Columbia Cafe | Tampa Bay History Center (2024)

Miranda’s Ybor City Devil Crab Croquettes
“Croqueta de jaiba” as they were known during the Great Depression.
A simple croquette made from seasoned cooked blue crab meat, paprika and garlic then breaded with Cuban bread crumbs and fried. These two crab croquettes are always served with a side of Columbia hot sauce

Shrimp “Al Ajillo”
Shrimp sautéed in virgin olive oil, fresh garlic and chili pepper

Calamares Fritos “A La Romana”
Tender calamari seasoned and lightly fried. Served with garlic alioli

Scallops “Casimiro”
Fresh sea scallop baked in a clay casserole with lemon butter and topped with seasoned bread crumbs and white wine

Shrimp & Crabmeat Alcachofas
Baked casserole of shrimp, crabmeat and artichoke hearts topped with grated romano cheese. Served with Cuban crackers

Black Bean Cakes (V)
A favorite tapa selection of vegetarians and lovers of black beans. Served with guacamole and sour cream

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

Empanadas
Carmen, wife of Casimiro Hernandez Jr., was the queen of preparing these delicate pastry turnovers stuffed with different fillings. Back in the Depression, food leftovers or fruits would be used to fill the dough and fried. This once blue plate item is considered a delicacy in our home. Choice of Picadillo or Chicken

Platanos Maduros (V)
Fried sweet plantains

The “Tapeo” Sampler
Tapas is the Spanish tradition of sharing small plates of food with family and friends. Perfect for 3-4 people.

Choose one seafood tapas and two other tapas
Choose two seafood tapas and one other tapas

All salads served with Cuban bread & butter

Columbia’s Original “1905” Salad®
The Columbia’s legendary salad tossed tableside. Crisp iceberg lettuce with julienne of baked ham, natural Swiss cheese, tomato, olives, grated Romano cheese and our famous garlic dressing. In the 40’s, Tony Noriega, who ventured to New York City during the Depression to find work, added a “secret ingredient,” Worcestershire sauce, to the recipe. 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 roast pork. Iceberg lettuce, originally known as crisp head, got its name from the layers of ice covering heads of lettuce being shipped to Tampa via Henry B. Plant’s trains. As the trains pulled up, people would yell “Here come the icebergs!”

Smaller version served with entrée
Columbia’s Original “1905” Salad with Turkey
Columbia’s Original “1905” Salad with “Shrimp al Ajillo”

Chopped Tomato Salad
A favorite of our father and grandfather, Cesar Gonzmart. Florida tomatoes tossed with julienne sweet onions, and 1905 dressing

César Salad
Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with Romano cheese and toasted Cuban croutons
Smaller version served with entrée
César Salad with Grilled Chicken

Half and Half Combo
Choice of two, one half of a Cuban sandwich, one half order of Columbia’s “1905 Salad or a cup of soup

Served with Cuban bread & butter

Spanish Bean Soup
Known back at the turn of the 20th century as Sopa de Garbanzo, the soup helped make the Columbia famous. The founder of the Columbia, Casimiro Hernandez Sr. adapted his version of hearty multi-course meal known in Spain as Cocido Madrileño. Instead of serving the different ingredients separately, he combined them all together creating an original version of garbanzo beans, ham, chorizo and potato cooked in a hearty chicken and ham stock seasoned with saffron, garlic and onions. By the 1920’s newspapers boasted of Tampa’s three great delights. “sunshine, cigars and soup.”

Black Bean Soup (V)
Frijoles Negros prepared exactly as our grandmother, Carmen Hernandez, did. Served over a bed of white rice and topped with diced raw Spanish onion. 100% vegetarian

Served with plantain chips
Add soup or half 1905 Salad

Cuban Sandwich
The Cuban Sandwich is a Tampa treasure. The “Mixto,” was created in the late 1890s for the cigar workers. The sandwich underwent changes as immigrants from different countries came to Ybor City. The Spanish brought the ham, the Sicilians Genoa salami, the Cubans Mojo-marinated Roast Pork, Germans and Jews Swiss cheese, pickle and mustard. Layer together in between Cuban bread from La Segunda Central Bakery and life is great. Today we are using the original 1915 recipe of Casimiro Hernandez Sr., using the same proportions of meat with the Cuban bread brushed with butter on top, pressed to a crispy finish

Pressed Meatloaf
Meatloaf topped with Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, pickles and pressed between Cuban bread

Mahi-Mahi Cubana
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

Mojo Chicken
Grilled breast of chicken, melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and garlic alioli sauce on Cuban bread

Roast Pork Sandwich
Cuban-style slowly roasted pork, pulled from the bone, served on Cuban bread brushed with mojo, topped with sautéed onions

Served with Cuban bread & butter

Paella “Española”
Spain’s national dish prepared in a traditional paella pan featuring clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, calamares, chicken and pork, baked with La Bomba Spanish rice, Spanish onions, green peppers, tomatoes, garlic and splashed with white wine

Chicken and Rice “Ybor”
The traditional dish from Tampa’s Ybor City, one quarter chicken baked with yellow rice, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, spices and virgin olive oil

Picadillo “Criollo”
Cuba’s most popular blue plate special. Finely ground beef braised with onions, peppers, raisins and olives. Served with white rice and platanos

Lechon Asado
Garlic and citrus marinated roasted pulled Pork, topped with sautéed onions. Served with white rice and topped with black bean and platanos

Ropa Vieja
Originally introduced to Cuban 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

Mahi-Mahi “Cayo Hueso”
Fresh boneless fillet of mahi-mahi marinated in citrus juices and grilled. Served with mojo-marinated onions, yellow rice and platanos

Salteado
Inspired by the Chinese who lived in Cuba in the 19th century, a very hot iron skillet with extra virgin olive oil is used to sauté boneless pieces of chicken, onions, green peppers, fresh garlic, mushrooms, diced potatoes and chorizo, splashed with a hearty red wine, Served with yellow rice.

