Best Deviled Crabs in Tampa

[andy huse]

after many disappointing deviled crabs and writing about the origins of the dish for Cigar City Magazine, i finally found a few specimens i can recommend to such esteemed colleagues.

At Cacciatore Brothers' on Armenia, Rosie makes amazing crab rolls at the rear counter. fried to order.

Brocato's on 50th near Columbus has big, very tasty deviled crabs.

Mr. Empanada (main location on armenia, others in town) also makes a good deviled crab, but dare i say i prefer their crab empanada, which is not as rich.

any others i have missed? any in Pinellas worth eating?

[Mild Bill]

On my last trip to Mr. Empanada I thought that most of what I ordered tasted like dog food, but I agree---the Crab Empanadas were pretty good...
Good to hear about Cacci's and Brocatos--- 'cause I pass 'em both all the time...

[GeorgeLouis49]

My grandparents were Oscar and Louisa Miranda, doubtless you are asking WHO? Well they started the business Miranda's Deviled Crabsc there in YBOR CITY, and they made the 1st of these that people have tried to copy, but they have fallen short.
George Louis Miranda

[andy huse]

George,

Miranda's is indisputably the first, i've seen the ads from the 1920s on microfilm. I'd love to learn more about your family!

Please email me at:
[e-mail]

andy huse

[andy huse]

wow--- what did you have at Mr. empanada, Bill? I just stick with the crab and guava/cheese empanadas. I did not care for the beef and cheese. The picadillo was more like bland sloppy joe. haven't tried anything else. did you have any of thiose listed above. I scouldn't bring myself to order the sausage one--- it never sounds good to me, too rich...

[Tandoori Girl]

I always thought Carmine's in Ybor were the best but I've not tried too many. Tampa-style devil crabs were always a little too breaded for my taste with not enough crab.

[andy huse]

I tried Carmine's on my recent tasting tour. I thought it was lousy, too bready as stated. The two places i mention at the top of the thread are the only ones that come close to the old Seabreeze. For those of us without a DC specialist wife and secret recipe (from the Mirandas by any chance?), Cacciatore's and Brocato's will have to suffice. Very little breading, just enough to hold all the crab together. I rarel;y order DC's as i am usually disappointed, but creditable sources steered me toward those two. The universe is full of great things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.

[EdC]

Trying to find the best deviled crabs in Tampa is like trying to decide if Ragu or Prego makes better marinara. Tandoorigirl is dead-on: most places in town don't use much crab, and what they do use is not of high quality. And the breading on some of the ones sold in the Cuban cafes...they might as well be hushpuppies.

Fortunately, my wife makes the best in town - and I don't even care for deviled crab. Her colleagues bug her constantly to make them, but it is quite time-consuming. I'd end up in a retention pond somewhere, wearing concrete socks, if I gave away her recipe (passed down from an Ybor street vendor from the early 1900's), but it all begins with top-shelf lump or claw meat. And that's all I can say w/o going into witness protection.

[Monica Klein]

I'm sorry you wife doesn't share her recipes. Should she ever decide to please let me know. There is not one recipe I would not share with someone as I think sharing delicious food recipes is a compliment.

[ramblinwrek92]

The deli at Alessi Bakery off of Cypress in Tampa usually has pretty decent Deviled Crab. The last one I got had quite a bit of crab and I was actually not used to having that much crab in my deviled crab. I was expecting more breading. I recall that they were also pricier than what Brocato's charges. But hey, you can also pick up some guava turnovers or escachata(sp?) pizza slices too.

[Captainroy]

Can any body tell me why you can not find Deviled Crabs in Miami????

[Tandoori Girl]

that is a good question and i'm not sure of the answer but i think it is of italian origin (not cuban). tampa had a huge italian immigrant influx when the cigar industry took hold in the 1880s, something that did not occur in miami. The crab mixture is a little like crab chilado, which is whole crabs stewed in a rich tomato sauce. The italians and latins surely mixed their recipes as they mixed their genes and the result is a unique collection of items found only in tampa. that's my venture, don't know if it's right. anybody else got a thought on this?

