An eye-level exterior photograph of a multi-story, modern mixed-use apartment building in downtown Tampa, Florida, located at 105 W Tyler Street. The ground floor features large, floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a storefront entrance currently under construction, with dark-framed panes and visible interior framing. The building's exterior is light-colored concrete with industrial-style balconies above. A black trash receptacle stands on the sidewalk in the foreground, with trees and a clear blue sky in the background. — La Victoria hopes to open this fall at 105 W Tyler St., in Tampa. Credit: Google Maps

“Coastal Mexican” restaurants apparently want to be near the Tampa Riverwalk.

La Victoria plans to open in September at 105 W Tyler St., just a block away from Matilde, which hopes to open next year.

The 3,800-square-foot La Victoria will be on the ground level of the Ave (stylized all-caps) Tampa Riverwalk apartment complex, just a block away from the Straz Center.

La Victoria replaces the former Melting Pot Social, which closed in March 2025 after two years in business.

Gus Thieken and Erick Meza, both in white dress shirts and white hard hats, hold open the doors to the soon-to-be La Victoria Mexican restaurant in downtown Tampa — Gus Thieken (L) and Erick Meza at the soon-to-be La Victoria. Credit: Gus Thieken

Gus Thieken, former general manager of The Pearl, alongside real estate investor Erick Felipe Meza co-own La Victoria.

Both Thieken and Meza spoke with Creative Loafing about updates for La Victoria, including their confirmed executive chef, Terrell Manning.

“What we’re excited about is the tasting menu that we’re going to develop that will rotate, and that is something that is going to be a really great opportunity for Chef Terrell to really get creative,” Thieken said.

Manning is a private chef, author of the book “The Love Languages of Food,” and a recipient of an honorary doctoral degree from Mainseed Christian University for his research on physical and emotional health and for promoting research into men’s health.

Manning said he’s still working on the core menu and tasting menu.

The tasting menu is an additional menu with a limited number of reservations, available exclusively on weekends. It’s planned to be available for reservations three months after the September opening.

Thieken previously told the TBJJ that La Victoria’s regular menu will include classic Mexican dishes like ceviche, chilaquiles and shrimp tostadas and have a full-service bar.

The Meza family, which also owns El Caporal Mexican Restaurant chain in Ohio, invested seven figures to open the Tampa restaurant, per the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Thieken believes that Meza’s family’s long tenure in the restaurant industry gives the pair a competitive edge over other emerging Mexican restaurants in the Tampa Bay area.

“Both of Erick’s parents immigrated from Mexico, and so everything is really an ode to that family, an ode to their roots,” Thieken said. “It’s just the authenticity that we’re bringing to the cuisine, and then our service hospitality, and most importantly, our company culture is something we’re very excited about.”

La Victoria’s logo depicts the outline of a cathedral where both Meza’s parents were married as well as where he had his first communion.

Meza grew up in Ohio, working in the family restaurants in high school and college. The Meza family wanted him to focus on becoming their first college graduate —which he accomplished—but he always kept the family business in mind.

“After graduating from college, I worked in a couple of sales jobs, mostly in the tech side of things,” Meza said. “But I always had the mentality that it was more so to learn and take what I learned to apply to the family business, and everything just kind of clicked.”

Thieken also credited Bianka Ross, a real estate broker who found the pair the space; interior designer and owner of UnBound design, Isabella Saa, who is designing the interior layout of La Victoria and Gerardi Construction, who are in charge of construction.

“It’s just the team that we have during this build-out process has been amazing,” Thieken added.

This week, the restaurant will be wrapping the exterior with coming soon signs.

UPDATE 6/8/26 This story has been updated with quotes and information on the menu and construction from Gus Thieken and Erick Felipe Meza.

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