Columbia Restaurant is a restaurant in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida. It is the oldest continuously operated restaurant in Florida,[2] as well as the oldest Spanish restaurant in the United States.[3] The 15 dining rooms cover 52,000 ft seating 1,700 customers. It is the largest Spanish restaurant in the world and occupies an entire city block.[2][4] Founded in 1903 as Saloon Columbia, it was renamed in 1905 to Columbia Restaurant. The landmark has been owned by the Hernandez-Gonzmart family for five generations and serves Spanish and Cuban cuisine.[5]
The original restaurant's wine list contains more than 1,000 wines with an inventory exceeding 50,000 bottles.[7][8] The restaurant features several private-label wines and liquors created to honor family members.[9] The popular house sangria is mixed tableside,[10][11] and the recipe has dozens of posts on the internet.
Exterior from across 7th Avenue, Ybor City
Activities
Music
In the early 1950s, César Gonzmart traded his career as a musician for one as a restaurateur, but after he became general manager, he regularly serenaded his guests with his violin and orchestra.[12] Until illness prevented it, he performed regularly and music has always been key to the dining experience.[13] There is still live music on weekends.[14]
Flamenco
Maria Esparza began performing flamenco dance shows at the Columbia Restaurant in 1988. She has been the show's director since 2008.[15] She says that flamenco is not only a dance, but also art. The dancers tell the story of Spain's culture through their dancing.[15]
Esparza explains, "It's really hard what we do. The coordination is like no other. We work with our hands and the footwork, we're doing percussion with our footwork."[15] There are dinner shows Tuesday through Saturday.[16][14]
Indoor courtyard dining room, Ybor City
Community Harvest
Beginning in 1997, the Columbia Restaurant has held a monthly Community Harvest campaign during September.[17] The chain donates 5% of all guests' lunch and dinner checks, allowing patrons to designate the charitable organizations of their choice.[18] As of 2015, the event had generated more than $1.8 million for Florida nonprofits.[17]
1905 Day
For Columbia's 75th anniversary in 1980, they held a street festival, "Back to Ybor City" with an art show, entertainment with flamenco dancing and "food prices of yesterday".[17]
The restaurant celebrated "1905 Day" from 1980 to 2013. On a random September or October day, a special menu with 1905 prices was in effect from noon to 7 p.m.[19][20]
Hundreds of diners lined up outside before the restaurant opened for the opportunity of a great bargain.[17]
In 2014, the restaurant announced it would celebrate "1905 Day" in the future on significant anniversaries.[17] The next 1905 day may be in 2025 for their 120th anniversary.[17]
Cesar Gonzmart Memorial Golf Tournament
Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida, 2007
The annual Cesar Gonzmart Memorial Golf Tournament (CGMGT) began in 1995 by Columbia Restaurant owners Richard and Casey Gonzmart in memory of their father, who died of pancreatic cancer.[21] Proceeds from the event benefit educational programs in communities where the Columbia Restaurants are located.[22]
