In the blistering sun of South MacDill Avenue, where the streets sweat and the scent of salt and spice lingers in the air, a secret simmers. Not the kind of secret kept behind closed doors, but one wrapped in tortillas, doused in fire-kissed sauces, and whispered from mouth to watering mouth. Its name? Chilpayas, a name that echoes Veracruz, drips with heritage, and might just be Tampa’s best-kept Mexican seafood secret.
The Origins of a Culinary Journey
From the tangled coastlines of Alvarado, Veracruz, to the storm-warmed air of Tampa Bay, Sergio Delfin and Adriana Aburto have brought more than food to their new city—they’ve brought a story. A tale steeped in generational recipes, hard-earned reputation, and an undying devotion to flavor. Sergio’s voice rings proud when he speaks of their past: “We were number one on TripAdvisor,” he says, his tone soaked with memories of success in the Yucatán near Cancún.
Yet something about Tampa called to them. Maybe it was the humidity, familiar as a southern summer night. Maybe it was the community. Whatever it was, they came—and Chilpayas Mexican Seafood Food Truck was born.
📍Chilpayas is located at 5000 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
📸 Follow Chilpayas on Instagram
The Meaning Behind “Chilpaya”
There’s poetry in the name. “Our main sauce is Chilpaya,” Sergio explains. “It’s prepared with Chilpaya chili brought from Veracruz. You won’t find this anywhere else.” It’s not just a sauce. It’s a culinary relic, a legacy. Blended with olive oil, garlic, and a chili that bites like a coastal breeze, it’s fire and soul in one.
This isn’t food that apologizes. This is food that commands your attention.
Every item on the menu is built from scratch, stitched together with the same precision and love Sergio and Adriana once poured into family kitchens back home. It’s Veracruz in a paper tray, humming with the kind of flavor that tells you—you’ve never tasted anything like this before.
Veracruz on a Plate
Each signature plate is a ceremony. Served with green salad, rice, and a choice of fish, shrimp, or octopus, it arrives at your table—or window, rather—like a gift you didn’t know you needed. Choose one of their five homemade sauces and watch as layers of flavor unfold.
Yes, the Chilpaya sauce is king—but behind every throne is a council. Try the green sauce made with acuyo, a leaf as fragrant as basil but uniquely Mexican, often whispered into tamales like an old family secret.
Feeling the Florida heat? Ceviche is your salvation. “The ceviche is really nice and fresh,” Sergio notes, a modest phrase for what amounts to cold lightning on a fork. Citrus, seafood, and spice marry in a harmony that wakes you up, shakes your shoulders, and says: This is how it’s done.
When Pasta Meets the Sea
In a twist of fusion, Chilpayas dives into a lesser-known current of Mexican cuisine—Italian influence. Their seafood pasta dishes are a nod to the immigrant stories that have swirled into Mexico’s culinary DNA for generations. Think: shrimp tangled in linguine, smothered in bold Veracruz sauces, every bite a blend of the old world and the new.
It’s unexpected. It’s memorable. And somehow, it makes perfect sense.
A Name Written in the Waves
There’s something uncanny about Sergio’s last name—Delfin. It means “dolphin” in Spanish, and in Tampa Bay, where water is life, it feels more like destiny than coincidence. “We love the people, the weather and the variety of food options here,” he says. And when he speaks, it’s with the wide-eyed wonder of someone still stunned by how dreams sometimes land you thousands of miles away—only to feel like home.
Chilpayas isn’t just a food truck. It’s a bridge between worlds.
Not Just a Hidden Gem—A Love Letter
Chilpayas thrives in humble brilliance, a true treasure hidden in plain sight. But don’t mistake its food truck shell for simplicity. Beneath that modest exterior lies a culinary powerhouse, built on tradition, memory, and a touch of destiny.
Every dish is a message: You are welcome here.
Every spice is a whisper: You will come back.
This isn’t fast food. This is slow-burning obsession. And the people of Tampa? They’re catching on.
Stay Hungry, Tampa
So the next time you’re driving down South MacDill, window cracked, breeze biting your cheek—keep your eyes sharp. That blue-and-white food truck isn’t just your next meal. It’s a ticket to Veracruz, a memory you haven’t made yet, a secret you’re about to tell everyone.
And when you take that first bite, remember: this isn’t just Mexican seafood. It’s home cooking, 1,200 miles from home. Hungry yet?
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