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.
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]