[andy huse]

Tandoori girl, you're right on. I wrote a piece about the origins of DC for Cigar City magazine. The Seabreeze was founded by Italian families, and crab enchilado (or chilau as the crackers called it) is a great guess. hard to find crab enchilado anymore, it is so messy, no restaurant wants to serve it. In the old days, famlies ate the dish outdoors it was so messy.

I'll be the judge for a deviled crab contest in west tampa over the weekend. I'll share the winner with you afterward.

[Captainroy]

Very good information Tandoori Girl and it all makes since. I'm frome Tampa but, I live in the Keys...My ex-wife is tally and her father used to make DC...he couldn't even get a platter full because they would disappear. I guess I'll have to come to Tampa to get a good DC.
Andy, looking forward to the results of the DC contest.

[Tandoori Girl]

andy? did you go to the contest? who won? and pls. don't tell me somebody's mom won because i might have to go hang out at their house until i get one.

[andy huse]

i've been traveling, so i'm tardy in response.

only two entries for the contest. Both were pretty good. I voted for the one i thought best. Later found out it was provided by Cacciatore bros. Rose, who makes and serves the DCs there, normally only fries them to order.

[jolynnepete]

As a Tampa native, I get the chance to visit my hometown every couple of years. On each visit, I hit all of the old "hot spots" that I remember frequenting with my family growing up, most of which are food-related. On a recent visit, I had a hankering for a potato ball and deviled crab, so I popped into Cacciatore & Sons's market on Armenia Ave. Oh my gosh!!!!! They had the best deviled crab I'd ever eaten. It was full of real crab meat and was seasoned and cooked to perfection. I asked who the chef was that was responsible for creating this delicious treat and they said "Rosie, makes our deviled crabs." Well, whoever Rosie is, she should have compliments flooding her way!!! Maybe someone should do an article on her and her recipe. For an awesome palate-pleaser, check it out.

[andy huse]

Rosie does a great job, and is usually behind the counter where you can find the crabs. I've praised her effusively. I wanted to write a story about her for a local magazine a couple months ago. when Cacciatore's wouldn't buy ads in the rag, the editor nixed the story. needless to say, I'm no longer writing for that magazine.

[Lisaknowsfood]

Deviled crabs are a dying art. Castellano & Pizzo makes a pretty decent one, but it's not as good as Rosie.

[tony noriega]

As a third-generation Tampan I ate my first deviled crab in 1952 in Ybor City. I still love 'em and, although I can't have as many as in past years, I find Cacciatore's to be as good as any I've ever eaten so they get my vote for the best in Tampa.

[Tipp]

You must have eaten at the Casablanca, if so, who has deviled crabs in tampa that would compare with those Please Help

[JeffTampa]

I agree with the impression that most are too breaded. So I tend not to order these. But I have favored La Tropicana on 7th Avenue in Ybor City when I get a hankerin' for one!!

[RC16]

I'm another Brocato's believer! My girlfriend took me there for the first time AFTER I had lived in this area for 23 years! Go figure... I've never had anything there that wasn't GREAT.

[artemisanne]

Tropicana- my personal favorite- but Alessi's is usually preferred by friends and family.

[betay]

I have the Seabreeze cookbook and I finally got around to making the Deviled crab recipe. All I can say, Delicious! They tasted just as good or maybe even better. It was quite time consuming but I would definitely make them again and again..... This recipe made close to 70 large deviled crabs. The recipe did not state how many it made so it could be halved and make less but why would you want to? My whole extended family enjoyed them. My husband does not like onions so they were the only ones he liked from the Seabreeze. The recipe calls for pretty much blending the onions,peppers,garlic and celery up quite fine so you have the wonderful flavor without the actual prescence of them. Quite an extensive recipe but worth it for sure.

[tony noriega]

Betay, since you made 70 of them I'm going to expect you to invite each of on this forum over to sample them! Or did you guys eat them already?!? But seriously, it sounds like you had a good result.....The Seabreeze deviled crabs were very good and I'll bet most of the crabs in their rolls came from the surrounding waters near Palmetto Beach....whaddya think?

[1rhondad]

My mom used to work at the Sea breeze when she was 18, she is now 76, she always took us to the Seabreeze when she went home and brought deviled crabs to California back from vacations, you have mentioned that you have the actual recipe, I looked on this site, there are people begging for the seabreeze deviled crab recipe, I know my mom would get a smile on her face that would never go away if you gavve me this recipe to try for her. Please post the recipe, I have looked on line to buy that cook book and cannot locate it anywhere.

