There's no question that the Columbia Restaurant is a historical, culinary landmark in the Tampa Bay Area.  Recognized as the oldest restaurant in Florida, the Columbia has been doing Spanish and Cuban cuisine authentically and delicious since 1905.  Yeah, you read that right, 106 years.

Generation after generation of the Hernandez-Gonzmart family have passed the ownership of the Columbia down the family line while, surprisingly, deviating very little from the original, 100+ year old concept of the original restaurant.  Few small businesses have a lineage as long and consistent as the Columbia Restaurant's.

Of course, to last so long in a tough industry like restaurant operations, The Columbia must've done a few things right.  Many will tell you it's the cuisine, and they're probably right.  Their original salad, now deemed the 1905 Salad is tossed fresh at your table with iceberg lettuce, baked ham, Swiss cheese, tomato, olives, grated Romano cheese and their famous garlic dressing with fresh garlic, oregano, wine vinegar and Spanish extra virgin olive oil.  In fact, the dressing's so popular, you can buy it bottled in their gift shop.

Some other time-tested, famous Columbia meals include their Paella "A La Valencia" with clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, calamares, chicken, and pork mingled with Valencia rice, extra virgin olive oil, green peppers, Spanish onions, ripe tomatoes, garlic, spices and a splash of white wine.

The Columbia Restaurant has won multiple awards from national publications for their delectable cuisine as well.  In 2005, Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) rewarded the Columbia with their Award of Excellence.  The 1905 salad was named one of the top 10 salads in the country by USA Today and their flan (Spanish custard) was described as "a dream from which you hope to never awaken" by Southern Living.

If your stomach is suddenly growling at this point, you probably owe it to yourself to check out The Columbia Restaurant in the very near future.  It's a dose of tasty, Tampa history that's hard not to love.