Aroma Cafe Cuban Food and Sandwiches

Very quiet and clean, the potato 🥔 and ground beef is excellent, the Cuban sandwich 🥪 is amazing 👏🏼 🤩 we stopped back in on the way back to Florida and got another sandwich to go for my in-laws, the chef even put everything in separate containers to make sure it was not soggy in the 9hr ride. It's definitely a must stop if you are near.👍🥳💯

This place is definitely a nice hidden gem. It is super inexpensive for the portion sizes you get. We both got a large sandwich combo that comes with a side and a drink for under $30. Honestly we could have either went with a small sandwich each or split a large. The food was absolutely amazing. I ordered a Philly Cheesesteak with a side of the Sweet plantains. My boyfriend got the Sloppy Jose with Papa Rellano. Both dishes were so full of flavor. We will be going back soon and will definitely be recommending to others.

Great experience! First time visiting, in a slight hurry. The menu at first is overwhelming so I asked the dude working what he recommends. He recommended the Cuban Sandwich and the Papa Rellena for the side. Absolutely fantastic meal! Thankful for the recommendation and grateful to have this place around! I highly recommend if you want something different. This is one of those “off the beaten path” “hole in the wall” “hidden gem” type place we all dream of as foodies!

We drove 4 hours for an event in town and stopped in to see what the local food scene was like. Very unassuming from the outside, honestly most establishments in this town seem to be. My partner got the Philly and I got the grilled chicken sandwich. Red beans and rice on the side. This place absolutely deserves a place in my top 5 restaurants. Generous portions, perfectly toasted bread, so much flavor. For my antisocials out there - you order food at a counter and get to eat in peace without interruptions which *i* personally love. 10/10 if we ever find ourselves back in the area we will be back ♥️

The service and food was delicious. I love the authenticity of it all. The place could use a little sprucing up but otherwise everything was great. Enjoyed our first visit here. We tried the Cuban sandwich, philly, beef and chicken empanadas and the potato ball. We enjoyed all 3.

Totally stumbled upon this place while looking for the local middle school track. We were hungry, and it was the first place we saw—afraid it might be the last—so we swung in! Totally surprised! The building is a little old, and the signage isn’t great, but don’t let that stop you from eating here! We ordered the pork sandwich, fried sweet plantains, black beans and rice, and flan. It was all fantastic—hot, fresh, and tasty. A bonus? They had Cuban coffee! I got one, and holy moly—after I drank that, I did flippity-flops right out the door and halfway through the parking lot! One thing I really loved was the vinegar sauce they gave us—it was absolutely amazing on the pork, beans, and plantains! Highly recommended joint! So sorry for not having pictures or videos of the place and food, but we were in a big hurry. Safe travels!

Went here based on reviews from Reddit and was not disappointed! Building may look old, but don’t judge a book by its cover. Menu is well laid out and easy to read. Server was helpful in choices and friendly. I ordered a Cuban with maduros(fried plantains). This sandwich is killer! I like how it was cut (lengthwise) as it made it easier to eat and dip in the vinegar base sauce. I also read that the Philly cheesesteak is good too, so will have to try that next time!

Love me some cubano and having lived in Florida it's hard to find something that stands up. Not saying this was as good but definitely a contender! Service was a bit slow, but it's just a small place so it's to be expected. Atmosphere was kind of cool! Had the ambiance of sitting outside in a cuban neighborhood. As for the cubano, it was good, a little on the thin side though. Also ordered a sweet empanada, which was pretty good. Just wish it had a bit more crisp. Overall, this is really the only cuban place I've found so far, but am not opposed to going back until I find the one to knock FL off the board!

Aroma Cafe is a wonderful Cuban restaurant that offers a relaxed and modest cozy space. It may not be fancy, but that's part of its charm and appeal. The food here is fantastic, with generous portions at a decent price. I absolutely love the red beans and rice, but honestly, everything on the menu is delicious. If you're looking for a down-to-earth spot with amazing Cuban cuisine, Aroma Cafe is the place to be. Highly recommended!

