Columbia Restaurant

A favorite of our father and grandfather, César Gonzmart. Fresh, ripe, Florida tomatoes tossed with julienned Spanish onions and our Original "1905" Dressing made with imported Spanish extra-virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, oregano and white wine vinegar.

The Columbia’s legendary salad tossed tableside. Crisp iceberg lettuce with julienne of baked ham, natural Swiss cheese, tomato, olives, grated Romano cheese, Lea & Perrins ® Worcestershire sauce and our famous garlic dressing. The award-winning salad won honors from USA Today as “One of 10 Great Places to Make a Meal Out of a Salad.” The signature salad, named for the year the restaurant was founded in Tampa’s Latin district of Ybor City, was inspired by immigrants to the Cigar City: Romano cheese from the Sicilians and the famous garlic dressing used by Cubans to marinate fresh roast pork, plus Florida tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, julienne of baked ham and Swiss cheese.

The Columbia’s legendary salad tossed tableside. Crisp iceberg lettuce with julienne of baked ham, natural Swiss cheese, tomato, olives, grated Romano cheese, Lea & Perrins ® Worcestershire sauce and our famous garlic dressing. The award-winning salad won honors from USA Today as “One of 10 Great Places to Make a Meal Out of a Salad.” The signature salad, named for the year the restaurant was founded in Tampa’s Latin district of Ybor City, was inspired by immigrants to the Cigar City: Romano cheese from the Sicilians and the famous garlic dressing used by Cubans to marinate fresh roast pork, plus Florida tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, julienne of baked ham and Swiss cheese.

The Columbia’s legendary salad tossed tableside. Crisp iceberg lettuce with julienne of baked ham, natural Swiss cheese, tomato, olives, grated Romano cheese, Lea & Perrins ® Worcestershire sauce and our famous garlic dressing. The award-winning salad won honors from USA Today as “One of 10 Great Places to Make a Meal Out of a Salad.” The signature salad, named for the year the restaurant was founded in Tampa’s Latin district of Ybor City, was inspired by immigrants to the Cigar City: Romano cheese from the Sicilians and the famous garlic dressing used by Cubans to marinate fresh roast pork, plus Florida tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, julienne of baked ham and Swiss cheese.

The Columbia’s legendary salad tossed tableside. Crisp iceberg lettuce with julienne of baked ham, natural Swiss cheese, tomato, olives, grated Romano cheese, Lea & Perrins ® Worcestershire sauce and our famous garlic dressing. The award-winning salad won honors from USA Today as “One of 10 Great Places to Make a Meal Out of a Salad.” The signature salad, named for the year the restaurant was founded in Tampa’s Latin district of Ybor City, was inspired by immigrants to the Cigar City: Romano cheese from the Sicilians and the famous garlic dressing used by Cubans to marinate fresh roast pork, plus Florida tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, julienne of baked ham and Swiss cheese.

Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with Classic Caesar dressing, Romano cheese and Cuban bread croutons.

Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with Classic Caesar dressing, Romano cheese and Cuban bread croutons.

Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with Classic Caesar dressing, Romano cheese and Cuban bread croutons.

Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with Classic Caesar dressing, Romano cheese and Cuban bread croutons.

A large bowl of black bean soup topped with chopped tomatoes, sweet onions and our World-Famous Original “1905” Dressing. A favorite pre-race meal for marathon runners and triathletes.

Roasted eye round of beef stuffed with chorizo and roasted in flavorful gravy. Served with black beans, white rice and platanos. A family favorite!

Two tender cannelloni pastas filled with Maine lobster meat, shrimp, pan-seared scallops and sautéed shallots blended with a lobster sherry cream reduction, smothered with a lobster sherry Mornay cheese sauce and pieces of lobster.

The traditional dish from Tampa’s Ybor City, one quarter chicken baked with yellow rice, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, spices and extra-virgin olive oil.

