Pipos Original Cuban Cafe

What Pipos Original Cuban Cafe does

Pipo's The Original Cuban Cafe is a family-owned Cuban restaurant founded in 1979 by the Hernandez family in Tampa, Florida, now operating as a single-location dine-in restaurant at 9531 Bay Pines Boulevard in St. Petersburg, Florida, with an additional food truck at Quick Fuel Gas Station in Largo, FL. The business serves local residents, event hosts, and catering customers across the Tampa Bay region with an authentic Cuban menu that includes sandwiches, entrees, appetizers, sides, and beverages, with sandwiches priced from $11.95 to $14.95 and entrees up to $18.95. Core service channels include dine-in, takeout, full-service catering (half and full trays), private event hosting for celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, and quinceañeras, and food truck sales.

The company operates with no proprietary technology, relying on third-party SaaS platforms for its digital presence and operations: SpotOn powers online ordering for the Bay Pines restaurant, Square powers ordering for the food truck, and SpotHopper supports the website, with Facebook, Google, and an email newsletter forming the marketing surface. There is no disclosed use of AI/ML, no patents or trademarks on file, and no integration APIs; the competitive advantages instead rest on brand legacy (Best Restaurant in Tampa Bay Magazine, three-time Ybor Cuban Sandwich Competition winner) and the personal reputation of Owner/Chef Ramon Hernandez, a two-time Top Local Chef winner. The business is bootstrapped, privately held, and employs approximately 6 people.

Revenue mechanics are entirely transactional and unit-priced: dine-in and takeout generate per-ticket sales across the menu, catering operates on per-tray pricing (e.g., roast pork half tray $84.95, full tray $159.95; sides $27.95–$49.95) for events of any size, private events generate venue-related revenue at the Bay Pines location, and gift card sales add a stored-value channel. There are no subscription, membership, or contracted enterprise programs. The customer base is highly fragmented across individual diners, event hosts, and small catering engagements, with no named enterprise accounts and a single public testimonial from a wedding catering client.

Name

Pipos Original Cuban Cafe

Legal name

Pipo's The Original Cuban Cafe

Website

https://pipos1979.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pipo's The Original Cuban Cafe is a family-owned Cuban restaurant founded in 1979, operating a dine-in location in St. Petersburg, FL and a food truck in Largo, FL, serving local Tampa Bay diners, private events, and full-service catering customers with authentic Cuban cuisine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cuban Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAFACAG

Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Full-Service Restaurants (Casual & Fine Dining)

Keywords

• Authentic Cuban cuisine
• Cuban restaurant dining
• Event catering services
• Food truck service
• Family-owned restaurant

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Traditional restaurant dining at the Bay Pines location, generating one-time transaction revenue from menu items including sandwiches, entrees, appetizers, and beverages.
2. Online Ordering and Takeout: Customers place orders online via SpotOn (Bay Pines) or Square (Food Truck) platforms for pickup, generating revenue from the same menu items with additional convenience fees retained by platforms.
3. Catering Services: Full-service catering for events ranging from office luncheons to elegant weddings. Offers half trays (serves ~12) and full trays (serves ~25), plus party trays and homemade sauces. Menu includes proteins, sides, and appetizers.
4. Private Event Hosting: The Bay Pines location hosts private events including birthdays, anniversaries, quinceañeras, and other celebrations with personalized service.
5. Food Truck Sales: Mobile food truck operation at Quick Fuel Gas Station in Largo, FL, serving the full menu during operating hours (Tue-Sat 10am-8pm).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pipos Original Cuban Cafe is a family-owned authentic Cuban restaurant operating a flagship dine-in and takeout location at 9531 Bay Pines Boulevard in St. Petersburg, FL, plus a food truck at Quick Fuel Gas Station in Largo, FL. The business sells traditional Cuban food and beverages, provides full-service off-site catering (half trays serving ~12, full trays serving ~25), and hosts private events such as birthdays, anniversaries, and quinceañeras at the Bay Pines venue. Online ordering is enabled through SpotOn (Bay Pines) and Square (food truck) for customer pickup convenience.

