kitchen. The restaurant is celebrating its 10th anniversary in business this year.

“All of our dishes are freshly prepared and made from scratch, except for the deviled crabs, which are an Ybor City thing,” she said.

Ten years and going strong

The restaurant opened in July 2009, when it had only five tables and was staffed by Al, Tanya and their 15-year-old daughter. That September, they acquired a 1,000-square-foot space next door in what was once Coco’s Hair Salon and is now their dining room.

In less than a year, Tanya was diagnosed with MS, which “presented its own set of challenges and then some,” she said. “But we never struggled, due to Al’s hands-on involvement in the kitchen. He’s here 14 hours a day, and I’m here as much as I can be for lunch and dinner.

“Of course, we owe our success to our customers,” she added. “This is like home to our regulars. We’ve made many friends.”

Little Habana Café was not the couple’s first venture.

Their first restaurant together — Habana — was opened in Ridgefield Park, N. J. in 1999. They sold it in 2006, when they moved to Riverview.

Al, 56, has been in the restaurant business all his life, except for the four years he served in the Air Force. His family owned a restaurant in Union City, N.J., where he learned to cook from his parents. He furthered his skills by graduating from culinary school and has a degree in hospitality.

He and Tanya were born in Cuba and came to the United States when they were 3 and 8, respectively. They both grew up in Cuban culture and met when Tanya was having a cup of coffee in Al’s father’s restaurant.

Little Habana Café is at 13352 Lincoln Road, Riverview. Open from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“I talked Al into opening a restaurant with me, said Tanya, a former florist and event coordinator. “We found a turnkey operation that used to be a restaurant, and that’s how we got started.”

“It’s truly been a team effort,” her husband said. “I definitely would not do this without her.” Normally, Al takes care of the kitchen, and Tanya handles the front end of the restaurant.

“But when one of us isn’t here, the other has to handle both,” Tanya added.

Little Habana is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner at 13352 Lincoln Road, Riverview. It will soon feature an outdoor lounge and sell cigars.

The restaurant is open from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call 813-672-5111 or visit Little Habana Café LLC on Facebook or www.littlehabanacafe.com.