Regards

Rhonda Doncaster
[e-mail]

[andy huse]

as one of the authors of that book, I'm happy and proud to hear the deviled crabs live on. They were the best until the seabreeze closed. For anyone interested in the book, feel free to email me--- I can point you in the right direction. The next time the Richards make the recipe, I hope to film it for a webcast.

[passingflower]

I grew up in Tampa and lived next door to a wonderful family from Cuba. They made the best crab chilou, at least that is how my sister and I remember it. Does the seabreeze cookbook have a recipe for crab chilou?

[andy huse]

yes. Crab Enchilado, a Cuban/Italian "fusion" dish, was often shortened to Chilau by locals.

[lyss]

Hey there. I have just read your post about the seabreeze cookbook and i must say im VERY interested in the book. my email is [e-mail] , im hoping we can correspond and i can get one of the books. My father grew up in tampa and going to the seabreeze was an everyday thing for him , it would make his day if i could make those for him myself. kindest regaurds, lyss

[brandi3303]

Hi Andy,
I am really interestd in finding one of the Seabreeze cookbooks for my great grandmother. She loved their deviled crab and the few other places she has tried them she was not impressed. If you have any idea where I could locate either the deviled crab recipe or a cookbook I would really appreciate it!! ([e-mail])

THANKS!!

[rougeole]

Hello. I grew up in Gibsonton Fl. just south of Tampa, and we used to go to the Seabreeze Restaurant and load up on Deviled Crabs and go across the street to the drive-in movie. I would love to get their deviled crab recipe. Can you point me as to how I might be able to get the Seabreeze Restaurants Cookbook? My email address is [e-mail].

Regards,
rougeole

[Barboo]

Good Morning betay, I have lost my cookbook and am devistated. Would you consider sending me the recipe. If so I will give you my address or email. [e-mail])
Would be happy to reciprocate with a recipe in the future.
Thanks, Barboo

[carmelabaldeon]

My family loved the devil crabs from the Seabreeze Restaurant. Unfortunally, for us the Seabreeze building and the Restaurant is no longer into existance in Tampa. Would you PLEASE, PLEASE share the recipe with me and my family.
THANK YOU

[Chino1949]

I also loved the devil crabs from the Seabreeze Restaurant. As a kid, we would buy a bag full and head on out to the Drive In Theater. Does anyone know who in Tampa is making them with that exact recipe?

Thank you

[Mal Carne]

I had a pretty decent one at Le Lechonera near Armenia/Hillsborough. Best? Memory fails me, but it was at least notable.

[tony noriega]

I've posted on this thread in the past......this is an update. A friend from Gainesville fell in to town Friday and the first thing out of his mouth was "when are we gonna go get deviled crabs??" Soooooo.....we went to Cacciatore's on Armenia and got a dozen for three of us, and we weren't dissapointed!!! They are still the best in town - at least in my humble opinion. And while you're waiting, if you ask just right, the 40-something counter man will sing you his 'arroz con pollo y cafe con leche' song to entertain you!

[Brett Campbell]

Hey Tony!
Do you have a reciepe for develed carbs ?
Old friend Brett

[tony noriega]

Hey Brett!!! Wow, it's been a long time since seeing you. No, unfortunately I didn't save the recipes from Tony's Restaurant so I don't have a recipe to share with you.......with such good crabs available, like at Caccciatore's I'm not sure I'd go to the touble to make my own anyway! They are that good. Drop by some time Brett......

[angels916]

La Tropicana was always my favorite.

[andy huse]

honestly, I don't think any of their food is very good. I like the atmosphere, but i just don't get the food.

[FrankC]

Linda's Crab Shack
200 E Reynolds St.
Plant City, FL 33563
[phone]

Born and raised in Tampa(Ybor city Specifically)
Hands down the BEST devil crab I have had in my life. I will not get them anywhere else.

[andy huse]

many thanks for the rec. I will have to check it out!

[maladrin]

I still need to try Cacciatore Bros, but Gold Ring Cafe on Tampa St. is directly on my way to work. They make fresh CHEAP deviled crabs and they're always very good. Not made fresh to order, but I've never had one that was bad.

