- Columbia Restaurant
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Coordinates: 27°57′36″N 82°26′6″W / 27.96°N 82.435°W
Columbia Restaurant 
Type Private Industry Food Service Founded 1905 in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida Headquarters Tampa, Florida Number of locations 6 Area served central Florida Key people Casey & Richard Gonzmart Products Spanish Food, Wine & Entertainment Revenue $42M (1991-last published) Employees 1,200 Parent Columbia Restaurant Group Website columbiarestaurant.com The original Columbia Restaurant, located in the historic Ybor City neighborhood in Tampa, Florida, is the oldest Spanish restaurant in the United States[1] and one of the largest (with 1,700 seats in 15 dining rooms taking up 52,000 ft²) in the world. Founded in 1905 in, the landmark is still owned by the Hernandez/Gonzmart family and serves Spanish and Cuban cuisine.[2]
In June 2009, the Columbia Restaurant was selected as one of the 25 iconic restaurants of the Tampa-St.Petersburg area by Laura Reily, the food critic of the St. Petersburg Times.[3] Also Nation's Restaurant News named it a "Top 50 All-American icon."[2]
Indoor courtyard dining room, Ybor City location
Contents
Wine
All locations feature a substantial wine list, and the Columbia received Wine Spectator magazine's "Best of Award of Excellence" in recognition of an outstanding variety of Spanish wines (more than 750 wines with an inventory exceeding 50,000 bottles).[4] The Columbia also won Wine Enthusiast magazine's "Award of Ultimate Distinction".[5]
Several private label wines were created to honor the memory of family members. The house Sangria is mixed tableside.
Exterior from across 7th Avenue, Ybor CityActivities
Flamenco Dancing
The restaurant features performances of flamenco, one of Spain's traditional dances, consists of rhythmic steps performed on a hardwood floor, and originated with Spanish Gypsies. It has evolved through the years to the more structured form we have become familiar with. Classical Spanish dances consist of ballet moves in colorful Spanish costumes accompanied by the sound of castanets.
Community Harvest
Over 90 nonprofit organizations received more than $122,000 from the Columbia Restaurant’s 11th Annual Community Harvest campaign, held annually in the month of September. The chain donates 5% of all guests’ lunch and dinner checks and allows patrons to designate the charitable organizations their choice. Over the past 10 years, the event has generated more than $820,000 to nonprofits throughout Florida.[6][7]
Cesar Gonzmart Memorial Golf Tournament
The CGMGT was begun in 1998 by Columbia Restaurant owners Richard and Casey Gonzmart in memory of their father. Proceeds from the event are donated to a local charity or non-profit organization.
- The 7th Annual CGMGT and the Sant 'Yago Education Foundation gave $5,000 to support the American Heart Association's American Heart Heroes Week project, an initiative that provides camp experiences for children with cardiovascular disease.[8]
- The 8th Annual CGMGT raised over $55,000 for Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute, the University of South Florida Athletic Association, and the Adela & Cesar Gonzmart Endowed Memorial Scholarship, part of the USF Latino Scholarship Program.[9]
- The 13th Annual CGMGT raised over $50,000 for the University of South Florida in Tampa. The University of South Florida Athletic Association and the Columbia Restaurant Centenario Endowed Scholarship, part of the USF Latino Scholarship Program.
Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida, 20071905 Day
On a Sunday in mid-September every year since the restaurant's 75th anniversary in 1980, they celebrate 1905 Day. On that day, a special menu with 1905 prices is in effect from noon to 7:00pm.[10] Menu items have included:
- Chicken & Yellow Rice "Ybor" for $2.95
- Boliche (eye round of beef) for $2.95
- Merluza "Russian Style" for $2.95
- Columbia's Original "1905 Salad" for $1.95
- Sangria for 95¢
- Flan for 50¢
- Coffee for 5¢
According to Richard Gonzmart, President of the Columbia Restaurant Group, "1905 Day is our way of thanking all of our customers who have contributed to the success of the Columbia for over 100 years and five generations of ownership. We are convinced that we would not be celebrating our 102nd anniversary without the support of the communities we serve."[10]
References
- ^ Florida Heritage website: Great Floridians 2000 Program-Cesar Gonzmart
- ^ Tampa's Spanish Restaurant
- ^ [1]
- ^ Wine Spectator Online: Columbia Restaurant, Tampa Florida
- ^ Wine Enthusiast Magazine: America’s Best Wine-Driven Restaurants of 2007-Columbia Restaurant
- ^ Alzheimer Resource Center of Orlando website: 11th Annual Columbia Restaurant Community Harvest
- ^ Tampa Bay Business Journal: October 10, 2007-Restaurant chain cooks up donations by Larry Halstead
- ^ Nation's Restaurant News: October 1, 2001-Columbia Restaurant helps boost Heart Heroes Week
- ^ Tampa Chamber of Commerce/Inside View: Setptmeber/October 2003-The Cesar Gonzmart 8th Annual Memorial Golf Tournament
- ^ a b "Press Release" Celebration Town Center, June 18, 2007
External links
Categories:- Restaurants in Tampa, Florida
- Landmarks in Tampa, Florida
- History of Tampa, Florida
- Companies based in Tampa, Florida
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