Product overview

Pipo's The Original Cuban Cafe operates as a restaurant business with multiple service channels: a flagship Bay Pines restaurant location offering dine-in and takeout Cuban cuisine, an upcoming food truck service for expanded reach, and add-on offerings including full-service catering for events of any size and private event hosting. The company also provides online ordering capabilities through SpotOn and Square platforms for customer convenience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bay Pines Cuban Restaurant (Dine-in and Takeout) Full-service authentic Cuban restaurant located at 9531 Bay Pines Boulevard, St. Petersburg, FL, offering dine-in seating and takeout with a menu of traditional Cuban sandwiches, entrees (Ropa Vieja, Picadillo, Palomilla Steak, Camarones Al Ajillo), appetizers, sides, soups, desserts, Cuban espresso, café con leche, beer, and homemade sangria. Open Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 9am-9pm.
• Pipo's Cuban Cafe Food Truck Mobile food truck service located at Quick Fuel Gas Station in Largo, FL, offering the full Pipo's Cuban menu for on-site sales and pickup orders.
• Catering Services Full-service off-site catering for events of any size, from office luncheons to weddings. Half trays serve approximately 12 people and full trays serve approximately 25, with proteins (Pipo's Roast Pork, Mojo Roasted Chicken), sides, soups, party trays (mini sandwiches 25pc, croquettes 25pc, empanadas 25pc), and homemade sauces. Customers contact via phone or email for quotes.
• Private Events and Group Parties Bay Pines location venue rental for private celebrations including birthdays, anniversaries, quinceañeras, and other private events, with personalized service in a friendly atmosphere and dedicated booking contact form.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards for Pipo's, purchased online through a third-party secure storefront and redeemable at the restaurant.

Quantifiable outcome

• Two-time Top Local Chef winner (Owner/Chef Ramon Hernandez)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Mazzaro's Italian Market: Beloved family-owned St. Petersburg market, deli, and catering operation; comparable to Pipos as an Italian/Cuban family-operated Tampa Bay dining plus catering business with strong local following.
• Yummy House China Bistro: Family-operated Tampa Bay Asian restaurant group with catering; comparable to Pipos as a Tampa Bay family-run full-service restaurant with catering capabilities and strong local awards.
• Stillwaters Tavern: St. Petersburg casual upscale restaurant with catering and private events; comparable as a Tampa Bay full-service dining and event venue competing for similar catering and party occasions.
• Ulele: Tampa destination restaurant with strong local brand recognition on the Tampa Riverwalk; comparable to Pipos as a locally celebrated Tampa Bay full-service restaurant competing for destination dining occasions.
• Amelia's Restaurant: Tampa Bay long-standing family-owned restaurant; comparable to Pipos as a heritage Tampa Bay full-service family operation with dine-in and catering.
• Cafe Ponte: Long-running chef-owned Clearwater/St. Petersburg fine dining restaurant with catering and private events; comparable as a Tampa Bay chef-driven family operation built on culinary reputation.

Direct peers

• La Segunda Bakery & Café: Tampa-based Cuban bakery and café since 1915, comparable to Pipos as a long-running Tampa Bay heritage Cuban food brand with retail and on-premise consumption.
• 1905 Family of Restaurants: Tampa-based multi-concept restaurant group (Ulele, Columbia, etc.) operating several full-service brands in Tampa Bay; comparable to Pipos for its Cuban/regional dining and event-hosting model.
• Columbia Restaurant: Historic family-owned Cuban and Spanish restaurant founded in 1905 in Ybor City, Tampa; the most direct comp to Pipos as a multi-generational Tampa Bay Cuban cuisine institution with dine-in, catering, and events.

Emerging players

• The Lost Pearl: Tampa area dining concept with catering and private events; comparable as a regional full-service restaurant pursuing events and catering revenue alongside Pipos.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/162181380581693
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pipos-original-cuban-cafe'

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pipos Original Cuban Cafe