New Restaurant in Palm Harbor: Costa Vida Coming Soon

PALM HARBOR, FL — Costa Vida is preparing to open a fast-casual Mexican restaurant at 33505 US Highway 19 N, Palm Harbor, FL 34684, franchise owner Morgan Smith told Business Debut in a phone interview. The Palm Harbor restaurant will be the brand’s first Florida location. Smith operates as part of Summit Management, a franchising group in Utah and Washington.

Smith said Summit Management currently runs 12 Costa Vida locations in Utah and Washington’s Tri-Cities region. He shared that he grew up in the Tampa Bay area and recently moved back from Utah to open in Palm Harbor. “We’ve been really wanting to come here for a while now and now we finally got the window of the opportunity to come,” Smith told Business Debut.

What to Expect

Costa Vida’s menu centers on customizable Mexican plates such as burritos, salads, enchiladas, tacos and quesadillas, according to the company’s online menu. Guests choose from proteins including sweet pork, grilled chicken and steak, then add rice, beans, salsas and toppings.

The brand highlights housemade flour tortillas, pressed and cooked on a hot comal in view of guests, along with corn tortillas for those who prefer them. The online menu also features nachos, chips and salsa, kids meals and desserts. Costa Vida lists housemade lemonades and a range of beverages.

Smith said everything on the service line, from meats to toppings, is prepared daily in-house. He added that the line items are gluten-free, with the exception of flour tortillas, and that guests can choose gluten-free options like corn tortillas.

The Palm Harbor Costa Vida will take over a former restaurant space along the busy U.S. 19 corridor near a new Trader Joe’s, Smith told Business Debut. He said the team toured multiple sites across Tampa Bay before selecting Palm Harbor.

Smith said he grew up spending time around U.S. 19 and Tampa Road, longboarding nearby streets, playing sports in local parks and visiting Clearwater Beach.

Opening Timeline

Smith said the project is in permitting and general contractor bidding. He is targeting late August for opening, with early September as a backup timeframe.

“This is the first location in Florida for the whole brand,” Smith told Business Debut. He said Summit Management has a long-term goal of adding three to five Costa Vida locations in the Tampa Bay area, with additional sites under evaluation.

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