Cuisine:

• Cuban
• Spanish
• Catering
• Banquet

Columbia Restaurant Description:
In a state where newer seems to be better, the Columbia is one of the few originals left that offers the taste and feel of Old Florida. That's why if we could eat at only one place in Tampa, the Columbia would be our choice. Founded in 1905 in the Cuban district, historic Ybor City, the Columbia is Florida's oldest and the nation's largest Spanish restaurant (the restaurant takes up an entire city block). It started as a corner café frequented by local cigar workers; today the flagship restaurant seats 1,600. Perhaps more important is that the Columbia had the first air-conditioned dining room in Tampa---a luxury added during the Depression. The food lives up to the Columbia's reputation. Begin with tapas selections like Cuban tamales, shrimp and crab cakes served with passion fruit-mustard aïoli, and Cedar Key clams sautéed in a garlic, white wine and lime sauce. For the main course, opt paella à la Valenciana, a tossed dish of yellow rice, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, clams, shrimp, scallops and just about everything else found in a Spanish kitchen. Another favorite is sea bass Bilbao, a casserole created with sliced tomatoes, potatoes and onions, with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and lemon. It's easier to get in for lunch, but if you can, snag a table for dinner so you can take in the fluid flamenco dancers who perform nightly Monday through Saturday. Other locations.


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