Joseph Licata owned one of the city's first upscale steakhouses, but he will best be remembered for his stories of Ybor's colorful history.
By MARTY CLEAR
Published April 30, 2004
YBOR CITY - Joseph Licata read several history books about Ybor City but never learned anything he didn't already know.
In fact, he usually discovered he knew a lot more about Ybor than the authors.
"He hated it when people from up North would write about Ybor City, because they wouldn't get it right," said his daughter, Christine de la Grana. "When that latest one came out, Cigar City Mafia, he was looking at it saying, "Why'd they put that guy's picture in there? He wasn't in the Mafia; he just bet on horses.' "
Mr. Licata died Saturday (April 24, 2004) at age 83 from complications of leukemia.
His family was among those that shaped Ybor City and Tampa. Two buildings in Ybor - one on Seventh Avenue and one on Fifth - still bear the family's name.
The Licata family had many local ventures but is probably best known for its restaurants. Mr. Licata's grandparents and parents owned and operated La Mecca Cafe at Seventh and 17th Street for nearly a century.
Mr. Licata, the fifth of seven children, also went into the restaurant business. He was just a teenager when he took a job as a breakfast cook at the Floridan Hotel during the Depression.
He learned cooking from his mother, who suffered a stroke when he was young.
"He became her right hand," Mrs. de la Grana said.
He worked at a series of local restaurants, gradually building a successful career. He always brought his paycheck home to help support his parents, brothers and sisters and the aunt who helped care for them.
In the early 1940s, while at a dance at Centro Asturiano, Mr. Licata saw a young woman across the room and instantly was smitten.
"He told his buddies, "That's the girl I'm going to marry,' " his daughter said.
That woman was Carmen Rodriguez, who soon became Carmen Licata. The two were married for 57 years, until her death in 2002. They had one daughter and two sons, Joseph Licata III and Frank K. Licata.
"Family always came first," Mrs. de la Grana said. "Work was second, but the work was all about providing for the family."
In 1951, he opened Licata's Steakhouse at Jefferson and Tampa streets. It was one of Tampa's first upscale restaurants, made famous for serving steaks on a flaming sword.
Mr. Licata operated the restaurant for 34 years. Every day, he left home before dawn to buy produce, worked until afternoon, came home for a nap, then returned to the restaurant. He worked until at least 11 p.m., often later.
"He was truly a man's man," said his son-in-law, Tampa attorney Frank de la Grana. "What really impressed me, ever since I met my wife, was his work ethic."
Somehow, he always found time for friends and family, who gathered every Sunday. Usually, Mr. Licata provided the entertainment, telling vivid stories about Ybor's and Tampa's early days.
"He could entertain people for hours," Mr. de la Grana said. "People would ask him to repeat their favorite stories. And every time he was egged on, he'd tell the story even better than the last time."
His talent as a raconteur made him a friend to most everyone he met. Even the friends of his teenage grandchildren called him Nano and loved to sit and listen to his stories.
"He was the kind of person who never met a stranger," his daughter said. "Everyone loved him. I think he was probably the most wonderful father in the world."
