Award-Winning Streetlight Taco Expands Beyond Tampa with New Downtown Clearwater Location

One of Tampa Bay’s most celebrated restaurant concepts is expanding beyond Tampa for the first time, selecting the newly restored Peoples Bank Building in downtown Clearwater as the home of its second location.

Streetlight Taco, the Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized Mexican restaurant created by Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality, will become the signature ground-floor dining destination inside the historic landmark at Cleveland Street and Fort Harrison Avenue.

The announcement follows Saturday’s completion celebration, when more than 3,000 people filled the surrounding intersection for the unveiling of the restored Peoples Bank clock and the public reopening of the historic building.

Now restored and once again anchoring one of downtown Clearwater’s most prominent corners, the Peoples Bank Building is entering its next chapter as the future home of one of Tampa Bay’s fastest-rising restaurant concepts.

Streetlight Taco received Michelin Guide recognition within months of opening its South Tampa location in January 2024. Built around handcrafted Mexican cuisine, the restaurant combines the energy of a neighborhood bodega with food prepared through traditional, highly detailed techniques.

“Streetlight Taco brings a vibrant Mexican bodega,” said Nick Reader, CEO of Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality. “At night, there’s a party atmosphere. That energy is what we hope to bring to Cleveland Street—something that complements everything else that’s happening downtown.”

Every corn tortilla begins with heirloom corn sourced from Mexico, cooked and milled in-house into fresh masa before being individually pressed and grilled. Meats are slow-braised or prepared over a wood fire, while sauces, condiments and salsas are made from scratch.

The restaurant’s menu centers on tacos, including its signature brisket taco, along with chips and dips, tostadas, burritos, bowls, mercado sides, flan, tres leches and crafted drinks.

Chef-partner Michael Brannock developed the concept after years of studying Mexican cuisine and traveling throughout the country—from street markets and family kitchens to acclaimed restaurants—to understand its ingredients, techniques and hospitality.

“Streetlight Taco is the taste of Mexico,” Brannock said. “At the end of the day, I want to make food that tastes like what I’ve had in Mexico and shared with Mexican families.”

For Brannock, the pairing of Streetlight Taco with the Peoples Bank Building reflects a shared commitment to craft, tradition and detail.

“The restoration of Peoples Bank is meticulous,” he said. “That matches what we’re about, because that’s how I look at the menu and Streetlight Taco—all the little details. It’s going to be a great pair and a great match.”

The Clearwater restaurant is envisioned as a lively, street-facing destination with a central bar, warm wood finishes, artwork and design elements influenced by Mexican markets, street vendors and gathering places. The interior concept shown in the project renderings establishes a very different atmosphere from the building’s historic common areas while respecting the restored architectural setting.

“I want you to walk in and feel a piece of Mexico from the start,” Brannock said. “The energy that you would feel on the street, under the streetlights—the food and all the vibes—I think you’ll feel that from the get-go.”

Streetlight Taco will be the second Tastes Pretty Good Hospitality concept announced for downtown Clearwater, following Rippers in the restored historic Telephone Building.

Its arrival represents both the first expansion of Streetlight Taco beyond Tampa and the next stage in the Peoples Bank Building’s return to active downtown life—placing an acclaimed restaurant inside a landmark whose restoration was welcomed by thousands only days earlier.

As historic buildings return, new businesses establish themselves and major entertainment and redevelopment projects continue advancing across Cleveland Street, Streetlight Taco adds another destination designed to bring daily activity, evening energy and regional visitation into downtown Clearwater.