Pepe’s Cantina will open this summer at Seminole City Center in Seminole | Google Maps

Pepe’s Cantina Mexican Grill is expanding in Pinellas County, with a second location planned for Seminole.

Following the success of its first Tampa Bay location in St. Pete’s Historic Kenwood neighborhood, the Central Florida-based restaurant will open at 7756 113th Street Suite E, taking over a former Maple Street Biscuit Company space in Seminole City Center.

The new location is expected to debut in July.

“We’ve seen such a positive response to our location in St. Pete,” managing partner Jose Acosta said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We get so many guests who come in from Seminole, and they’ll now have a location to visit closer to home.”

The 2,800-square-foot space will feature a bar with seating for about 12 guests, along with booths, high-top tables, and an outdoor patio with lounge-style furniture, bringing total capacity to around 130.

“People can expect a similar design as the existing Pepe’s locations, but with this larger space, we’ll be able to add more decor and detail,” said John Cameron, who owns the restaurant alongside Acosta. “We’ll also have outdoor dining and a lounge area with love seats, which is a first for Pepe’s. Guests are welcome to stay a little longer and enjoy a drink.”

Birria tacos from Pepe’s Cantina | Pepe’s Cantina

The Seminole location will serve the same menu as other Pepe’s restaurants, with lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch offerings.

The concept combines contemporary Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, with a mix of traditional and more creative items.

The menu contains a wide range of tacos, including options like birria, al pastor, carnitas, grilled chicken, Angus steak, shrimp, and even octopus, all served with sides and customizable toppings.

Pepe’s also offers small plates through its “Mexican tapas” section, featuring items like jalapeño poppers, queso fundido with chorizo, Mexican-style street corn, empanadas, ceviches with shrimp, mahi-mahi, or octopus, and dishes like Tulum sweet fried shrimp and Hawaiian-style Korean fried chicken.

Larger entrées include everything from enchiladas and chimichangas to fajitas and house specialties like birria risotto and poblano fettuccine.

The menu also includes vegan options, such as plant-based fajitas served in a pineapple, vegan birria tacos, bowls, and burritos made with Impossible beef.

A selection of margaritas offered at Pepe’s Cantina | Pepe’s Cantina

On the beverage side, Pepe’s offers 12 varieties of margaritas, from classic house margaritas to flavored varieties like strawberry, mango, guava, passion fruit, and dragon fruit, along with a smoked margarita and a hibiscus-infused margarita.

The drink program also includes cocktails like mojitos, palomas, espresso martinis, and mezcal mules, along with beer, wine, sangria, and non-alcoholic options such as horchata, fresh limeade, and zero-proof cocktails.

Founded in 2015, Pepe’s Cantina has expanded steadily across Florida, with the Seminole location marking its eighth in the state. Additional growth is underway, including a new restaurant in Boca Raton.

“We always knew this concept was going to be successful, and it took some hard work in the beginning,” Acosta added. “It’s been a journey, and now we’re opening more and more locations.”

Once open, the Seminole restaurant is expected to operate Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with extended hours on weekends.