How La Semilla’s Cuban Sandwich Embodies Its Plant-Forward Ethos
A good Cuban sandwich is generally the same wherever it’s made: pork, Swiss cheese, ham, pickles, mustard, mayonnaise, and of course, Cuban bread. Layered from bottom to top, a Cuban sandwich in Tampa most often includes salami; in Miami, it’s a bit more stripped down. But at La Semilla restaurant in Atlanta’s Reynoldstown neighborhood, the Cubano is actually vegan, and it keeps the same iconic flavor profile, despite using an entirely different set of ingredients.
At its core, La Semilla is more than just a restaurant — the dining experience is rooted in connection, sustainability, and creativity. The name, which means “the seed” in Spanish, reflects the restaurant’s wish to showcase the rich culinary traditions of Latin America while reimagining them through a plant-based lens. Step inside, and you’re greeted by a warm, welcoming space that transports diners straight to the tropics. Big windows flood the room with natural light, and the design — accented with lush shades of green and pops of coral and blues — makes you forget you’re in the middle of a shopping center surrounded by HIIT gyms and self-care salons. Expect to hear the sounds of Colombian salsa, Mexican cumbia, and more — Latin music that’s amplified during special events Vino & Vinyl (Wednesdays) and Noche de Nachos (Thursdays).
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Co-owned by Sophia Marchese, who is Cuban on her mother’s side, La Semilla’s version of the classic Cubano is an homage to her heritage, reimagining traditional components with plant-based alternatives that retain all the familiar textures and flavors.
The key to the sandwich’s success is its clever use of jackfruit and seitan. The jackfruit, treated like traditional lechón (Cuban-style roast pork), mimics the texture and flavor of shredded pork while absorbing the delicious housemade herby mojo marinade. Seitan is used to create a vegan version of ham, carefully sliced and layered to resemble the original’s tender, salty bite. As Sophia explains, “La Semilla’s Cubano pays tribute to the original Cuban sandwich, but made entirely from plant-based ingredients.”
“When I think about this sandwich, it makes me proud,” says Reid Trapani, Sophia’s partner and La Semilla’s co-founder and chef. “We make seitan in-house, slicing it deli-style. The flavor is very hammy, it’s pretty cool. Texturally, it folds in your mouth similar to store-bought sliced ham, thanks to gluten and tofu. To compensate for the lack of fat, we break the rules a bit, put a housemade garlic aioli on the sandwich, and brush it with butter.” La Semilla uses yellow mustard, crunchy pickles, and rustic Cuban bread from fourth generation bakery La Segunda in Tampa. Open since 1915, it’s the oldest and longest-operating Cuban bakery in America. The final touch: the sandwich is pressed on a hot plancha, creating that iconic crispy exterior while maintaining a soft, gooey interior that’s never soggy, capturing the true essence of the Cuban sandwich, which Sophia and Reid designed as part of their mission to expand the possibilities of plant-based cuisine.
“Items like the Cubano are exactly why we named the restaurant La Semilla,” says Trapani. “We wanted to plant a seed of what plant-based food can be, opening the minds of our guests to new possibilities.” And the sandwich has truly become a favorite among all diners, both vegan and non-vegan. As Trapani notes, “We’ve even been told by carnivores that it’s the best Cubano they’ve ever had.”
Items like the Cubano are exactly why we named the restaurant La Semilla. We wanted to plant a seed of what plant-based food can be, opening the minds of our guests to new possibilities.— Reid Trapani
There are other noteworthy things on the menu at La Semilla, that include the Crunch Wrap, Bistec de Palomilla (a lion’s mane mushroom steak), the fried green tomatoes when in season, “ham” croquetas, and the Cubarrito (a Cuban sandwich/burrito hybrid). But when looking for a dish that’s simple and complete, all roads lead back to the Cubano.
A perfect pairing with the sandwich is the restaurant’s signature Semilla Mojito, made with a house rum blend, fresh mint, and lime soda — refreshing and complementary to the sandwich’s rich, savory flavors. The sandwich is large enough to share, making it an ideal dish for those looking to explore more of La Semilla’s diverse menu. When asked about the ideal scenario for enjoying the sandwich, Trapani says, “I’d be happiest dining in at Table 60, our Tiki Hut, with a mojito and a bowl of rice and beans. Or, picking up a hot, fresh sandwich at noon on my way out of town for a road trip sounds nice — I could eat it while driving or riding in the car.”
Allison Ramirez is a bicoastal, Atlanta-based (for now) freelance journalist. She has over a decade of experience writing for publications like Travel + Leisure, the Daily Beast, Liquor, Thrillist, and others. Her recent work spans art, architecture, travel, and food & beverage stories, focusing on diversity within those spaces in the South and beyond. Follow her on Instagram here. Follow Resy, too.