I will start with the positive: 1.this restaurant is super cute and the ambience is very welcoming and fun. 2. The staff is very nice and welcoming Coming from Miami and moving here i was so excited to see a Cuban restaurant! The food: There wasn't much flavor in the black beans(no pork) The cafe cubana was not as fresh and was given to me like warm. Also I know they are sweet but this one was like OVERLY sweet. It wasn't properly balanced. I don't mind sweet but I don't wanna be biting on sugar crystals. The papa relleno was like warm and came with a sauce. I honestly would have just taken them plain but HOT. I ordered a cubano and the sandwhich was just "eh" it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great.

Nice to have something different & Aroma Cafe offers it from their Cuban sandwiches & fried plantains to their empanadas & papas. The Pulled Pork sandwich was also very good. Sandwiches come in small or large size to match your appetite. My eye is on the Ropa Vieja with Rice & Beans for my next visit. The seating area inside is a little dark so recommend eating outside if it's a nice day. The plantains & papa is a more acquired taste.

A good change of pace.... I found this place by accident, but it turned out well. The building is not much to look at, but don't let that dissuade you. The staff is really kind and helpful. The restaurants decor is interesting yet unique (very Cuban if that is a thing). The food was delicious - we had the chicken with rice and beans and tried the empanadas. This place is unique and worth a visit.

Great cuban food! Fyi, they do not have ice cream or fro yo any more!! We got the large Cuban sandwich and the sampler platter. It was enough food for lunch and dinner! Cuban sandwich was good, and I'd get it again. Just note that mustard was kinda light and I think it had mayo. The maduros and plantains were great! We also loved the guava empanada! Good food with large portions!!

Amazing fried yuca stuffed w/ flavorful beef. Apparently very similar to the mashed potato version. Be sure to order the *sweet* plantains--excellent. No to the salty plantains, which are smashed into a pancake shape and fried to oblivion leaving no moisture or taste. You gotta know to know. Black beans and rice were lovely served with a bit of cilantro pesto on top!

Oh my gosh !!! saying I love this place ,does not truly convey the deep affection I feel for this incredible comfort food for my soul everything I've had here slams! platers amazing !Cubans ...the best around w/o? The rich and authentic cultural influence in the food makes me go back to south Florida where my amazing wife first introduced me to the real real Call ahead is the way to go for me but there is plenty of seats around the corner Get extra mojo!!

Well, this place certainly isn't getting any points for presentation. But you can take the food and go eat it somewhere prettier if it's that big a deal. What matters is that the food here is amazing. I've eaten here two days in a row now and both times the sandwiches and fries were perfect.

Food is always great. I asked for 2 Cuban sandwiches but found out later that they made me Philly sandwiches. They were great but not what I ordered. Have never had a problem before.

Came in for lunch and was surprised I had to come to Tennessee to have good cuban food. I had the Montana cuban sandwich. Boy was that delicious and tender. Had the side of rice and beans and they were so good too. Had me a pineapple soda. Thanks to my co worker for introducing me here. Also ordered an empanadilla to go and although that didn't make the picture it was delicious too.

Another great visit to Aroma Cafe. For the first time I order something other than the Cuban sandwich with red beans and rice. This time I ordered one of their platters - pulled pork with red beans rice. My wife her usual Cuban sandwich with black beans and rice. All were excellent. My plan is to now work my way through the rest of the menu. Love this place.

Finally made it to Aroma Cafe in Maryville. The best way I can describe it is delightfully comforting. Servers were extremely friendly and took time to answer questions. The food exceeded expectations in how flavorful sandwiches could be with a relaxing environment. We tried the Cuban (it's the staple menu item), the Steak, a Papa, and a chicken empanada. All 4 meats were juicy, well seasoned, and gone within minutes, hence the lack of photos! The Tres Leches was ok. Tasted more like a Tres Leches birthday cake, a little too sweet and bland for me, but I'm sure it works for a lot of their customer base. Still worth the trip just for the sandwiches, looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu! I also 'might' have ordered an extra 20 empanadas to bring home and keep in my freezer...