[DonnaL]

How can I get a copy of The Seabreeze By the Bay Cookbook - or JUST the recipe for their famous deviled crabs. My father-in-law will turn 80 in August and I am trying to find this recipe for him as the Seabreeze used to be his favorite place to go, and of course the deviled crabs was what he always ordered. Thanks!

[andy huse]

email me at
[e-mail]
for more info.

andy

[varmit]

i'm new to website..........but a native to florida. my husband was born & raised in ybor city and we both have been to sea breeze many times.......would love their deviled crab recipe.........i lost my copy some time ago...........also, does anyone have the recipe for those great meatpies you get at the italian bakery on 15th st. in ybor/ thanks in advance

[LB1336]

I was raised in Tampa during WW2 and went to school at DeSota Park and Phillip Shore Elem. The BEST Deviled crabs were sold from vendors biking around just as the Ice Cream men. They were pointed at each end, full of crab and always eaten with a dash of Tobasco (and they cost $.10). The ones sold by the Casablanca on 21st St between 4th and 5th Ave were excellent. I have tried the Tropicana's but they were more like big wads of bread.Sorry bout that. I too would be interested in a copy of the Seabreezes Cookbook. Thanks ... Lee B.

[andy huse]

is there any good food at the Tropicana at all? I've never been impressed by anything there. I hate to think people judge Tampa's Latin food by Tropicana's vittles. I only hope their coffee is worth drinking: i wouldn't know, I don't drink coffee.

[Tipp]

LB, Maybe you have some info on the CASABLANCA. It was down the street from the Colombia, Had fantastic deviled crabs. Thanks for any info.

[Tipp]

LB, You are the first to mention the CASABLANCA, We visited Tampa a couple times a year when I was a child, our first stop was always CASABLANCA,. We moved to TAMPA in the 60's, I attended school during my 8th grade year at the Catholic School in Ybor City. I walked down to the CASABLANCA every day for lunch and I would eat one or two deviled crabs walking back to school. I hadn't been to Tampa for a few years. I was married in 1972 and we honeymooned in TAMPA, all the way down there i was telling my wife about the deviled crabs. Our first stop CASABLANCA, the building was torn down,I talked to a few people in the neighborhood, nobody seemed to have any info. PLEASE HELP ME. Any info would be great. Does anyone have a deviled crab close to what CASABLANCA made? Any recipes out there? Thank You, Tip Biddle, Harrison, Ohio

[robmanlee]

I,too went to phillip Shore Elem/ Was born at McDill AFB and raised in tampa til '56. i remember the Casa Blanca as THE place to get devilled crabs!!!We went there til the mid 60's then there were no more devilled crabs, only a great memory.til I found a copy of the Gasparilla cookbook at a garage sale while visiting my Dad in Melbourne several yrs ago. These will bring back memories. What i liked about the Casa Blanca was being treated like one of the guys, playing checkers with older cubans, being allowed a sip of beer to cool the bite of the tobasco on my roll and taking home a sack for dinner later. The only thing as good was the smoked mullet sold by a shop at the base of the Gandy bridge!!! I will copy & send the recipie if you would like it. Let me know robmanlee

[Chino1949]

I too went to Phillip Shore and enjoyed the deviled crabs from both Casablanca and the Sea Breeze. Those were some good times.

[Steffisews]

Dont kill me, but I have had some good deviled crab at La Septima in Brandon. Which, by the way, is one of the few places that has crab enchilada on the menu. They tell me Carmines in Ybor also has crab enchilada on the menu, but they dont use blue crab...they use some other kind of crab.

I cant remember where it is, but there is a little place on 22nd street causeway, before the bridge on the 301 side that advertises they have deviled crab using the Seabreeze recipe.

Agreed on Cacciatore and Alessi....anyone made deviled crab using the Columbia restaurant cookbook recipe?

Stefanie

[Sunflower1964]

I moved to NC over 13 years ago and one of my favorite foods missed was deviled crabs from Seabreeze. I remember sitting on the hood of my folks car as a child and watching the movies from across the street at the drive in and eating those wonderful deviled crabs.

