Columbia Restaurant - Ybor City Historic District - Tampa, Florida
Posted by: ddtfamily
N 27° 57.613 W 082° 26.104
17R E 358840 N 3093624
Oldest continuously operated restaurant in Florida and the oldest Spanish restaurant in the United States
Waymark Code: WMGH1H
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 03/05/2013
Views: 5
The Columbia Restaurant is noted as the oldest continuously operated restaurant in Florida, first opening it's doors in 1905 in the historic
Ybor City neighborhood. It is also one of the largest Spanish food restaurants in the world at 1,700 seats, taking up a whole city block. It was founded by Casimirio Hernandez as a corner bar and coffee shop, which still exists within the restaurant. The exterior artwork is amazing, consisting of many inlaid color tiles depicting historical scenes, flowers and animals. The restaurant is also known for either inventing the
Cuban Sandwich, or at least popularizing it (I ordered one during my visit).
Click a photo to enlarge