Because Tampa offers an eating experience unlike everywhere else in Florida, it is well worth a visitor’s time to venture out into the city in quest of unusual restaurants. The city itself is a cultural melting pot, and this is reflected in the cuisine. The Spanish, Cuban, Italian, and other cultural influences brought to Tampa by its immigrants have made the city’s cuisine unique in Florida.
Casa Santo Stephano is a charming restaurant serving authentic Sicilian food in a newly renovated building in Ybor City. Your dining options include the main floor or the second level, which offers a fusion of indoor and outdoor settings. You can watch the sun go down from the patio upstairs.
A lot of the food offered here comes from small businesses managed by families in Sicily. Everything from the wines in your drink to the cheese on your plate to the extra-virgin olive oil and salt on your food is carefully curated. A family in Caltagirone, Sicily, takes personalized orders for their hand-painted countertops, tabletops, and backsplashes. The restaurant’s vintage images were generously donated by the proud descendants of Tampa’s first Sicilian families. Many of the original Sicilian families in Tampa, FL are pictured here.
The Columbia Restaurant has been a staple of Tampa’s cultural scene since it opened in 1905; don’t miss out on your chance to experience this landmark for yourself. This restaurant can seat up to 1,700 guests over several distinct dining areas, and it occupies a whole city block while still maintaining a warm, intimate vibe. The old building’s tiled floors and walls, balconies, chandeliers, historical portraits, and daily flamenco performances create an atmosphere that is truly unique. The food offered here is a mix of Spanish and Cuban influences, despite the restaurant’s name.
The original Columbia Restaurant may be found in Tampa’s Ybor City, and it holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Florida. It is the largest Spanish restaurant in the world and has the longest history as a Spanish restaurant in the United States. There are 1,700 seats spread throughout 15 separate dining rooms in its 52,000 square feet of space. The Columbia Restaurant first opened in 1903 as the Saloon Columbia before changing its name the following year. Five generations of the Hernandez-Gonzmart family have run the famous restaurant, which serves authentic Cuban and Spanish cuisine.
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