Looking back over the last eight decades, Carmella, who runs the restaurant with her husband, Joe Roche, said Villa Tronco is a cornerstone of Columbia.
“I feel like we are part of the history of downtown Columbia,” she said.
A Family Matter
For Carmella, it was always natural that she be involved in the restaurant. She spent her childhood coming in with her parents to work.
“I grew up here as a little girl,” she said. “I worked here as a waitress and hostess.”
Villa Tronco is Columbia’s oldest restaurant, celebrating its 85th anniversary Jan. 13, 2025.
By Lynn Luc/Special to Free Times
Over time, the restaurant’s menu has evolved. For many years, Sadie, or “Mama Tronco,” was at the helm and running the kitchen. Through the years, other chefs have left their mark.
“We’ve added to the menu as chef’s have come and gone,” said Tripp Roche, Carmella’s grandson and the fifth generation of the Tronco family to work in the restaurant. “We’ve tried to keep the signature dishes and our traditional dishes the same recipes, like the pizza.”
Regulars can expect specials that change nightly, allowing Villa Tronco’s kitchen staff to showcase their creativity.
Where Generations Celebrate
While the food draws customers in, Villa Tronco has become a symbol of gathering for families. Carmella cited one couple who celebrated all 64 of their wedding anniversaries at the restaurant.
Villa Tronco also features a “hideaway booth” that allows privacy for special moments.
“Many, many engagements have happened in that booth,” Carmella said.
Despite decades of running the restaurant, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that presented one of Villa Tronco’s greatest challenges.
“That was such a scary time for all of us,” Carmella said. “We had to close for a short period of time. And the uncertainty of what was going to happen, the economy.”
There was a moment when she wondered if Villa Tronco would make it through the pandemic. But she believes the restaurant has come back better, and credits some of that to Columbia’s growing Main Street District.