A hot iron skillet with extra-virgin olive oil is used to sauté boneless pieces of chicken, onions, green peppers, fresh garlic, mushrooms, diced potatoes, chorizo and splashed with a hearty red wine. Served with yellow rice.

Sliced eggplant breaded with ground plaintain crumbs, smothered in our rich Rioja sauce of tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives and red wine topped with melted Galician Tetilla cheese.

Sample the flavors of Cuba and enjoy this feast of roast pork, boliche, empanada de picadillo, platanos, black beans, yuca and yellow rice.

A typical Catalan dish of fresh seafood. Large prawns, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, garlic, white wine and chili pepper sautéed in a spicy tomato sauce. Tossed with pasta and topped with fresh lump blue crab meat.

Boneless fillet of fresh grouper, seasoned, grilled and topped with fresh blue crabmeat, drizzled with lemon butter sauce. Served with yellow rice and asparagus.

Compart Family Farms pork shoulder marinated in a delicious garlic-citrus sauce, slowly roasted until tender and served with black beans, white rice, yuca and platanos.

Boneless fillet of fresh mahi-mahi marinated in citrus juices and grilled. Served with mojo-marinated onions yellow rice and platanos.

A Columbia classic since 1935. Spain’s favorite fish, boneless fillet of Merluza, lightly breaded with seasoned Cuban breadcrumbs, grilled on the flat top. Garnished with lemon butter, chopped hard-boiled egg and parsley. Served with yellow rice

Spain's national dish, our lunchtime version consists of shrimp, scallops, calamares, clams, mussels, chicken, pork, Spanish onions, ripe tomatoes, green peppers and fresh garlic, all baked in a paella pan with Spain’s Molino Roca Dinamita Rice

The classic Cuban steak – marinated top sirloin cut very thin, quickly grilled and topped with mojo crudo (chopped onion, parsley and lime juice.) Served with plantanos, french fries or rice.

We could always count on enjoying our mother and grandmother Adela Hernandez Gonzmart's delicious picadillo recipe at home. A family favorite for generations. Finely ground choice lean beef, braised with onions, green peppers, olives, raisins and capers. Served with white rice and ripe platanos.

Boneless chicken breast breaded with Cuban breadcrumbs and grated manchego cheese, topped with citrus sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Served with yellow rice.

Boneless fillet of snapper, grilled and topped with hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and onions. Served with yellow rice.

Originally introduced to Cuba by Spanish sailors. The name means “old clothes” because the choice beef is shredded, sautéed and simmered with onions, green peppers and tomatoes. Served with platanos and white rice.

Fresh Verlasso Patagonian salmon seasoned, grilled and topped with Argentinian chimichurri. Served with yellow rice.

Large shrimp baked with yellow rice, green peppers, onions, tomatoes and extra-virgin olive oil, splashed with white wine.

Jumbo shrimp sautéed in exra-virgin olive oil, sliced Spanish onions, green peppers, fresh garlic, mushrooms, diced potatoes, chorizo and red wine. Served with yellow rice

1937 Columbia Restaurant creation of large shrimp wrapped in wafer-thin bacon, marinated and fried. Served with remoulade sauce.

Choice tenderloin tips sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil, sliced Spanish onions, green peppers, fresh garlic, mushrooms, diced potatoes, chorizo and red wine. Served with yellow rice.

A lovely combination of Kahlua and amaretto blended with Cuban coffee, and a touch of whipped cream

The distinctive flavor of Anis del Mono blended with Cuban coffee and topped with whipped cream

Grand Marnier, Frangelico, amaretto and Bailey's with fresh roasted coffee topped with whipped cream

Golden-brown Spanish pastry dusted with cinnamon sugar. Served with three sauces of rich, warm chocolate, caramel and guava.

Gustavo Hernandez was the third son of the Columbia founder, Casimiro Hernandez Sr. Gustavo branched out and founded the Tropical Ice Cream Co. in Ybor City in the early 1940s, producing freshly made tropical ice cream for the Columbia and other restaurants. The most famous and requested of all was the coconut ice cream served in a coconut shell. Today, we are proud to once again be making and serving this Columbia classic.

