Other restaurants under the Red Mesa banner to remain open after Cantina closure

In a follow-up statement issued Tuesday night, the Red Mesa team shed light on this week’s sudden closure of Red Mesa Cantina and the restaurant group’s events space.The news release cited “the lingering effects of the post-pandemic economy, back-to-back hurricanes and the broader economic challenges impacting both the local community and the nation as a whole” as primary factors. A shuttered Tropicana Field didn’t help, the statement said.After 16 years downtown, St. Petersburg’s Red Mesa Cantina permanently closed its doors Tuesday.The restaurant announced on its website and Facebook page on June 2 that the group had decided to immediately shutter the cantina and the Red Mesa Event Spaces located above the restaurant.Red Mesa Cantina was known for its Mexican cuisine and large tequila selection , plus a charming outdoor patio and bar.The other businesses under the Red Mesa banner — two Red Mesa Mercado locations in the Edge District and West St. Petersburg, and Red Mesa Restaurant on Fourth Street N. — are not part of the closure.“While certain businesses may share common ownership interests, the other restaurants referenced in recent reporting now operate as separate legal entities with independent management, operations, finances, and day-to-day oversight. Those business entities operate independently and are not part of this closure,” the release said.The location of Red Mesa Cantina and the events space proved difficult following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 with the temporary closure of Tropicana Field. The Trop is now open for the Rays’ 2026 baseball season. The reduction in visitors and “economic traffic” exacerbated an “already difficult operating environment,” the release said.With the abrupt closure, the team explained that they are focusing on assisting affected clients, promoting upcoming events and working with customers to keep disruptions to those events minimal. • • • The Tampa Bay Times Food Hub launched in 2026, a four-person team covering Tampa Bay’s dynamic and expanding food scene. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here . Want food news weekly in your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter .Top 50 Restaurants: Check out our food critic’s list of the area’s best spots.Follow our updates on the local restaurant landscape on Instagram at @tampabaytimesfood .

Other restaurants under the Red Mesa banner to remain open after Cantina closure

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Other restaurants under the Red Mesa banner to remain open after Cantina closure

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