Nibbles & Bytes: Vallarta's & Casa Ramos Coming To Tampa Palms

By Gary Nager

Although we still couldn’t say for certain at our press time whether or not Ciccio’s Lodge was going to move into the former World of Beer location in the Shoppes at The Pointe in Tampa Palms (although both World of Beer and Coffee Beanery Café did close since we made those announcements last issue), we do know what restaurant will replace Ciccio’s in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.

Vallarta’s, which of course, has a very successful location in Wesley Chapel and locations in Land O’Lakes, Temple Terrace and two in Tampa, is planning to move into the former Ciccio’s slot and Wesley Chapel Vallarta’s owner Fabian Jimenez promises the Tampa Palms location will feature a similar menu, full liquor bar and a great place to bring the family or hang out to watch a game.For more info about Vallarta’s, call the Wesley Chapel location at 907-5161 or visit VallartasTampa.com.

Of course, we also told you about another new sit-down Mexican restaurant getting ready to open in Tampa Palms, although we were originally told it would be called Azteca, which is a small chain of 35 restaurants that started in the Pacific northwest and now has five locations in Florida, including two in Orlando and another in Winter Haven.

But now, signs have gone up proclaiming the restaurant’s name to be “Casa Ramos,” but we weren’t told by the management if the new restaurant is simply a name change (in deference to the chain’s founders, José Ramos and his three brothers) or if Casa Ramos might be a more upscale eatery.

At our press time, Casa Ramos was expected to be open around or even before June 1, but we’ll keep you posted.