A favorite of the Gonzmart family when visiting the "Los Caracoles" restaurants in Barcelona, Spain. "Natilla," Catalan cream, is sprinkled with sugar and caramelized with a flaming torch.

We think our flan is the best we have ever tasted. One taste and we think you will agree. The recipe dates to 1935 when the Columbia opened Tampa’s first “Conditioned Air” dining room, the Don Quixote. Our grandmother and great-grand-mother, Carmen Hernandez, helped the Columbia gain national fame with her great recipes, especially her flan. Spanish caramel egg custard, prepared the old-fashioned way, using only the best natural ingredients.

Carmen Hernandez baked this dessert at her home for our family on Sundays. Tropical sweet guava and melted sweet cream cheese baked in a soft crispy pastry, dusted with sugar granules, drizzled with vanilla bean sauce. One taste and you will understand why it was our favorite dessert.

The original Key lime pie recipe was thought to have been created in Key West, the birthplace of our grandmother and great-grandmother, Carmen Piloto Hernandez in the late 19th century. When the family moved to Ybor City, they brought a prized Key lime tree to plant at their home, beginning a tradition of enjoying fresh Key lime pie at family gatherings. Today our pies start with a graham cracker crust, and our filling is made from pasteurized egg yolks, condensed milk and “Nellie & Joe’s” Key lime juice. That’s it! Key lime pie is the “Official Pie of the State of Florida.”

Van Gogh Espresso vodka with Licor 43 and our favorite freshly pressed Naviera Coffee Mills espresso

Café con leche with imported Torres Spanish brandy and Kahlua and topped with whipped cream

Our father and grandfather’s favorite dessert. Simply put, this is the best bread pudding that we have tasted anywhere we have ever visited. Our version is made with white chocolate, La Segunda Central Bakery Cuban bread, Sunny Florida Dairy milk and Florida eggs. Topped with a rich Bacardi rum sauce. Enough to share.

A choice of two: one half of a Cuban Sandwich, one half order of Columbia's Original "1905" Salad or a cup of soup.

The best fish sandwich north of Havana. Grilled fresh mahi-mahi seasoned and topped with sautéed onions, mushrooms, green peppers and smothered with Swiss cheese on Cuban bread with plantain chips.

Mojo-marinated char-grilled breast of chicken, melted Swiss cheese, piquillo peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and alioli sauce on Cuban bread. Served with plantain chips.

Traditional Cuban steak cut very thin, seasoned and quickly grilled. Served on Cuban bread with lettuce, tomato, our "1905" Dressing sauce and a side of black beans and yellow rice.

Named "Best Sandwich in Florida" by Food & Wine Magazine. A Tampa treasure! The "Mixto," as it was known in the beginning, was created in the 1890s for the cigar workers as they walked to and from work. The sandwiches underwent changes as immigrants from different countries came to Ybor City. The City of Tampa was like the sandwich, a mixture of cultures and food. The Spanish brought the fine ham, the Sicilians the Genoa salami, the Cuban the mojo-marinated roast pork, the Germans and the Jewish the Swiss cheese, pickle and mustard. Put it all together between sliced, freshly baked Tampa Cuban bread from La Segunda Central Bakery and life is great. Today we are using the original 1915 recipe of Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., with the same proportions of meat and each ingredient layered atop the other, placed on Cuban bread and brushed with butter on top and pressed to a crispy finish.

Named "Best Sandwich in Florida" by Food & Wine Magazine. A Tampa treasure! The "Mixto," as it was known in the beginning, was created in the 1890s for the cigar workers as they walked to and from work. The sandwiches underwent changes as immigrants from different countries came to Ybor City. The City of Tampa was like the sandwich, a mixture of cultures and food. The Spanish brought the fine ham, the Sicilians the Genoa salami, the Cuban the mojo-marinated roast pork, the Germans and the Jewish the Swiss cheese, pickle and mustard. Put it all together between sliced, freshly baked Tampa Cuban bread from La Segunda Central Bakery and life is great. Today we are using the original 1915 recipe of Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., with the same proportions of meat and each ingredient layered atop the other, placed on Cuban bread and brushed with butter on top and pressed to a crispy finish.

