One Family. 120 Years Of Restaurants.
On Dec. 17, 1903, young Spanish-Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr. opened a tiny saloon on the corner of 22nd St. and Broadway (now 7th Ave.) The location was a prime spot for a bar, and Saloon Columbia quickly became a local watering hole for cigar workers in Tampa's Latin Quarter, Ybor City.
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In 1905, Saloon Columbia officially became the Columbia Restaurant, a place Tampa cigar workers could rest and enjoy Spanish and Cuban recipes, or snag a Cuban Sandwich to eat on the job. Through the years, the restaurant grew to envelop the entire city block.
Today, the five-generation family owned landmark is Florida’s oldest restaurant and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. The original location boasts 15 dining rooms and 1,700 seats.
There now are five Columbia Restaurant locations and two Columbia Cafes (at the Tampa Bay History Center and at Tampa International Airport).
In 1989, the family opened Cha Cha Coconuts on St. Armands Circle in Sarasota. This tropical, Floribbean restaurant offers a savory selection of seafood, sandwiches and other island-style fare.
Ulele, a native-inspired restaurant that pays homage to Florida's indigenous ingredients, opened in 2014 beside Ulele Spring in Tampa Heights. A second location operates in Tampa International Airport.
Casa Santo Stefano, the family's tribute to Tampa's early Sicilian immigrants, opened Nov. 19, 2020 inside a former macaroni factory in Ybor City. The restaurant serves home-style Tampa-Sicilian recipes and features a rooftop "drinkeria" and cigar lounge.