Deviled Crab in Tampa: Where to Eat Tampa’s Croquette

Deviled crab in Tampa is a fried croquette of blue crab and sofrito, rolled in bread crumbs that were once stale Cuban bread, and it grew out of the cigar-factory neighborhoods of Ybor City and West Tampa. Three places to try one are Brocato's Sandwich Shop, the Columbia Restaurant and Pappy's Devil Crabs.

Locals often say "devil crab," and the dish is not the baked crab dish found in other states. It is a hand-held, fried, peppery snack, sold at sandwich counters and in dining rooms. This guide names three places that serve it and shows how to judge one.

What is a Tampa deviled crab croquette?

A Tampa deviled crab croquette is a ball or torpedo of crab meat mixed with sofrito, breaded and deep-fried. Food writers and the Tampa Bay History Center tie it to the Ybor City and West Tampa cigar industry in the early twentieth century, when street vendors sold it to workers. Many retellings credit the cigar workers' strike of the late 1920s, but sources differ on dates, so treat the story as tradition.

Heat is part of the name. A good croquette has real crab, a crisp shell and a peppery kick, not a mushy filling.

Where can you eat deviled crab in Tampa?

Brocato's Sandwich Shop, at 5021 East Columbus Drive, has had deviled crabs on its menu, according to a Tampa Magazine history of the dish. The Infatuation's review calls it a regional specialty and warns that the wait can be long.

The Columbia Restaurant, in Ybor City, serves Ybor City Devil Crab Croquettes, according to an Islands magazine piece. Creative Loafing also pointed readers to the Columbia and its cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center for deviled crab croquettes.

Pappy's Devil Crabs, on East Hillsborough Avenue, is a counter built around the dish, and food writers have pointed readers to it for a croquette made to order.

What is Ybor deviled crab, and where does it start?

Ybor deviled crab is the heritage version. Ybor City grew around cigar factories staffed by Cuban, Spanish and Italian immigrants, and devil crabs became a cheap, filling food. The neighborhood is still the place to taste the story with a Cuban sandwich on the side.

For the district itself, see the Ybor City restaurants guide.

How do Tampa Cuban croquettes differ from other croquettes?

Tampa Cuban croquettes are a family of fried snacks that includes ham croquettes and chicken croquettes. Deviled crab is the crab member of the family and the one with the fiercest local following. Tampa cooks bread it in Cuban bread crumbs, which gives a crunch different from a standard panko shell.

Not everyone agrees on the right crumb. A well-known local debate asks whether panko moves too far from the original, so ask the counter what they use and form your own view.

Is deviled crab bar food in Tampa?

Tampa bar food deviled crab shows up at sandwich counters, pubs and dining rooms, often as a snack with hot sauce or a dip. It travels well, so many people take one to go and eat it in the car or on a bench.

If a bar menu offers one, ask whether the crab is made in house. A fresh, hot croquette is worth the wait.

How do you judge a deviled crab?

Look for crab you can see and taste, a crisp crust that does not taste of old oil, and a peppery but balanced filling. A good croquette holds together when you bite it and is not mostly bread. Heat should build, not sting.

Write down what you tasted while it is fresh. A rating by the dish is more useful than a rating of the room.

What should you know before you order?

Devil crabs are small, so order two if you are hungry. Many counters sell them one at a time, and a basket of several makes a snack for a table. Ask whether they are made to order, because a croquette straight from the fryer tastes better than one that has been sitting.

The wait can be long at popular counters, and sources describe lines at lunch. Go early or off-peak. Bring a napkin, and ask for hot sauce on the side if you are unsure about the heat.

If you cannot eat shellfish, skip this dish. It is made with crab.

How can Mosey help you remember Tampa's deviled crab?

Rate the croquette by name, with stars and a note such as "peppery, real crab, long wait". Tag the friend you ate with and they can add their own rating of the same meal. A tag like Quick Service or Great Value can help the next person.

Make a list called Tampa devil crabs, add each place and compare them over time. Share it with a friend, and follow friends to see what they rated and saved. A rating of the croquette itself tells the next reader more than a star for the room.

Where should you eat next around Tampa?

For another Tampa classic, try the best Cuban sandwich in Tampa, learn how to rate a Cuban sandwich or follow the river to Tampa Heights. The US food guides cover the rest of the market.

Open the Mosey app after your next devil crab, rate it by the dish and add it to a list for a friend.