If the renderings for Tampa's waterfront Sparkman Wharf gave you all the feels last week, the newest addition to its dining garden will, too. Rooster & the Till owners Ty Rodriguez and chef Ferrell Alvarez are set to bring their first culinary project outside of Seminole Heights to the under-construction Channel District development, which will replace Channelside Bay Plaza and is part of the larger Water Street Tampa neighborhood.
Also behind Seminole Heights' soon-to-open Nebraska Mini Mart, Alvarez and Rodriguez have decided to bring a modern taqueria called Gallito to Sparkman Wharf. Gallito will specialize in putting its own spin on Mexican street food.
"We chose to partner with Sparkman Wharf and open Gallito so we could be part of the exciting re-development of Channelside," said Alvarez, a 2017 James Beard Award semifinalist, in a statement. "Downtown Tampa is experiencing a historic, urban growth period, and we think this is the perfect opportunity to plant roots there and contribute to city's ongoing renaissance."
Sparkman Wharf's dining garden is an intimate al fresco setting tucked beneath large trees that plans to offer grub from 10 well-known restaurateurs and chefs around the city. The two previously announced concepts joining Gallito are Foundation Coffee Co., known for its cups of coffee, and Whatever Pops & Bowls, a popsicle and gelato purveyor.
Details on the other eateries are forthcoming, and Sparkman Wharf — which showcases the dining garden, plus a recreational lawn and an open-air biergarten — is slated to open in the fall.
This article appears in Aug 2-9, 2018.