I've not tried any of the above mentioned places during my visits to Florida. However, I don't have a recipe book or anything to go by only memory and have developed my own recipe for them and they look and taste just like Seabreeze. In NC we don't have the cuban bread available but buttermilk soaked bread crumbs works wonders.

My uncle who still lives in FL came for a visit and I fixed about 12 dozen, he alone ate at least 4dz and took 2dz with him for the trip home. He said they were the best and amazed I could fix them from memory.

Folks in NC don't know what they're missing. What they call a deviled crab is a crab shell stuffed with a funky breading and deep fried. No hint of real crab meat only a sliver of imitation.

Is there a Seabreeze cookbook, I would love to have one?

Brenda

[loriw77]

I used to go the Seabreeze as a very young girl in the 70's, and after moving to Texas and getting married, I took my husband back for a deviled crab before they closed their doors. I did find 5 copies of the cookbook for sale at:

http://www.bookfinder4u.com/GetTitles...

Very pricey, though $135.00 +. Too expensive for me, but maybe someone else will enjoy!
Lori

[andy huse]

unbelieveable. copies are avaiolable locally for $15 or so. feel free to ask me for more info.
[e-mail]

[andy huse]

I ate there once, and thought it was pretty good--- my expectations tend to dip when i go to Brandon. Good to hear they're doing the enchilado, which is kind of an endangered species.

[FrankC]

I tried Brocatos for the first time today. What an idiot I am for waiting so long! dont even ask me what i was thinking. They have soem fo the best DC I have ever eaten.

I mentioned Linda's Crab Shack in Plant city a few months back, They have been very hit or miss lately and the last time I ate there for lunch the dinning room was filthy. I am going to have to rescind my earlier recommendation until they get it together with more consistency again. Their DC used to be great, they were the only ones I ever ate that had larger pieces of blue crab with very little breading, lately I don't know what they are doing but it's not good.

[rougeole]

Steffisews,
I think you might be referring to a place I often visit when I am in Tampa and that is Uncle Willie's Sandwich Shop - just before the bridge on 22nd street Causeway. I love the Deviled Crabs and Cuban Sandwiches they make. I have heard stories that this is where the cooks from Seabreeze go to get good Deviled Crabs.

rougeole

[bountyhunter_ga]

Hello, I remember devil crabs as a kid in tampa being sold off bicycle carts for $.25 each. these were pretty good. our memories as kids don"t go away as yoy get old. and yes there was a lot of breading not like you might make at home, you would go broke trying to sell something you had to much product in to come out. try the devil crab on www.tasteofcuba.com this is spot on for me, ths Mickey

[golfbuddy45]

Back around 1955 I was 10 years and we lived on 26th ave in Ybor City. My father and I used to go to Miranda's and watch them make the devil crabs. During this time Miranda was putting his DC's in frozen packages (6 in a pack I think) and my dad was in the Lions Club selling them for donations. Around that time my dad, Ralph Diaz, Sr., had discussions with Miranda to sell his DC's through the local stores like Publix and Winn Dixie. I called him today and asked what happened and he said the deal just fizzled out and they never really got it off the ground. After they fried the DC's any that were not OK to sell were piled on this big table and I can remember filling up on all those fresh hot pieces of Devil Crabs. I wish I had paid attention to the recipe instead of eating them all up!!! The reason I got on this page was I bought a couple pounds of blue crab meat today and am going to make a batch. Unfortunately I have lived in Raleigh NC area for the last 15 years and do not get the opportunity to enjoy all the good Spanish and Cuban food down in Ybor City and Tampa area so I have had to become my own good cook. We do have a nice little restaurant here in Cary called the Havana Grill where the owner who is from Miami, makes all the good stuff, like Flan, Ropa Vieja, Picadillo, and good old fashioned Yucca. He also bakes fresh Cuban Bread Miami style. I buy a loaf or two every week. Glad I found this forum and hope to check out other food topics.

[amycp]

Carmines in Ybor City...

[magialuna]

Well, they aren't deviled, but did anyone mention the Crab Trap crab cakes? (CT one is in north Palmetto jurisdiction on Terra Ceia and CT #2 is in Ellenton. Both are in Manatee County right across the Skyway.)

