"We're definitely going to miss you guys, it was a really hard decision for our family," said El Gallo De Oro Restaurante co-owner Julissa Salgado, as she shared the news of its imminent closure on Facebook Live last week.
The family-owned and operated Cuban restaurant, located at 4007 Fiesta Plaza, has been a staple in West Tampa for decades, known for its thick sandwiches and stacked dinner platters.
"Thank you," she added. "We've been here since 1987. I'm so proud of my parents for everything they did. So, that's why I'm not scared to do something different. We're excited to bring West Tampa outside of West Tampa."
Salgado's livestream was met with hundreds of customers expressing their dismay in the comments.
The restaurant's last day open was Friday, March 18. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reached out to El Gallo via phone to gather more details about its closure, but was unfortunately met with no response. The restaurant's website cannot be reached either.
Although Salgado states that the new El Gallo location hasn’t been confirmed yet, she mentions areas like Jacksonville and Crystal River as possible homes for her new restaurant, and alludes that it will be a few hours north of Tampa.
Salgado and her husband Chris purchased El Gallo from her parents, the original owners, in 2012 as stated by WFLA.
With El Gallo’s original location closed, West Tampa Sandwich Shop is currently holding down the Cuban food scene in the neighborhood.
For the latest information on El Gallo De Oro's upcoming location, keep up with its Facebook at @ElGalloTampa, where you will most likely be updated via livestream.
