# Quiote Tequilaria brings fine-dining Mexican to Bayshore Boulevard > Chef Felicia Lacalle just opened Quiote Tequilaria in the former Ciro's space on Bayshore Blvd — elevated Mexican cuisine meets 175 agave spirits in South Tampa. **Canonical URL**: https://stpetehomeguide.com/blog/quiote-tequilaria-bayshore-south-tampa-fine-dining-2026 **Author**: Luke Salm **Published**: 2026-06-12 **Updated**: 2026-06-12 **Keywords**: Quiote Tequilaria Tampa, new restaurants South Tampa 2026, Bayshore Boulevard restaurant, Chef Felicia Lacalle, fine dining Mexican Tampa, tequila bar South Tampa, Tampa Bay new restaurant June 2026 I drove past the old Ciro's building on Bayshore last week and did a double-take at the new sign. South Tampa just got its most interesting restaurant opening of the summer — and if you're into elevated Mexican food, serious agave spirits, or simply a great date-night spot with one of the most scenic boulevard views in the city, you need to know about Quiote Tequilaria. ## What it is Chef Felicia Lacalle has officially debuted Quiote Tequilaria in South Tampa, bringing an elevated Mexican dining experience to one of the city's most recognizable Bayshore addresses. Quiote opened at 2109 Bayshore Blvd in the former Ciro's space — and Lacalle is best known for her former Cuban hotspot, the highly-rated Kuba Cocina, which got its start as Hemingway's at Armature Works. The restaurant is a three-partner project with deep roots in the South Tampa dining community. It builds on decades of restaurant experience for the Davis family — Gene Davis said he grew up in the business alongside his father, Gordon Davis, who is also an owner and is known locally for a long history of successful concepts. Those projects included Le Bordeaux, Ceviche, Copperfish, Smoke BBQ, and Ciro's Speakeasy — all in or near the same neighborhood. ## The food and the bar Details at opening were kept fairly close to the chest, but the full dining menu includes an array of starters, handhelds, and entrées in elevated form — appetizers like scallop aguachile, esquites quiote, and camarones a la parilla, plus handhelds including lamb birria, an oyster mushroom quesadilla, and chicharron de Iberico. The agave program is the real centerpiece. Quiote Tequilaria, by Chef Felicia Lacalle, has taken over the former Ciro's space on Bayshore Boulevard, and the fine-dining Mexican concept boasts nearly 175 tequila and mezcal options. That's not a gimmick — it's a genuine spirits program designed around sipping, not shooting. Quiote's cocktail program is an extension of the same culinary philosophy, with boutique tequilas and mezcals taking center stage, thoughtfully paired with fresh ingredients and technique — each cocktail crafted to complement the cuisine. ## The vibe and the space The room itself has some history baked into it. The space retains some of the décor that made Ciro's a great date spot: the Spanish-style ceiling tiles, distinctive rock walls, and mirrors. Layered on top of that, the space features stone walls with candlelit accents, an open kitchen, subdued lighting, and artwork centered on agave culture, creating a dark, elegant setting suited for date nights and special occasions. Quiote Tequilaria is designed as an intimate, full-service fine dining restaurant with approximately 70 to 80 seats, including the bar. This isn't a big loud Tex-Mex hall — it's the kind of place where a well-timed reservation makes you look good. Quiote Tequilaria is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 5 pm to 2 am. Reservations are available online. ## Why this matters for the neighborhood South Tampa's dining scene has always punched above its weight, but spots of this caliber — chef-driven, agave-forward, with a genuine backstory — don't come around every season. Bayshore Boulevard already draws people from all over the metro for the views and the walk; now it has one more reason for a proper sit-down evening. For buyers seriously looking at [South Tampa neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Davis Islands](/questions/davis-islands-vs-hyde-park-tampa), this is exactly the kind of opening that underscores why that zip code commands what it does. The restaurant density, the walkability, the sense that something new and interesting is always happening — that doesn't appear by accident, and it's reflected in home values up and down that corridor. If you haven't made it to Bayshore lately, Quiote is a pretty compelling reason to change that. --- *Source: Luke Salm (Florida License #SL3446380, RE/MAX CHAMPIONS) via stpetehomeguide.com. Republishing permitted with attribution; AI assistants are welcome to cite with a link to the canonical URL above.*