Six years ago, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Danny Cruz and his wife, Vilexis, opened a Mexican eatery in New Orleans called Tacos del Cartel.
The move was an act of unbridled hope coming as it did in the midst of a global economic and social standstill. But the gamble paid off, and the couple then opened two other locations in Louisiana, in Metarie and Baton Rouge.
In mid-2025, they opened their first location outside of Louisianain West Palm Beach, at 533 Clematis St.
Now the Cruz' New Orleans-based restaurant company, Veho Hospitality Group, is tripling down on its presence in downtown with two more concepts coming to the city.
Where will taco restaurant, speakeasy be located in West Palm Beach?
One, Taquerías Carnalito, is a taco place that will take the space at 301 Clematis St. formerly occupied by
Nico's Pizza.
A second concept, Tragos Amargos, is a speakeasy that will be hidden inside Taquerías Carnalito.
Both will be in the Banyan & Olive office complex, stretching along Olive Avenue from Clematis Street on the south to Banyan Boulevard on the north. The property, which consists of a modern new building and a restored post-Art Deco building, is in the heart of the city's business core.
In a statement, Danny and Vilexis Cruz said they were eager to share more of their craft-quality Mexican cuisine with West Palm Beach patrons.
"We chose West Palm Beach because we believe in the city's future," the statement read. "We've always been welcomed by the community, and we love its energy and growth. It's a place we're proud to invest in and grow with."
Both concepts are important additions to downtown, said Andrew Dance, managing partner of Brand Atlantic Real Estate Partners, one of the property's owners.
"Carnalito addresses the growing need for high-quality fast-casual food in downtown," Dance said. "And Tragos Amargo introduces a proper, upscale cocktail lounge with a beautiful design and great vibe in an intimate speakeasy setting."
The venues are expected to open in late 2026 or in the first quarter of 2027.
Could West Palm's Clematis Street be on the upswing again?
The new deals signal a possible rebirth for the Clematis Street business district, the longtime center of commerce downtown going back more than a century. More recently, during the past 40 years, Clematis Street has served as the city's restaurant and entertainment district, with mixed success amid economic booms and busts.
Business leaders hope the surge in new companies operating from downtown will help support this fresh wave of retailers.
There is reason for optimism. Since the 2020 pandemic, more than 250 financial services firms have established offices in Palm Beach County, according to Kelly Smallridge, president of the Business Development Board, the county's business recruitment arm.
Although many of these firms are clustered in office towers at CityPlace or in office towers along Flagler Drive, some tenants are seeking out more boutique buildings in and around the downtown.
Several new firms have landed at the Banyan and Olive complex, where Wall Street is mixing with the city's historic Main Street. The two-building complex features a new, modern tower next to a restored, 90-year-old building designed in the Art Moderne style.
Among the office complex's tenants are telecom service provider Dycom Industries, which moved its headquarters to the building from Palm Beach Gardens; and Alvarez & Marsal, a global management-consulting firm, which expanded to West Palm Beach to serve high-net worth clients and companies.
National law firm Taft occupies space in the building after its merger with longtime boutique litigation firm Mrachek Law firm.
In addition, at the 111 Olive next door, the Edward Jones brokerage occupies a full floor.
Details about the new Mexican concepts coming to West Palm
Taquerías Carnalito bills itself as the first taquería in downtown New Orleans inspired by Mexico City tacos. The eatery uses nixtamalized tortillas made with heirloom Mexican corn.
Tragos Amargos, which means bitter drinks in Spanish, refers to a song of the same title by Ramón Ayala, a well-known figure in Mexican music, about heartbreak and drinking. The space is a "hi-fi listening bar" featuring cocktail and food menus.
The Veho restaurants join two other restaurants at the Olive & Banyan complex.
One is Kyma, an acclaimed New York restaurantserving Greek cuisine, which opened its first location outside of New York in the complex.
The modern Greek restaurant with the cuisine of a traditional taverna leases ground-floor space and outdoor space in the alley between 300 Banyan and 111 Olive. It also has a rooftop bar atop 300 Banyan.
In addition, Pubbelly Sushi restaurant recently opened in the ground floor of the 111 Olive complex.
Alexandra Clough is a business writer at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at aclough@pbpost.com. X: @acloughpbp. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tacos, speakeasy: 2 Mexican concepts coming to West Palm | Exclusive