A great Cuban spot! I tried this place for the first time yesterday and had a wonderful experience. I've only had Cuban food a few times, but the Cuban sandwich here is the best one I've ever had! The pork was tender and juicy and the bread was wonderfully toasted. I also ordered a side of sweet plantains and they were tasty as well. They had the perfect amount of sweetness. The staff was friendly and we got our food in a timely manner. I will definitely return!

Whenever I am visiting the mountains, I make it a point to find every local Cuban restaurant and try each one. Normally I end up in the same restaurant at least 2 to 3 times in a week. I absolutely love Cuban food. Unfortunately, this will not be a Cuban restaurant that will be memorable for the right reasons or one that I will ever revisit. The ham croquettes were horrible. Most likely frozen and reheated. They were cold between the time I walked out the door and bit into one in my car in the parking lot. The empanada was mediocre. The only good thing I got was the black beans and rice. Kind of hard to mess that up. $18 for two teeny tiny croquet, a very small thing of beans and rice, and an empanada that wasn't even the size of my palm. Never again. I wish them luck.

Been wanting to try this place since we moved to town this winter. My partner's friends are Cuban so we were coming in hoping for some good food and they didn't disappoint. Food - 5 star We decided to try a variety to share. Beef empanada was tasty. Tostones were so crisp! Cuban sandwich was fresh and tasty. Black beans and rice yummy! Nothing we tried disappointed! Cleanliness - 2 star Like most restaurants I know they are short staffed so when we came in right after lunch I am figuring they had just been hit hard. Trash cans full. Tables dirty. Just kind of a mess in the dining area. Take out. Dine in. Just give them a chance to deliver some great Cuban food. Definitely adding this place to our regular rotation!

Great food!!! It's a hidden gem that we stumbled upon. Definitely going back. Tried a little bit of everything and glad we did.

So dang good! Each time I tell myself "Next time, I'll try something different." But this is just another lie I tell myself...it's always the Sloppy Jose for me.

The Cuban sandwiches are very good! I have tried a few other places for Cuban sandwiches and Aroma Cafe's are hands down, the BEST! I prefer the red beans and rice, my husband prefers the black beans and rice. Whichever your preference, they're both good. Whenever my daughter comes down for a visit, Aroma Cafe is a must!

One of the best places in Maryville. Very consistently good food, good portions, this amazing lime sauce for dipping. I got overcooked rice last time but it's been amazing and delicious 20 other times so I didn't even care. Try the guava and cream cheese empanadas.

Bringing homemade authentic Cuban food into Maryville. We had the Ropa Vieja, sweet plantains and caramel flan. Every single thing was authentic 5 stars.

Mira, oye, wow! So glad I finally came to aroma and had some authentic Cuban food. Being from Tampa and living in Knoxville there has been something missing in my life and I found it. Not only will you leave here feeling full but you will also be supporting a business that should have just as many spots like all the Mexican restaurants in Knoxville. This is by far some of the best Cuban food I have ever had! The tostones were perfect not to fried or under cooked perfect! The maduros amazing! The empanadas pshh so good try each one. The Cuban sandwich could have been a little more pressed but that's just the Cuban in me being persnickety. They have Malta to drink haven't had that in 15 years so good! I am so glad this place is in Maryville I wish they would open up in Knoxville I would quit my job to run it love Cuban food so much. I frequently am fishing in the smokies and found that this is on the way home for me but just a different route i plan on coming here every time I return from the GSMNP. My favorite place to go now that I found it, Dale!

EST Cuban sandwich in a 500 mile radius. Nuff said. Maybe 1000 miles, parking is tricky at lunch and I know why. Nice work!

The cuban was everything one could want in a sandwich. It was hot. It was meaty. It was cheesy. It was bready. And it got me through the next five hours of my day. I have spread the word to all who will hear me.. Ya gotta try the cuban! Do yourself a favor and round out your oral experience with a dessert empanada. the guava and cream cheese did not disappoint. This place also has a great front patio with shaded outdoor seating so you can wave over everyone off the street to indulge with you!

