Columbia’s oldest restaurant still operating through five generations. See inside

For more than eight decades, Villa Tronco has been a staple in Columbia — a restaurant where history lives in every corner, every family recipe and every generation that walks through its doors. Located inside a historic 19th-century firehouse and former fruit stand at 1213 Blanding St., Villa Tronco first opened in 1940 when Sadie “Mama Tronco” Tronco began serving Italian dishes to homesick soldiers stationed at Fort Jackson during World War II.

At the time, pizza was still uncommon in South Carolina, making Villa Tronco one of the first places in the state to serve it. Today, the restaurant is considered one of Columbia’s most iconic landmarks. What makes Villa Tronco unique is not just its longevity, but the fact that the same family is still carrying the tradition forward five generations later. The restaurant is now run in part by Tripp Roche and Donovan Roche, the newest generation continuing what their great-great-grandmother started more than 80 years ago. For Tripp Roche, the youngest owner and a fifth-generation member of the family business, the restaurant has been part of his life since childhood. “I’ve been working here since I was 5 years old,” Roche said. Many of the restaurant’s recipes still trace back to Mama Tronco’s original cooking, helping preserve the family traditions that have kept customers returning for decades. The restaurant has remained a downtown Columbia staple through generations of change in the city. But Roche’s passions extend beyond the kitchen. Upstairs inside the restaurant, table tennis has also become part of the culture. Roche is heavily involved in the sport, representing South Carolina while also helping grow the game locally through Carolina Pong. “It all started during COVID-19. My great-grandfather got the table and encouraged me to play,” Roche said. In January, the restaurant received an official historic marker outside the building — another sign of how deeply Villa Tronco is woven into Columbia’s history. For the family, the recognition means more than simply surviving decades in business. It is proof that tradition still matters. Asked how he feels about Villa Tronco being the oldest restaurant in Columbia, Roche kept his answer simple. “Proud,” he said. Villa Tronco is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.