Casa Santo Stefano is a page from Ybor City kitchens of yore

I’m not sure if it’s because my grandfather was a sea captain who brought folks to Ellis Island or, perhaps, the horrific sight of Ukrainians rushing to escape their homeland in the face of war, but the tales of immigrants by Richard Gonzmart on the Casa Santo Stefano menu brought tears to my eyes. Most of us can’t even imagine the various struggles of immigrants over time and around the globe.

One of my favorite lines from the mega-hit Hamilton is, “Immigrants (we get the job done).” It was true in Revolutionary times and in Ybor City at the dawn of the 20th century. Families seeking a better life settled in Tampa. The Gonzmarts opened the Columbia Restaurant celebrating their Spanish heritage. Across the street, Vincenta and Giuseppe Ferlita opened their macaroni factory, which has now been transformed into a tribute to the Tampa Sicilian Nonna-cooked meals that young Gonzmart shared at his best friend Vincent Palori’s house.

These iconic Ybor City restaurants are now run by the fourth and fifth generations of the Gonzmart clan in the spirit of friendship, family, and community.

As you peruse the menu, your server arrives with warm squares of focaccia brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with dry herbs. It’s a lovely surprise, light and airy.

We decide to begin with a delightful hand-painted oval platter of six arancini—fried breaded risotto balls, mixed with Bolognese, mozzarella and peas. They’re served with a small bowl of fresh sauce that just sings with tomato acidity and is not a bit spicy. You can almost imagine the eager little mouths around their grandmother’s kitchen table, sitting with wide-eyed anticipation, as they give their best buddies an “I told you so” look with each seductive bite.

Choosing entrées is a wonderful challenge. It’s like going through Nonna’s recipe box for traditional pastas or proteins. The baked eggplant terrine (millefoglie di melanzane) layers the soft veggie slices with Grana Padano and pecorino Romano cheeses and tomato sauce topped with a cluster of fresh fragrant basil leaves, whose bright green pops against the glistening red sauce. The imported al dente Sicilian casarecce pasta is lightly sauced and sprinkled with a snow of grated cheese and minced basil. The eggplant has been prepared with care and is not the slightest bit bitter.
Seeing porchetta on the menu always makes my heart sing. I have fond memories of marching crazily up a cobblestone hill in Tuscany with the resolve of an Edmund Hillary to the town center of Monte San Savino in search of Macelleria Aldo, where porchetta is king. And then struggling in fractured Italian till Aldo posed with me as we jointly raised a crispy hog’s head. But, I digress.

Here, the stuffed, rolled, slow-roasted pork is crispy on the outside with a soft, juicy interior sprinkled with fresh herbs. The accompanying large, golden, crisp potato wedges are topped with freshly grated pecorino. And the broccoli rabe sautéd in imported extra virgin olive oil is scattered with nuggets of golden breadcrumbs to add delightful texture. It’s totally winning.

They offer a nice selection of Sicilian wines—remember “what grows together goes together.” My favorite is the renowned indigenous Sicilian grape, Nero d’Avola, which is available by the glass. We also sip a pour from lignum, which is a three-grape blend of better known grapes; it’s also a perfectly pleasant affordable option.

The tiramisù with coffee-dipped ladyfingers, rum and mascarpone cream and a dusting of dark cocoa is some of the best I’ve experienced.

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The cassata Siciliana is our pick from the “Dolci” menu; the combo of sponge cake with limoncello quickens my pulse. Sadly, the kitchen is out of this choice on the night we visit, so we settle for the ubiquitous tiramisù—at least we’ll have a basis for comparison. Well, what a surprise awaits.

The tiramisù with coffee-dipped ladyfingers, rum and mascarpone cream and a dusting of dark cocoa is some of the best I’ve experienced. Everything is in perfect balance both in flavor and texture. Some other versions have more assertive flavors to stand out, but this has a subtle synchronicity that just delights with every bite. The cream is not gelatinous, the ladyfingers are not the tiniest bit soggy, and the cocoa topping is just the perfect accent as the flavors meld.

The menu implicitly urges us all to acknowledge the privilege in our lives—the very fact that we are eating at this beautiful restaurant and are able to revel in this loving cuisine. Bold type asks:“Please take a moment to remember those Sicilians who came searching for America and instead helped create it.” We must celebrate those who came before us and who sacrificed to create a country believing the words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” In this political climate where con men reign, we must remember that diversity is what makes America great and sets us apart from the rest of our world.