Choice of Chicken or Shrimp

Eggplant Riojana (V)
Sliced eggplant breaded with ground plantain crumbs, smothered in our rich Rioja sauce of tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives and red wine. Topped with melted imported white cheese

White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Our Dad’s favorite, made with Cuban bread, white chocolate and topped with a rich Bacardi rum sauce

Flan
Spanish egg custard

Mama Guava Cheesecake
Honoring Tampa’s nickname as “The Big Guava,” this New York-style cheesecake is topped with tropical fruit

Churros “Tres Amigos”
Golden brown Spanish pastry dusted with cinnamon sugar. Served with three sauces of rich, warm chocolate, caramel and guava

Don Cesar® Reserva Red Blend (Catalunya, Spain)
A distinctive Garnacha and Syrah blend with delicate notes of spices. Intense, warm, well-structured and very flavorful. Created in memory of our father and grandfather, Cesar Gonzmart. This legendary wine is made by the Torres family from their Catalunya vineyards specifically selected by their winemaker.

Adelita Chardonnay (Spain)
Brilliant gold color. Fresh, fruit-laden palate culminating in a long, full finish. Produced in memory of our mother and grandmother, Adela Hernandez Gonzmart, in Penedés Spain by the Torres family.

CR Generations Tempranillo-Cabernet (Spain)
Blend of 50% Tempranillo, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Intense aromas of vanilla and balsam with ripe dark red fruit on the palate. Green apple and tropical fruits, balanced by subtle oak, cinnamon and vanilla.

CR Generations Sauvignon Blanc (Spain)
Fragrant aromas of grapefruit, anise and white flowers follow with crisp acidity and flavors of lime and stone fruit.

Don Casimiro® (California)
These wines were selected and bottled in honor of Casimiro Hernandez, Sr. and Casimiro Hernandez, Jr. first- and second-generation founders of the Columbia Restaurant. Proudly produced by the family-owned and operated Rutherford Ranch on Silverado Trail in Napa, California. Cab Sauv • Chardonnay • Pinot Grigio

RG Gran Reserva (Rioja, Spain)
Intense with a big volume developing on the palate, showing a big freshness and elegance. Well balanced acidity, 100% Tempranillo.

Melanie Verdejo (Rueda, Spain)
Balanced acidity gives freshness and nerve. Long and tasty, fruit attack, with hints of fennel and aniseed. 100% Verdejo – native to north-central Spain’s Rueda wine region.

AG Rosado (Rioja, Spain)
Clean and bright fuchsia color with violet tones. Fresh, wide and big volume on the palate, with fresh fruit. 100% Tempranillo.

Enzi Chardonnay (Napa Valley)
Created in memory of 5th generation family member Andrea Gonzmart’s beloved German Shepherd Enzi, who lost her battle with cancer. Enzi Chardonnay has a bright acidity and flavors or ripe peach, spicy vanilla and passion fruit.

Rusty (Rioja, Spain)
The creation of Richard Gonzmart as a tribute to the unconditional love between a man and his dog. Through his partnership with Familia Martinez Bujanda, this 100% Tempranillo wine was created from their famous Finca Valpiedra Estate vineyards in Rioja, Spain. Intense red fruit and sweet tannins.

Sangria Tinto or Blanco
A longtime favorite “taste of Spain” at the Columbia. Spanish CR Generations Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvingon or CR Generations Sauvignon Blanc — our personal wine produced to honor the 110th anniversary of the original Columbia restaurant — along with Torres Brandy and fresh citrus juices.

Sangria de Cava
A sparkling white sangria made with Jaume Serra Cristalino Spanish Cava, Torres Brandy, Torres Magdala Orange Liqueur and fresh citrus juices. One taste will transport you to the sunny coast of the Costa Brava in Spain.

Since the Columbia opened its doors, people have enjoyed this flavorful and refreshing beverage made with Bacardi Superior Rum, muddled hierbabuena (mint), lime juice and sparkling water. “One sip takes us back to Havana in 1958 when we tasted our first mojito.” – Richard and Casey Gonzmart. Served by the pitcher or in a glass over ice.

Our frozen co*cktails are relief in a glass on a warm Florida day.

Frosé
Band of Roses Rosé wine and Svedka Vodka blended with all-natural juices and ice.

Tango Mango
Dance to the taste of the tropics. Fresh mango, and Bacardi Superior Rum. Frozen and delicious. Served a floater of our Private-Barrel Bacardi Reserva Select Rum.