Casita Taqueria

2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704

(727) 820-4365

Categories: Restaurant

Cuisine: Casual Dining, Mexican

Features: Outdoor seating, Takeout

Cost range: 1.0-10.0

Payment options: Credit cards accepted

Alcohol: Beer and wine only

More in this neighborhood: Fourth Street Garden District

Adorable, with a blue-and-purple-and-loud color scheme outside and lively Día de los Muertos decor within, Casita Taqueria opened late in 2011. Newlywed owners Don and Gwen Arvin have traveled widely, enjoying the taquerias of Southern California. Largely mom-and-pop holes in the wall, these serve simple, fresh, uncomplicated dishes without a lot of sauce or molten cheese or sour cream. No crunchy shells, no avalanche of lettuce and tomato, no ground beef with "taco seasoning." The tacos they craved were straightforward handmade corn masa soft tortillas, hot from the griddle, furnished sparsely with meat (braised beef, shredded chicken) and topped with maybe a little crunchy cabbage or pico de gallo, a spritz of lime juice and a ruffle of cilantro. And now St. Petersburg can enjoy just that, with a glass of sangria or an icy Negro Modelo.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, until 10 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

Read a review here.