Mekenita Cantina
6707 N. Florida Ave.
Mon-Thurs: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fri-Sat: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Recently opened in Seminole Heights, this Mexican inspired spot offers a huge variety of tacos, including citrus grilled chicken, ancho grilled angus steak and chili-garlic rubbed smoked pork. The la plancha grilled vegetable taco is available as well, topped off with charred corn salsa.
City Dog Cantina
1208 E. Kennedy Blvd. #114
Mon-Tues: 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Wed-Thurs: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Fri: 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Sat: 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Sun: 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.
In the courtyard of Grand Central at Kennedy, City Dog Cantina features a Mexican menu of “rolled tacos” with fillings like seasoned chicken and cilantro, as well as fish or shrimp tacos that are served with avocado and black bean mango salsa. You can also grab burritos, filled with your choice of steak, pork, chicken or shrimp, plus avocado, salsa, beans and all the fixings.
Gallito Taqueria
Sparkman Wharf
615 Channelside Drive
Tues-Sun: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Part of downtown Tampa’s outdoor waterfront park Sparkman Wharf, Gallito Taqueria offers four different tacos including a special vegetarian option. Carne asada, pork belly, and chicken tinga tacos fill the menu, as well as special items such as the duck carnitas taco that is topped with salsa negra and
lime crema. The vegetarian taco features the barbacoa butternut squash.
Taco Bus
505 N. Franklin St.
Sun-Thurs: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Fri & Sat: 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.
With “traditional recipes from every region of Mexico,” Taco Bus offers customers daily specials, vegetarian and vegan dishes, plus gluten-free options. The spot’s taco selection includes soft corn, hard corn and flour tortillas topped with the customer’s choice of protein and cheese.
Urban Cantina
200 E. Madison St.
Sun-Thurs: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fri & Sat: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Featuring authentic Mexican tacos in an assortment of styles including carne asada, shrimp, fish and chicken, there’s plenty of selections to satisfy whatever your appetite may be in the mood for. Try the “gringo style” tacos mixed with rice and beans or french fries, filled with chicken, steak or sour cream.
Empamamas
Armature Works
1910 N. Ola Ave.
Mon-Thurs: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Fri & Sat: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sun: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Popular food truck turned permanent location, this locale offers a range of local “Tampa flavors,” including the taste of a traditional Cuban sandwich mixed into an empanada (the award-winning Tampa Girl empanada). The taco selection includes pairings of street-style adobo chili chicken, bang bang chicken, pork and vegan options, topped with a variety of veggies, beans and sauces. Chips, salsa and queso are always available as matching sides.
La Fiesta Mexican Store
1202 S. 22nd St.
(813) 241-2477
Daily: 9 a.m. to 8:50 p.m.
An eatery that “specializes in the sale of food imported from Mexico and other Latin American countries,” La Fiesta Mexican Store is half grocer’s shop and half sit-down restaurant. The menu consists of low priced street-style tacos such as the carne asada and al pastor, usually hovering around the $2 mark. Specialty items are offered as well, such as fried beans with toppings of sour cream, avocado and more.
Tequilas
1613 E. 7th Ave.
Mon: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tues-Wed: 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Thurs: 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Fri: 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Sat: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Sun: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Located on Ybor City’s historic 7th Avenue, this Mexican-designed eatery offers indoor and outdoor seating with a wide array of tacos including “Ybor Original Tacos,” which are deep fried and filled with a choice of chicken, beef or pork. The selection also includes specialty tacos which range from veggie and
baja fish to grilled chicken and blueberry sauce.
Gaspar’s Grotto
1805 E. 7th Ave.
Mon-Sat: 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Sun: 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Paying homage to the iconic local character Jose Gaspar, this pirate-themed bar offers up a selection of some interesting dishes. You can dine on Gaspar Fish Tacos — blackened or fried fresh fish mixed with grotto slaw or queso fresco — as well as pulled pork and chicken tacos, which both feature black beans and rice.
As they work on building out a new permanent location, the Xtreme Tacos truck offers
information on their roaming hours and pop-up spots on their Facebook page. Customers still have the ability to choose between a variety of taco options. The Tijuana Taco is filled with a choice of meat topped with cilantro and diced onions; the Buffalo and Xtreme tacos are available as well, the latter topped with shredded cabbage and filled with guacamole and fresh mozzarella.
Xilo Street Mexican
The Hall on Franklin
1701 N. Franklin St.
Mon-Thurs: 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Fri: 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sat: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sun: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Operating within The Hall on Franklin, Xilo Street Mexican offers an array of authentic dishes including spicy chorizo queso, quesadillas, and enchiladas. A taco platter is also available, allowing customers
to try half a dozen different tacos — current options include carnitas, chicken and mushrooms.
