The Short variation: Since 1905, the Columbia eatery has actually supported Spanish and Cuban-inspired dishes and products that portray a long-standing genealogy. Established by a Cuban immigrant in Tampa, the Columbia remains a regional favored simply because of its traditional ingredients and personable solution. Over time, people from all over the globe attended into the attractive restaurant to celebrate engagements, wedding anniversaries, birthdays, also monumental times. Now, the fourth and fifth generations for the family is the owner of and works 13 different restaurants throughout Fl. If you’re searching for okay dinner with a good antique family experience, possible reserve a table for the spectacular and intimate dining spaces for the Columbia Restaurant.
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For the past thirty years, my loved ones’s favored holiday destination has become an oceanfront hotel in Sand Key, Florida. We have now gone here over twelve occasions to build sand castles, place dolphins, and consume delicious dinners on patios ignoring the gulf coast of florida.
There is completely investigated the town’s bistro choice, searching from the greatest local bones about, however it only thus happens that one cafe we-all enjoy the majority of is within taking walks range in our lodge. The Columbia eatery’s white-linen tablecloths, conscious service, and mouth-watering meals allow it to be the go-to place for dinner.
When we happened to be children, my moms and dads would order you a mozzarella cheese pizza pie even though they visited this passionate Spanish cafe alone; however, we now enjoy tapas and wine equally as much while they do, therefore we’ve started crashing their date night â often getting along dates of our own very own.
Since 1905, the Columbia Restaurant has wowed patrons with Spanish and Cuban meals and an old-world atmosphere. Although it’s the earliest bistro in Fl, the organization still is run by the descendants from the original creator. Every object about selection has a tale behind it, and several with the quality recipes being passed from one generation regarding the Hernandez Gonzmart family to a higher. Family members practice is a large area of the Columbia’s selection, history, and method of solution.
“the employees can also be slightly like household,” stated Michael Kilgore, the principle advertising Officer for the Columbia. “Many of our staff members stay for 20 or thirty years. Among the many situations we like about our very own group is actually how long they stick with us. They arrive here and find a house.”
You may enjoy this comfy and inviting atmosphere on your subsequent night out when you go to any of the Columbia’s seven various restaurants. The Columbia Restaurant at this time serves guests in Tampa, Sarasota, St. Augustine, Clearwater Beach, and party. Whether you’re drinking wine on a picturesque balcony or enjoying flamenco performers light the period although you eat tapas, you’re sure to have a remarkable night from the Columbia.
In 1905, a Cuban Immigrant Ran a Saloon That Became a Sensation
The Columbia eatery can track the record returning to Dec. 17, 1903 â similar day the Wright brothers effectively tested the world’s first airplane. That was whenever a Cuban immigrant known as Casimiro Hernandez Sr. began running a saloon for a nearby preparing business in Tampa’s Ybor City.
In 1905, the industrious business person switched the saloon into a prominent 60-seat cafe known for the genuine Cuban coffee-and snacks. Soon after their success, Casimiro purchased a restaurant next-door and switched it into a striking dining room. In 1930, their son got over possession and process associated with flourishing restaurant.
During the Great anxiety, his child Casimiro Jr. created the initial air-conditioned living area in Tampa. The guy hoped their upscale appearance and elevated dancing flooring would draw individuals the bistro which help all of them forget about their particular fears for a night. The Don Quixote Room was actually a success, and Columbia was able to hold its doors available even though many additional companies folded.
In 1953, Casimiro Jr. passed the Columbia on to their only child, Adela Hernandez Gonzmart, an experienced artist that has met her partner, Cesar Gonzmart, at the Tampa cafe. This theatrical set delivered entertainment and artistry into the Columbia, setting up a showroom that hosted numerous skilled Latin performers and artists. Under Adela and Cesar’s leadership, the Columbia extended to Sarasota and various other places in Florida.
These days, certainly Adela and Cesar’s two sons has brought the reins and held their family members’ business heading. Richard Gonzmart has been operating at their family’s restaurants since he was 12 years of age, very he’s intimately knowledgeable about the environment and record. Richard can actually point out the table on Columbia Restaurant in which he and his girlfriend had their particular first date a lot more than 43 in years past.
“there are many love right here, and we also have actually the story,” stated Michael. “Less than 15 restaurants in the United States tend to be family-owned and most 100 years old, therefore we’re in pretty elite business.”
Florida’s earliest restaurant provides a satisfied and enduring background grounded on food, family, and fun. Michael informed all of us the fifth generation of the founding family members is currently getting groomed to take-over one day. Richard’s daughters and nephew have chosen to take in active control parts within restaurants as they are willing to keep consitently the family members heritage opting for a lot more many years to come.
The Columbia has become acknowledged which includes with the greatest awards when you look at the restaurant sector, such as induction into country’s eatery News’ “good Dining Hall of Fame,” gained the “Distinguished Restaurants of America (SiRoNA) honor of Excellence,” Florida Trend’s “Golden Spoon Hall of Fame,” and Wine Spectator’s “better of Award of Excellence.”
