There is no older Spanish restaurant in Florida than the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, which also happens to be the largest in the entire country. Casimiro Hernández, Sr., a Cuban immigrant, opened this landmark business in 1905. Columbia’s supper entertainment, genuine Spanish fare, and quaint old-world architecture are famous across the city. Concerts of flamenco and jazz are regularly presented as live entertainment at the café.
The restaurant, which has been in the same family’s hands for the past 116 years, is renowned for its large wine list in addition to its award-winning Spanish and Cuban fare. Open for business every day of the year, including all important holidays, and serving lunch and dinner each day. Men are not allowed to wear sleeveless shirts in the dining area, even if business casual attire is authorized.
It is the largest Spanish restaurant in the world and has the longest history as a Spanish restaurant in the United States. It’s 52,000 square feet in size and has 15 separate eating areas with a total of 1,700 seats. When it first opened in 1903 it was called the Saloon Columbia, but by 1905 it had been renamed the Columbia Restaurant. This landmark, which serves authentic Cuban and Spanish cuisine, has been in the Hernandez-Gonzmart family’s care for five generations. In June 2009, the Columbia Restaurant was recognized as one of the top 25 most recognizable eateries in the Petersburg-Tampa area by the St. Petersburg Times. The newspaper bestowed the recognition upon the eatery. In addition, Nation’s Restaurant News included it in a list of the top 50 all-American icons. The Columbia is recommended by the Florida edition of the Michelin Guide for 2022.
Get a taste of the scorching heat of flamenco! Each guest over the age of 12 will be charged $8 for entry. Tuesday through Saturday, between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., you can make dinner reservations for the evening entertainment at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday night’s 9:30 p.m. concerts require 8:30 p.m. or 9 pm dinner reservations. Making dinner and showing reservations in advance is essential. Please call the restaurant to inquire about reservation times.
Museum of Science and Technology
Tampa Concrete And Construction