Sarasota's oldest restaurant reopening today after 11 inches of Hurricane Idalia flooding
Sarasota's oldest full-service restaurant, an iconic family-owned business on St. Armands Circle with more than six decades of history, appeared to be in dire shape due to the storm surge and related flooding caused by Hurricane Idalia.
"Serious flooding at St. Armands Circle," reads the message in a video posted by the Sarasota Police Department at 9:38 a.m. Wednesday, showing a dangerously ominous deluge. "Please do not attempt to to go to the barrier islands. "The water will only continue to rise as we get closer to high tide and see more storm surge."
"The storm is not over," the message continues. "Please remain sheltered and do not venture out."
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Columbia Restaurant and Cha Cha Coconuts set to reopen following 11 inches of flooding from Hurricane Idalia
Columbia Restaurant, located at 411 St. Armands Circle, can be seen in the police department video with waves lapping against its entrance. Nearly a foot of floodwater would inundate the beloved Spanish-Cuban cuisine destination that opened in 1959, with the same amount spilling into its next-door-neighbor sister restaurant, Cha Cha Coconuts, opened in 1989. Both businesses are part of the 1905 Family of Restaurants, taking their name from the year their flagship restaurant was founded, the Columbia located in Tampa's Ybor City, which is recognized as the oldest restaurant in Florida.
By the next morning, however, both restaurants were already set to reopen, with Cha Cha Coconuts welcoming guests at 4 p.m. on Thursday (Aug. 31), followed by Columbia at 5 p.m. Jeff Houck, vice president of marketing for the 1905 Family of Restaurants, noted that they used remote cameras in each restaurant to monitor things during the storm and never lost power at either business. Additionally, Houck pointed out that both places "drained very quickly once the pumps and natural drainage kicked in."
Moreover, he credited the dedication of his 1905 Family members.
"We got back in very early this morning with our extremely talented and hardworking staff and cleaned the place immediately," Houck said Thursday by phone. "Now, it’s dry and ready to go. It’s a beautiful blue sky day and you would never know a hurricane made it through 36 hours ago.”
Columbia and Cha Cha Coconuts return with limited menus containing the restaurants' 'greatest hits'
Both the Columbia Restaurant and Cha Cha Coconuts will be offering abbreviated menus featuring their "greatest hits," Houck said.
At Columbia, these include the restaurant's famed Cuban sandwich as well as the Original "1905" Salad, which is perhaps just as beloved as the Cubano. Other favorites on the limited menu include tapas classics like Ybor City Devil Crab Croquettes and Scallops "Casimiro," as well as favorite entrees such as ropa vieja, featuring choice beef that is shredded, sautéed, and simmered with onions, green peppers, and tomatoes, served with plantains and white rice. For those who need some dessert following all the hurricane stress, Columbia will be serving its white chocolate bread pudding made with La Segunda Central Bakery Cuban bread from Tampa, as well as Key lime pie.
At Cha Cha Coconuts, the menu will include such popular items as the Havana Ham & Cheese and Cuban Mixed sandwiches. Those craving seafood will also find favorites like the grouper bites, grouper tacos, and coconut shrimp being offered.
Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Augustine and other 1905 Family Of Restaurants also reopening
On Wednesday, The Gonzmart Family and the 1905 Family Of Restaurants issued a press release noting their "thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by Hurricane Idalia" and providing Thursday opening times for the rest of their restaurants. These include the Columbia in Ybor City as well as ones in Tampa Bay History Center, on Clearwater Beach, and in St. Augustine. The Columbia in Celebration near Orlando remained open for regular hours.
The 1905 Family Of Restaurants also includes Ulele in Tampa Heights, Casa Santo Stefano in Ybor City, and Goody Goody in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village, which all also opened earlier Thursday.
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Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Columbia Restaurant Sarasota reopening after Hurricane Idalia flooding
