Self-proclaimed “Columbia’s Oldest and Finest Italian Restaurant,” Villa Tronco originated as a family fruit store on Gervais Street, and moved into a restored 19th-century fire station and historical landmark at 1213 Blanding St. The building dates back to the Civil War and was one of the few buildings left standing after the burning of Columbia.
Today, owner Carmella Roche continues to serve her grandmother’s famous recipes at the local Italian restaurant, open for lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner Monday through Friday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Inside the restaurant, there are many artifacts and photographs from the old firehouse and a plaque mounted on the front of the restaurant that reads: “Palmetto Engine Company Incorporated, December 21, 1858.” The building and the restaurant stand as living history of Columbia’s past. The weathered red bricks and aged wooden stable doors make this picturesque restaurant seem straight from a postcard.
Low lighting and small, separated dining rooms create an intimate and cozy atmosphere for customers. In the back of the restaurant, a horse stable formerly used by the fire station has been opened up and made into a dining quarter with natural skylights casting light onto the tables.
The menu has a touch of the Italian language, but it could be entirely Greek and not make a difference, because customers are overwhelmed with the deliciousness of each dish. From pizza to pasta, and cheesecake to gelato, Villa Tronco does it right. And with large portions, customers are guaranteed to get their money’s worth. Homemade cheesecakes are delectable, with whole cakes available in five different flavors: amaretto, plain, chocolate, Oreo and marble. Other imported Italian desserts and ingredients are shipped in for an authentic Italian influence, including the restaurant’s pasta, olive oil and cheese.
On Monday nights, Villa Tronco has Pasta Night, which offers a bowl of pasta of your choice with a side salad and homemade bread for just $8. The Palmetto Opera singers also entertain patrons on the first Thursday of every month — reservations are typically required on these days, considering the opera’s popularity. While its atmosphere makes it perfect for dates or for when your parents come to town, Villa Tronco does cater for small formal gatherings and parties as well.
Family is at the cornerstone of the establishment, with Villa Tronco approaching its fifth generation of ownership. Sadie Carnaggia, fondly known as “Mama Tronco,” moved to Columbia with her parents, brothers and sisters in 1901. James Tronco was stationed at Camp Jackson during World War I and met Sadie at her father’s fruit store on Gervais Street. By 1918, Sadie and James were married.
The couple then opened a fruit store of their own called Iodine Fruit Store. After World War II, Sadie met a lot of Northern soldiers of Italian descent stationed at Fort Jackson, who longed for their mothers’ home cooking. “Mama Tronco” delivered, beginning to cook spaghetti and meatballs for the soldiers, and even introduced them to pizza, which hadn’t yet made its way to Columbia. This Italian cuisine’s popularity changed Iodine Fruit Store to Iodine Grill and then to Villa Tronco.
The restaurant was fortunate enough to have Sadie working in the restaurant until her death in 1988. Sadie’s daughter and son-in-law, Carmella and Henry Martin, remained in the business for 41 years until it was taken over by their daughter, also Carmella, and her husband Joe Roche.