The Wandering Disciple

The Columbia Café at the Tampa Bay History Center is a glimpse into the rich history of Cuban cuisine in Tampa Bay. The original Columbia Restrarunt was founded in nearby Y’bor City in 1905 by a Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez Sr. The menu features many favorites like the 1905 Salad, Cuban Sandwich, Chicken and Yellow Rice and many more specialties. It has expanded to six locations including this one in the History Center. (Photo: May 9, 2010)

Tampa, Florida: After months of talking about going and life getting in the way, we finally made it to Ybor City for a ghost hunting tour. Friday after work we headed north for dinner and a night of ghost hunting in what would turn out to be the best ghost tour we have been on. Located in the heart of Tampa, Ybor City was the center of Cuban life in Tampa. Here Cuban immigrants worked in Cigar factories and lived in the small casitas located throughout the neighborhood. While the factories have gave way to clubs and restaurants, the Cuban culture is still evident throughout Ybor City.  After arriving in Ybor, we began our evening with dinner at Columbia Restaurant. Opened in 1905, it is an original landmark here in Ybor City. The restaurant is just as much of a reason to go as the food.  Spanning an entire city block, the building housing the Columbia is elegant in its design and the history within its walls is amazing. The food at Columbia was very good.  ...