A former gas station at 1199 Missouri Ave. N. in Largo has a new tenant: Chile Verde, the Pinellas County Mexican restaurant chain, which opened its third outpost there on Thursday.
The opening was first reported by Tampa Bay Times food and dining reporter Evan Rodriguez, who covers the local restaurant scene for the paper. Chile Verde describes itself online as an authentic Mexican restaurant in Largo, Florida, according to chileverdemissouri.com.
The Largo location is the brand's third restaurant outpost in Pinellas County, per the Tampa Bay Times report. Converting old gas stations into restaurant space isn't a new move for the chain, either.
A History of Unconventional Spaces
Back in 2018, Chile Verde opened a restaurant and grocery store in St. Petersburg inside the former home of a Citgo gas station and Choice Auto Repair at 2801 22nd Ave. N., according to a report from cltampa.com. That St. Petersburg location was open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., the outlet noted at the time.
The Largo spot is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The site's website does, however, lay out what customers can expect once they walk in.
Reservations and Catering on the Menu
The chain also offers catering for a range of occasions, inviting customers to “Cater your birthday party, holiday party, corporate events, wedding festivities and more!”
For now, the Largo opening adds another stop to Chile Verde's growing footprint across Pinellas County, joining the brand's other locations as it continues to find new life in old roadside real estate.