Definitely decent. I love alliteration so please don't take offense. I have also lived all over and have high expectations: This place does not disappoint! I got the pulled pork platter, with red beans, a side of maduros, and flan. Yum! Want to try other things on the menu so I will definitely be back. I feel the pork was a bit heavy on the sazon and not so much on having a great flavor on its own. The maduros were also a bit lacking on the sweet side. But, the food was hot and fresh feeling/tasting so I still recommend :)

AMAZING!!! You like Cuban?? GET YOUR CULO TO THE AROMA CAFE FOR SOME SCRUMPTIOUS CUBAN EATS!! We drove all the way from Newport! Id add a photo but the food didnt last long enough! Dont just take my word for it, go and find out for yourself. You can thank me later!

Amazing food!!! One of those off the wall places that doesn't look like much but has some of the best tasting food I've had. Really good service and the inside was cozy too. Can't wait to come back!!

When I moved from Knoxville to Maryville, my husband excitedly told me our house was a stone's throw from Richie Kreme AND Aroma Cafe! Which, great I guess, I had no idea what either of those were? We pulled into Aroma Cafe and I realized I'd passed it a thousand times but thought the name was "Cuban Food" based on the large banner. I'd never had Cuban food, but husband told me to try the Cuban sandwich and red beans and rice. Holy. Smokes. The sandwich was incredible. At least once a month we crave one (if I put my pride aside it's waaaay more often than that), it's THAT good. I'm not huge on beans or rice, so weird suggestion for me but husband LOVES it. The papa relleno is soooo good too, and the only empanada I've had that tops theirs was in Costa Rica. Now, we bring all Knoxville friends and out of towners there and it's a hit. Absolutely try them out, even if you *think* Cuban food isn't your jam. You'll be surprised!

Best food in maryville! The food is delicious and made to order so it's fresh and hot. I have never had a bad meal here. Best empanadas I have ever had!

Wow! Just wow! After reading the Google reviews, we decided to give it a shot and we're so glad we did! After retiring here from S. Florida, we know a thing or two about Cuban food and I can guarantee you that you've never tasted better! Don't let the facade and limited parking discourage you. We parked across the street and walked there for a take out order and it was worth the wait! Prices are very reasonable and there are tables inside if you want to dine in. Give it a shot and you'll be glad you did!

I can't say enough good things about this place. Literally the best Cuban you'll have in TN. Staff is friendly. The patio is fun. Quality food while still being a fast, casual dining spot.

We looove this spot!! Coming from NJ/NY area, it was hard to find a good authentic Indian cuisine we craved so much. Then finally found Aroma when it opened and have been coming here monthly ever since. Try the chicken 65 and lamb korma that is divine!!! Mango lassi and gulub jamon for dessert are the yummiest!!

The food is amazing, I would recommend the chicken or beef empanada. The pork on the Cuban sandwich is cooked perfectly, and everything tastes delicious. The service is good, and the tables outside are nice.

Very well done restaurant! When you walk in you'll immediately see the menu as well as someone standing at the counter to take your order. You place your order and then you are able to sit down in a large seating area around the corner. They have a variety of beverages to choose from including a Cuban pineapple soda called Jupina (which tastes like Inca cola). They have a great selection of sandwiches if you wanted to pop in for lunch which is what I did. I went on a Saturday and around 12:30 PM as it started to get busy. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich which was delicious, the bread that they use is definitely fresh. They have this great vinegary sauce that you can add on to any order which I recommend. I also wanted to try their rice and beans and while the beans were perfection... The rice was mushy. So I just brought it home and put the black beans on my own cooked rice. I was very excited to try the guava pastry however mine (as you can see in the photo) had a hair on it. I'm not quite sure if there was cream cheese inside as they told me it should have ... so if anything I'd pass on that pastry and maybe try one of their empanadas. I will give them a second chance and go back soon!

