By Kathie Stamps
Locally owned Silver Ring Cafe celebrates 25 years at its location in the Riverview Shopping Center this month. Dana Neville Burdzilauskas, a Tampa native with deep roots in the community, has owned and operated the cafe for more than 32 years. She is a married mother of three adult children and a delightfully proud grandmother of three grandchildren, with a fourth due in October.
Primarily known for its authentic Cuban sandwiches, Silver Ring Cafe serves other fresh deli sandwiches, along with homemade soups, black beans and daily specials. “We partner with Earl Bush out of Ruskin, who hand rolls what I believe are some of the best devil crabs anywhere,” Burdzilauskas said. “He personally delivers them to us twice a week.”
She starts any given day with an early morning trip to Ybor City to pick up fresh Cuban bread, and then makes daily runs for produce and supplies, “before arriving at the cafe around 8 a.m. to begin prepping sandwiches, soups, beans and getting ready for the lunch rush,” she said.
Many people who come in for a Cuban sandwich wind up becoming regulars. “I think people can feel when a place has history, heart, consistency and genuine appreciation for its customers,” Burdzilauskas said. “That has always been important to me.”
Burdzilauskas has employed local high school and college students over the years, including two of her own children. “Many of those employees have become lifelong friends,” she said. “I have attended their weddings, baby showers, birthday parties for their children and even a high school graduation for one employee’s son—soon his college graduation as well.”
It’s the people, the relationships and the connection to the community that motivate this small-business owner day after day. “This restaurant has been part of my entire adult life,” she said. “I have been married, divorced, remarried, raised my family, celebrated milestones and weathered difficult times, all while running the Silver Ring.”
The original Silver Ring Cafe opened in Ybor City in 1947. Owner Angelo Cacciatore was a huge boxing fan and named the restaurant after his love for the boxing ring.
Almost four decades later, in 1985, Cacciatore was ready to retire. He approached the Booth family, then owners of Four Star Meats in Drew Park. “He trusted the Booth family to continue that tradition and preserve the iconic Silver Ring Cuban sandwich,” Burdzilauskas said. She worked at that first Silver Ring during the late 1980s and early ’90s while studying criminal justice at Hillsborough Community College.
Two of the Booth brothers began franchising the cafe. In 1992, Burdzilauskas’ family purchased the Silver Ring location in Land O’ Lakes and, two years later, the Riverview store, which had opened in
1987. “The Booth family are also my uncles, so Silver Ring has truly always been family,” she said.
Silver Ring Café in Riverview started out in the old Mr. Swiss building on the east side of Highway 301. It moved to the current spot in the Riverview Shopping Center on May 16, 2001, marking 25 years—the silver anniversary—for Silver Ring.
“I believe small businesses should be active parts of their communities, not just places people eat,” Burdzilauskas said. Her Silver Ring Cafe has supported local schools, PTAs, teacher appreciation events, youth baseball and football teams, “and countless local fundraisers,” she said. “One thing I have always believed is that when people are hurting, you show up. Over the years I have delivered countless trays of sandwiches to families who lost loved ones because that is what you are supposed to do—you show support, love and bring food.”
Silver Ring Cafe is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 7419 US 301 S in Riverview. Follow on Facebook at Silver Ring (Riverview).