Off topic, but their fried jumbo shrimp are to die for...huge, fresh, and juicy. They use the same crab stuffing for their stuffed (baked) shrimp too. Ok, now I drooled on my keyboard, lol.

[patteel]

I have not been home to Tampa in 30 years and I really really miss deviled crabs. I am a 6 generation "Cracker", three of those were in Tampa. I married had kids and then hubby got his degree from USF and we left Tampa. We used to go to the Seabreeze for deviled crabs when we couldn't talk my mom into making them. I don't have any family left in Tampa to speak of so I haven't been back.since my Dad's funeral. Another thing I miss terribly is Smoked Mullet. I wish I could find a company that would ship frozen DC's and SM to me in Texas.

[beffies]

I'm a third generation cracker, and my grandfather used to make his own own mullet nets and fish for them off the causeway. I miss the deviled crab rolls too..

[Foodiephile]

All these replies about Deviled Crab and not one mention of Lili's? For Shame~!
http://foodmuseum.typepad.com/food_mu...

[andy huse]

we were talking about Tampa. where is this?

[RibDog]

Great minds think alike. I was thinking the same thing.

John

[G8R Dan]

Andy,
have you tried the "Special Deviled Crab" at Aguila's on Hills Ave? I had one yesterday and it was pretty good. Lots of fresh crab meat, fried to order and big. Cuban sandwich was good also, nothing to brag about. I definately wouldn't put it up there with one of the best in Tampa. A good lunch spot and easy on the wallet. Cafe con leche was very good.

[andy huse]

many thanks for the heads up. I'll check it out.

[sharonsimpsonmc]

Here it is: The Seabreeze by the Bay Coobook order info.

Robert & Helen Richards
7101 49th Ave. S
Tampa, FL 33619
Phone: [phone]
[e-mail]

Best cookbook in town

[jllineberry]

Hi, I found the lady that had the Seabreeze Restaurant in Tampa, where the best crabcakes were made and sold (in my opinion). She also has a cookbook - "SEABREEZE COOKBOOK BY THE BAY". She also has more copies to sell. She also makes the crabcakes in a safe kitchen and sells them frozen for you to cook. You may go to her home to buy them. She said to tell you her phone number is [phone].
She autographs every book she sells. The book also, has pictures and history about the era of the restaurant. I have purchased many as they will make great Gifts for anytime.

jllineberry June 28th, 2009.

[andy huse]

It is a fun book. I helped her write it. Her son may be making those devil crabs full time for sale. I earnestly hope that he does.

[betay]

Well, here it is, 2009 and I just made a double batch of Seabreeze deviled crabs. This time I started out making them a little too large and I ran short of the dough (after making the 99th one) and since I still had a good amount of crab stuffing left, I ran to the store and bought some frozen empanada pastry circles. As soon as I got home I made the rest of the crab stuffing into deviled crab empanadas. I do all the prep and the actual making of everything involved. My husband mans the fryers,(I borrow one and I purchased a new one this year). Each fryer cooks 4 at a time and they have to cook for 7 minutes. You can see that this takes some time to cook up over 100 with the inclusion of the empanadas. It is a labor of love as we give to friends and relatives and still eat all we want and have some left to freeze. I would not give out their recipe, they deserve to make the profit from their cookbook. It is well worth the price. Buy it.

[beffies]

The ones I remember from my youth were sold by a guy bicycling around town with a cooler. When you saw him you pulled over and waited for him to come ask you 'hot sauce or no hot sauce? Muy sabroso!

[tortambassador]

I was on a mission today and by the way I did get my hands on the seabreeze recipe. I was surprised to see it has celery in it. I went out to the 2 best places in Tampa Cacciatore Brothers' on Armenia and Brocato's on 50th and Columbus. Cacciatorre's has the best filling and Brocato's has the best breading. Cacciatore's has less of a tomatoe base compared to Brocato's. Brocato's was bigger but $1 more. Cacciatori looks like they bread theres in Vigo bread crumbs which is the way the old Seabreeze used to do it. Brocatos uses freshly made crumbs from Cubam bread. The reason I know is they were breding them while I was standing in line. Cacciators uses both red and green bell peppers Brocatos only green. It was the amount of tomatoe paste that made the big difference and hands down I thought Cacciatore's had a much better flavor over all. I'd eat either one though they're both good.