Florida landmark, Columbia Restaurant, flavored by 'passionate, patriotic' immigrant experience
Immigrant flavor fills a deep melting pot of patriotism at Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, Florida.
Casimiro Hernandez Sr., an immigrant from Cuba of Spanish heritage, founded the festive dining landmark in 1905.
"My great-great-grandfather came from Cuba because he wanted to build a better life for his family," Casey Gonzmart Jr., the fifth-generation co-owner, told Fox News Digital.
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"The name Columbia back then was used as a substitute name for the United States. It’s what they called the U.S. He loved America so much, he loved Columbia so much. He wanted to name his restaurant after the place he loved."
Columbia lays claim as the oldest continually operating restaurant in Florida and the largest and oldest Spanish eatery in the United States.
It's been recognized for its contributions to state heritage by the Florida senate.
It's always busy.
Columbia’s menu is a tribute to the multicultural tastes of Tampa’s historic Ybor City — and of the United States.
The rich, colorful flavors on the table are reflected in the bright decor of deep ocean blues and sunny yellows. A large mural in one room depicts the ships of the first Christopher Columbus expedition to the Western Hemisphere.
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Columbia's sumptuous paella Espanola is an homage to "Spain's national dish."
It's packed with shrimp, scallops, calamari and clams, plus chicken and pork, baked over a bed of golden Valencia rice.
The Cuban sandwich, now widely coveted across the United States, was reportedly born at Columbia.
Despite the name, it's an all-American fusion of international influences: Cuban pork, Spanish ham, Italian salami, German pickles and mustard, and Swiss cheese. Each culture has enjoyed a historic presence together in Tampa.
"It represents all the different cultures that make Ybor City such a great place," said Gonzmart.
Columbia's flavors are so bright and bold that even its signature salad is a can't-miss savory sensation.
The Original 1905 salad boasts baked ham, Swiss cheese and grated Roman cheese, plus some vegetables, too.
It's tossed with chilled crispy lettuce, tomato and olives and sharpened with a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
Columbia's food, and its name, pay homage to the unmatched global diversity of the United States, the nation where the word "immigrant" itself was coined.
The historical importance of the name Columbia is worth remembering today, said Gonzmart.
"Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" was a popular patriotic anthem in the 19th century and into the 20th century.
The crew of Apollo 11, returning from the triumph of the first moon landing, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in the space capsule Columbia.
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It was a landmark moment in world history achieved first and still only by the nation of immigrants.
Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, plucked from the sea, were greeted by the sounds of "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" from a U.S. Navy band as they boarded the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.
"We call Columbia the gem of Spanish restaurants," said Gonzmart.
"This restaurant represents all the passionate, patriotic feelings our family had and has for America."
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