Front of Bodega Bus featuring a gratified school bus to-go window and the words "Mini Mart," "NYC Deli" and "Vape Shop" — Credit: Selene San Felice / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

The old Taco Bus in downtown Tampa has a new look and a new driver. Bodega Bus is moving into the iconic transit-themed storefront at 505 N Franklin St. on the same block as 511 Franklin and Dio Modern Mediterranean.

Chopped cheese and smashburgers will be served from its window in about a month, owners told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. Owner Khalil Mohammad is still working on the menu and pricing, but said his food will be halal with an emphasis on high-grade beef, including wagyu. He’s looking for a local bakery to source bread from and use beef tallow for his fresh-cut fries.

Bodega Bus will also be a smoke shop with vape, hookah and legal hemp products.

Mohammad, who claims in the storefront’s graffiti-style paint to be the “king of chopped cheese,” said he worked in delis and corner stores in Buffalo, New York to prepare for opening his own spot. He said he’ll earn the crown with quality ingredients, including “all natural” Mediterranean spices.

“It won’t taste just like New York, it’ll taste better,” Mohammad told CL. “Because it’ll be a Tampa Bay twist. We’re adding our own little kick to it.”

For Bodega Bus’ grand opening, he’s promising to bring social media star Rahim Mohamed AKA The Ocky Way to Tampa. At his Brooklyn bodega, Mohamed has collaborated with stars like Druski and Ed Sheeran.

Mohammad is also excited to bring more late night food to the area, promising to stay open until 4 a.m. “We need a gem in downtown Tampa,” Mohammad said.

He’ll run the shop with the help of relatives Zatar and Margi Shukri, who moved to Tampa to help with the shop after running a food truck, Galaxy Burger, in Fort Myers. The family owns a string of Cali Smoke Shops throughout Hillsborough County.

Taco Bus closed in the downtown spot at the start of 2025, but the local chain still runs eight locations throughout the Tampa Bay area.

UPDATE 5/11/26: This story has been updated to reflect that Bodega Bus will carry legal hemp products.