Look In! A Delectable Menu of Sharable Tapas & Indulgent Desserts
The Columbia Restaurant establishes a magnificent dining table and gives a delightful getting away from everyday life. It seduces your sensory faculties as soon as you walk in the doors. You are surrounded by greenery, drinking water fountains, and artwork because the sounds of fun and scents of fresh seafood dishes waft through environment. Before my personal purchase also extends to me personally, my personal mouth is always watering with expectation. Thankfully, each guest becomes his/her very own newly produced loaf of Cuban bread, thus I have one thing to fulfill my preferences while we wait.
The 14-page diet plan is filled with good meals but additionally provides simple discussion beginners for daters merely observing each other. Each entrée, appetizer, and dessert is sold with an enticing information including fascinating history info. As an instance, the restaurant’s coconut ice cream was a preferred of frozen dessert business owner Gustavo Hernandez, the next boy of initial Columbia creator, now this nice meal is actually served in his respect.
Through the vegetarian paella (Spanish rice blended with satisfying greens) towards shrimp supreme (shrimp wrapped in wafer-thin bacon), the foods within Columbia tend to be bursting with flavor. The shareable plates, also known as tapas, make this cafe well suited for partners on a date because you may come closer together by sharing tiny dishes of empanadas, sliced chorizo, croquetas, or packed peppers. You can create a budget-friendly food by purchasing a couple of of those appetizers with each other â keep in mind to save lots of room for treat!
The Très Amigos churros will be an excellent choice for partners since they are tactile, sweet, and merely only a little messy. You can dip the piping-hot churros in chocolate, caramel, or guava sauce so there’s a little something for everyone. Positive, Columbia’s signature light Chocolate Bread Pudding is actually an indulgent dessert ideal for splitting with a date who has got a taste for white chocolate and rum sauce.
In 2017, the Marriott Traveler weblog called the Columbia Restaurant among St. Augustine’s top date-night areas, promoting partners to “focus on Columbia’s well-known 1905 Salad, assembled table-side with a lot panache, immediately after which share an enormous platter of this Paella a la Valenciana, overflowing with shellfish, aromatic rice, and chorizo.”
The romantic night will be all the greater number of enjoyable should you combine together with your food one cup of the Melanie Chardonnay, a wealthy drink called after Melanie Gonzmart, Richard’s high-school lover and wife.
Plus, within Columbia Restaurant, the sangria is to die for. Seriously, referring because of the glass you could additionally divide a pitcher of white or purple sangria with a romantic date to enhance your own eating experience. Generously large slices of fruit float in the drink and infuse it with rich types. Whether you are buying this traditional sangria or the bistro’s family members wines, the high-caliber drinks usually do not let you down.
Michael informed you the group helps make an effort to supply affordable yet top quality wines to whet visitors’ appetites. “Our drink selection need perfectly fitted to the food we provide and your price point,” he said.
Countless partners & groups have actually Shared Special Moments Here
When i do believe associated with the Columbia, In my opinion from the evening we decided to have treat for lunch, and my personal parents bought churros, crucial lime pie, mango mousse meal, white chocolate breads dessert, and five spoons. I do believe of my twin brother attempting grouper for the first time on all of our 20th birthday celebration and claiming excitedly, “get my personal image” because he wanted to show his sweetheart (that is today his spouse) which he liked taking fish as much as she did.
In numerous ways, the Columbia is like the location, but my children isn’t the sole family members having produced memories during this cafe and its six sister places across Florida. Folks started to the bistro after all phases of life given that it supplies an unique atmosphere that pairs well with any occasion.
Famously, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio had been frequent guests associated with the Columbia in the early 1950s. The Columbia team paid tribute on the few while the loving recollections they contributed during the bistro by naming a dish after all of them. The Marilyn & Joe “Salteado” â a sautéed mixture of tenderloin recommendations, boneless chicken white meat, shrimp, and chicken â is a delicious note of extended history of romance for the Columbia’s eating spaces.
Whether you are happening a first go out or celebrating a wedding anniversary, you will find intimacy and love flourish in the smooth candlelight from the Columbia eatery.
“its one of our objectives,” Michael said, “getting folks feel as if the Columbia is where to come quickly to commemorate life’s goals.”
The Columbia Restaurant Brings Family standards with the Table
The Columbia eatery charms daters with authentic meals, divine atmospheres, and friendly service. The machines, no less than at our Columbia in Sand Key, focus on their unique friends and they are quick to express “Welcome back” to devoted clients which, like my loved ones, find themselves going back to the stylish dining rooms regularly.
This long-standing eating establishment features expanded and changed in the decades, nonetheless it has never forgotten about its century-long family members origins. Richard provides bold intentions to serve diners and daters throughout Fl from inside the years into the future. “our very own proprietor does not rest,” Michael said with fun. “he is usually thinking up something totally new.”
The Columbia staff plans to open up at the very least two new restaurants during the upcoming decades. One will end up being easily positioned correct next door through the original Columbia in Tampa. Casa Santo Stefano, set-to open in fall 2018, will probably pay honor to a little town in Sicily in which a lot of Tampa’s Sicilian immigrants emerged from â the authentic menu aims to deliver these family members a delicious note of home.
Suffering management and top quality tastes improve Columbia eatery as well as its aunt restaurants undoubtedly impressive locations where singles and couples can spend a night with those they love best.
