Former La Tropicana restaurant building turned into Barrio Tacos in Ybor City
Barrio Tacos now in Ybor City
FOX 13's Jason Wright shows us inside the new restaurant that is full of artwork showing off Ybor's history.
YBOR CITY, Fla. - The former La Tropicana restaurant building in Ybor City has new life as Barrio Tacos now.
Owner and franchisee Jason Crawford moved into the renovated site last summer, and he recognized that his business had some big shoes to fill as the replacement for the local Cuban food La Tropicana supplied for some 60 years.
"This building specifically is a historic building. People are still coming in looking for the Cuban sandwiches," he admitted, "Barrio Tacos is a restaurant that specializes in Tacos."
The change is a pleasant surprise to those expecting local food.
The former La Tropicana restaurant building in Ybor City has new life as Barrio Tacos now.
"We do everything from scratch as much as we can," he said, "We specifically do Tacos in a bowl option. We're known for our specialty double shells which are a soft and a hard together dipped in queso."
Local perspective:
While Ybor City attracts plenty of visitors, the plan for the business was always to serve the local community just like La Tropicana always did.
"We're built for the locals," Crawford said, "Ybor is just a fantastic city. I do feel that we needed an affordable option. We're not a bar, we're a restaurant, family friendly, with a bar."
READ: Beloved black swans, eggs stolen from Polk County mobile home park: ‘Devastating’
For the nostalgic local seeking to reconnect with the history of area, the interior of the restaurant is covered in hand painted art with a nod to Ybor City and the region's rich past.
The former La Tropicana restaurant building in Ybor City has new life as Barrio Tacos now.
The artwork includes tributes to the region's namesake, Vincente Martinez Ybor, the cigar history of the area, and, of course, the chickens.
"There's a few Easter Eggs in the artwork as well," stated Crawford, "There are 17 shamrocks hidden in the art work and 9 ladybugs for good luck."
Barrio Tacos is located at 1822 East 7th Ave. in Ybor City.
CLICK HERE:>>> Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Jason Wright.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
- Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
- Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android
- Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
- Download the SkyTower Radar app
- Sign up for FOX 13’s daily newsletter