Let me start by saying I was born (in 1960) and raised in Miami, FL. I lived there until 10 years ago. That being said, I'm a certified expert in authentic Cuban food (IMHO). Now that I've "self-certified", I will summarize my (and my wife's) opinion. The food is good, and it's Cuban, but far from real authentic. We shared a Cuban sandwich with Red Beans and Rice, and a Guava and Cheese pastry. It was all good, and all tasty, but it's not what you'll get in Miami. Still, we would go back again.

I used to work with the owners back at Clayton Hones, they are extremely down to earth and always so friendly. The food is amazing. Very authentic and has tons of flavor!!

Great place great food sells delicious sandwiches and is a local business hoping to see them expand and open up more locations

As a Cuban from South Florida that had my own Cuban Restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the flavors of the Cuban Sandwich. While the bread isn't exactly authentic Cuban bread it's pretty close and the flavor of the pork definitely shines. The side of rice and beans was a bit confusing, I didn't understand the ground beef added to it, while it had good flavor the meat took away from the beans.

Cuban sandwich is the way to go. Very skeptical to try but the meat used was fresh and seasoned well. Oh also get the maduros.

Amazing! It's a little hole in the wall place with limited parking. I had the Cuban Philly cheesesteak sandwich with black beans and rice. I worked all over Florida for 3 years eating Cuban sandwiches and none were better than this place. You order at the register then go sit. The place is clean and friendly service. I'll definitely be back!

Best Cuban Sandwich we've had in a long time and the Plantains are delicious too! Don't judge the storefront and know you may have trouble finding a parking space. Waiting inside is a yummy meal!!

Small, Mom-and-Pop hole-in-the-wall joints seem to be the best places for ethnic food and I never argue when someone recommends one to me. Aroma was no exception. The Cuban sandwich was large. I mean, if you order a large, be prepared to get a to-go box with it. Basically a pressed pork sandwich, it arrived with a spicy vinegar dip that perfected accented the pork. Hot sauce is available and I recommend it. The generous bowl of black beans and rice were spot on and were the perfect side. The only miss was the Cuban Coffee. Not only did it come out very late in our meal, it did not have the sugar foam and the taste was not what I would call authentic (comparing to what I had in Little Cuba, Miami).

Awesome little gem in Maryville, feels just like the Cuban cafes I've stopped in while visiting south Florida. Pressed Cuban sandwich was perfect and the Cuban pork was also very solid. An authentic spot for all the staple dishes you would expect in a Cuban cafe. Will Defoe tell be heading back soon!

Delicious food. We are new regulars! We have loved everything we have tried so far :)

GO HERE! You won't be sorry. Delicious food. It's a hole in the wall kinda place that will keep you coming back!

We'll let me tell ya ,if ur looking to get Cuban food near the area this is the spot as soon as my honey comes home from over seas I will be back with him to try a sandwich. So I had the chicken ropa veija it was good I wished it was like back home but again everyone does it differently the difference is the one back home (Chicago) is more tomato based again not knock this one just wasn't as tomato as much but still yummy the rice and beans were so yummy n fresh the sweet plantains omg sooo yummy I can eat them and just eat those they give you a good portion of food so anytime you near there please stop there and give them a try I def want to get a flan I haven't had one for couple of years

Was visiting from California and haven't had good Cuban food since visiting Tampa so I was very happy to find this spot . Food was amazing and Cuban sandwich was authentic. Staff was very accommodating also , Highly recommend if you live here or visiting .

I really enjoyed doing takeout and getting the steak & onions plate with black beans and rice. Flan was great too!

Best Cuban Sandwich!! Very consistent and filling! Even better than the ones I had in little Havana!

So so so worth it! My only complaint is that the chicken is kinda dry. But it's after lunch rush and I'm unaware if I could specify dark or light meat on my platter. All that said, omg the empanadas are amazing. The food is amazing. My tummy is happy. Give this place some love!!! Beef Empanadas Guava and Cream Cheese EmpanadaRed Beans and Rice

I came here with a friend. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was pleasant. If you like Indian style food, I highly recommend this place. I will come again.