Casa Santo Stefano Is a Local Treasure

Tampa Bay Food Tours is infatuated Casa Santo Stefano.

Housed in a former 1925 Ybor City Ferlito Macaroni Co. factory, Casa Santo Stefano pays a fond tribute to Sicilian food. Richard Gonzmart 4th generation caretaker of the Columbia Restaurant Group knew he wanted to share the food he grew up eating at childhood friends’ homes. Those Nana-cooked meals provide the inspiration for the pastas, sauces and seafood featured at Casa Santo Stefano. Not just Sicilian, but Tampa Sicilian! The menu pays tribute to the wave of Sicilian immigrants who – along with the Cubans and Spanish – helped build Tampa and Ybor City after coming to America looking for a better life. Specifically, a huge percent 60% of the Sicilians in Tampa came from Santo Stefano Quisquina area. During a recent meal with CMO Michael Kilgore one of his quotes resonated with us. "They came looking for America and instead helped create it."

The hand-painted, colorful backsplashes, tabletops and countertops were ordered from a family in Caltagirone, Sicily. The vintage pictures artfully scattered around the restaurant represent many of the founding Sicilian families in Tampa, they were generously shared by their proud descendants.

The open air kitchen is front and center.

Each of the items we tried transported us to Italy and it is evident how this newest project was a labor of love. Casa Santo Stefano is sure to give locals and tourist alike a reason to visit Ybor City.

Our most recent visit was with Chris from https://www.neweuropetours.eu/ was lived stream so if you want a deeper look into the property and food check it out the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38SKPTqf9LQ

So much great food to share with you. Be fair warned you are going to get very hungry. We begin our meal with an addictive bread that is unlike any we have ever had.

My dining companion on our first visit (hubby) was born and raised in Tampa and he is in for a trip down memory lane. He fondly remembers Pardo’s Market’s sausage as a treat his dad would grill up. Chef Enzo Pardo is continuing the legacy.

SALSICCIA GRIGLIA PARDO Grilled Pardo Family Italian sausage with lemon

LELE’S STUFFED ARTICHOKE Whole artichoke stuffed with ground ham, chopped garlic, shallots, Pecorino Romano cheese and Sicilian muddica (breadcrumbs made with yet another house made bread), carrots and potatoes.

VONGOLE AL FORNO Oven-baked stuffed middle neck clams with seasoned muddica, Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic, white wine, with roasted grape tomato, lemon

SEPPIA GRIGLIATA Chargrilled, marinated cuttlefish with fresh black ink spaghetti, spicy “Aglio Olio e Peperoncino” sauce

SPAGHETTI NANA MARIA
Meatball, pork shoulder and Italian sausage, hard-boiled egg just like Nana Maria
used to make, with tomato sauce, Pecorino Romano cheese.

The boiled egg in a tomato based dish throws us for a loop. Luckily our other invited guest Gio the President of the https://italian-club.org/ has insight. The boiled egg helps reduce the acidity of the sauce. The use of boiled eggs in some classic dishes also stems from Nana's stretching the family budget. Gio shares that his mother had to make sure that there were enough for everyone to have there own or the brothers would fight.

ZAPPONE’S LINGUINE CON VONGOLE
Middle neck clams sautéed with garlic, crushed red pepper, fresh parsley, simmered
in a white wine tomato sauce, hint of butter and Sicilian extra-virgin olive oil.

Regretting that we did not get a photo of the meatballs. They are a must. On to dessert.

CANNOLI DI RICOTTA
House-made cannoli with Sicilian ricotta and chocolate chips, candied citrus, pistachio. The darker shell is from the addition of cocoa powder.

TIRAMISU`
Coffee-dipped ladyfingers, rum and mascarpone cream, dark cocoa dust.

The outdoor patio and 2nd floor opened since our last visit.

Stop by soon and let them know that www.TampaBayFoodTours.com sent you. TBFT features guided walking food tours in downtown St. Pete / Tampa and Dunedin.