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How To At Home: Columbia Restaurant

Founded in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., the Columbia Restaurant is Florida’s oldest restaurant, and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. To this day, six of the Columbia restaurants are still owned and operated by the founding family, including The Columbia Cafe located in the Tampa Bay History Center downtown. With a rich history and incredibly flavorful menu, The Columbia Cafe has become a mandatory stop for visitors who want to truly experience the taste of Tampa.

“One of the most picturesque dining spots on the downtown Tampa waterfront, the cafe has indoor and outdoor seating overlooking Garrison Channel separating downtown from Harbour Island. The cafe serves the most popular dishes from the restaurant’s flagship in Ybor City, including the Original 1905 Salad and chicken and yellow rice. The cafe also serves cocktails, beer and wine, including the Spanish cava sangria made tableside” – Tampa Bay Times

This week the Columbia Restaurant was kind enough to share their famous Red Sangria recipe with us. We hope you all enjoy making this delicious drink at home and visit our newsroom for more recipes from local restaurants every Wednesday.

Red Sangria

What you’ll need:
1 packet of the Columbia Restaurant Sangria Mix
1 750 ml bottle of Red Wine – they use a Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
1 bottle of Brandy – they use the Torres 5 Brandy
1 Orange
1 Lime
10 Cherries
Pitcher
Knife to cut up fruit
Wine glass
Ice

Directions:
1. Add sangria mix and 1 and a half cups of cold water into your pitcher and stir to combine
2. Add your whole bottle of red wine
3. Add an ounce and a quarter of brandy
4. Slice your orange and lime in half and squeeze the juice into your sangria
5. After you squeeze the fruit juice into your sangria leave the fruit in the pitcher
6. Leave one cherry to put in your wine glass and add the other nine to the sangria
7. Slice the other half of the orange into wedges and add them to your wine glass. Add one wedge as a rim garnish.
8. Do the same with the other half of the lime
9. Add ice and pour into your wine glass