Gate-side drafts in the Main Terminal
Cigar City Taproom sits in the Main Terminal at Tampa International, past security near the shuttle stations, so you can eat here before heading to any airside. It’s a spin-off of the local Cigar City Brewing, so the beer list leans Florida: Jai Alai IPA, Guayabera, and usually a rotating seasonal on tap.
Food runs typical American bar fare with Tampa touches, and most mains land around the $12–$18 mark. Think burgers, chicken sandwiches, flatbreads, and wings, plus shareable snacks in the $8–$12 range. Portions read “airport normal,” not massive, so plan on one main per person if you’re actually hungry before a 3‑hour flight.
The taproom keeps airport hours, generally opening by 6:00 a.m. and staying open into the late evening bank of departures, roughly 10:00–11:00 p.m. That early open means you can get a beer with an 8:30 a.m. flight to ATL and not be stuck with only coffee. Morning menu usually leans lighter, with more of the full burger-and-wings lineup kicking in by late morning.
Beer is the play here: pints typically price in the $8–$11 range, with samplers sometimes offered if the bar isn’t slammed. If you only pick one, locals point to Jai Alai at 7.5% as the signature TPA pour before a long-haul. Wine and basic cocktails show up too, but they’re secondary to the taps.
Seating is bar stools and high-tops right in the Main Terminal atrium, so you’re eating in open-air terminal space, not a walled room. That means you’ll hear every 20-minute boarding call for Airside A, C, E, and F, but you’re also a 3–6 minute shuttle ride from most gates.
Tip: build at least a 45‑minute buffer here; food often takes 15–25 minutes from order to table during the 4:00–7:00 p.m. bank, and the airside shuttle adds another 5–10 minutes to your walk-to-gate time.