Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 23 minutes ago
36 year Columbia Restaurant veteran, Jose "Tony" Roca prepares the "must have" famous "Sangria Tinto de Verano" tableside at the historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. He does it all next to the stage while the flamenco dance dinner show is happening 2 feet away. Watch the end of the video for the Flamenco performance.
Thanks for a wonderful evening Tony! The Columbia Restaurant is the oldest restaurant in Florida serving wonderful food and experiences for more than 117 years.
Every once in a while you meet a person that brings you pure joy simply by being their genuine self. Today we met Jose “Tony” Roca, senior waiter at Columbia Restaurant - Ybor City in Tampa, Florida. Tony has worked at Columbia since 1986, 36 years this month. His service was impeccable and his kindness, friendship and pride in his work, in his restaurant is what I admire most. I can’t express how much joy Tony brought to Alice and I. Thank you Tony! We will return!
We were his last table so he gave us a tour of this massive restaurant. Its 15 dining rooms can serve 1,700 guests at one time. It is the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. With more than 1,000 wines and 50,000 bottles, this the largest collection of Spanish wines in the world.
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Jim Anderson Photography, 2022
GoalBusters Consulting, LLC
36 year Columbia Restaurant veteran, Jose "Tony" Roca prepares the "must have" famous "Sangria Tinto de Verano" tableside at the historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. He does it all next to the stage while the flamenco dance dinner show is happening 2 feet away. Watch the end of the video for the Flamenco performance.
Thanks for a wonderful evening Tony! The Columbia Restaurant is the oldest restaurant in Florida serving wonderful food and experiences for more than 117 years.
Every once in a while you meet a person that brings you pure joy simply by being their genuine self. Today we met Jose “Tony” Roca, senior waiter at Columbia Restaurant - Ybor City in Tampa, Florida. Tony has worked at Columbia since 1986, 36 years this month. His service was impeccable and his kindness, friendship and pride in his work, in his restaurant is what I admire most. I can’t express how much joy Tony brought to Alice and I. Thank you Tony! We will return!
We were his last table so he gave us a tour of this massive restaurant. Its 15 dining rooms can serve 1,700 guests at one time. It is the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. With more than 1,000 wines and 50,000 bottles, this the largest collection of Spanish wines in the world.
-----
Jim Anderson Photography, 2022
GoalBusters Consulting, LLC