A favorite to enjoy when visiting the Galicia region along the northwest coast of Spain. Great northern beans simmered in a rich stock with smoked ham, chorizo sausage, turnip greens and potatoes.

A favorite to enjoy when visiting the Galicia region along the northwest coast of Spain. Great northern beans simmered in a rich stock with smoked ham, chorizo sausage, turnip greens and potatoes.

Frijoles Negros prepared exactly as our grandmother Carmen Hernandez did. Served over a bed of white rice and topped with diced raw Spanish onions. 100% vegan.

Frijoles Negros prepared exactly as our grandmother Carmen Hernandez did. Served over a bed of white rice and topped with diced raw Spanish onions. 100% vegan.

Spain's famous cold soup of purée of ripe tomatoes, green peppers, onions, cucumbers and garlic. Topped tableside with finely diced vegetables and toasted Cuban croutons.

Spain's famous cold soup of purée of ripe tomatoes, green peppers, onions, cucumbers and garlic. Topped tableside with finely diced vegetables and toasted Cuban croutons.

The soup that made the Columbia famous. The original recipe of Casimiro Hernandez, Sr.: Garbanzo beans simmered with smoked ham, chorizo sausage and potatoes in a delicious broth of chicken and ham.

The soup that made the Columbia famous. The original recipe of Casimiro Hernandez, Sr.: Garbanzo beans simmered with smoked ham, chorizo sausage and potatoes in a delicious broth of chicken and ham.

A favorite tapas selection of vegetarians and lovers of black beans. Our house-made black beans puréed and combined with fresh garlic, shallots, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, then breaded and fried. Served with guacamole and sour cream.

A Cuban twist to an American favorite, our two large crab cakes are loaded with fresh hand-picked blue crabmeat and grilled. Drizzled with a passionfruit alioli sauce.

Tender, wild caught North Atlantic calamares dusted in seasoned flour and lightly fried. The recipe is from our famed third chef, Miguel Bejines of Sevilla, Spain.

Baked silver dollar mushrooms stuffed with baby spinach, artichoke hearts, fresh garlic and Romano cheese. Drizzled with Spanish extra-virgin olive oil and lemon.

Sunday dinner always would begin with our grandmother and great-grandmother Carmen Hernandez' special recipe for chicken croquettes. Six fried croquettes made with chicken and Cuban cracker crumbs. Served with Columbia salsa picante.

Our mother and grandmother, Adela Hernandez Gonzmart, always had her empanadas ready when we visited. The empanadas start with her recipe for picadillo, made with spiced ground beef, garlic, tomato, onions, raisins and olives, wrapped in two pastry turnovers.

A trio of grilled skewers featuring fine cuts of marinated chicken, pork, Spanish chorizo and caramelized onions. A staple at bars and restaurants in Spain, perfect for sharing.

Fresh sea scallops baked in a clay casserole with lemon butter and topped with seasoned bread crumbs and white wine.

Spain’s most popular tapa: Large shrimp sautéed in a sizzling pan of extra-virgin Spanish olive oil and fresh garlic. Prepared the way you might find served in Madrid at Casa Abuelo.

Baked casserole of shrimp, crabmeat and artichoke hearts topped with grated Romano cheese and served with Cuban crackers.

Sweet piquillo peppers from Spain with a mushroom, chorizo and ham filling, baked in an almond pepper sauce and topped with Manchego cheese.

A simple croquette made from seasoned cooked blue crab meat, paprika and garlic, then breaded with Cuban bread crumbs and fried. These four shareable crab croquettes are always served with a side of Columbia salsa picante.