Before you even step inside Tijuana, you know you’re in for something different. A six-foot-tall dia de los muertos skeleton statue greets you with a flashy grin and a sombrero on his head. Here, at Tijuana, expect the unexpected.

Like many of us, owner Eike Frantz “chose” Florence while studying here. As a student, he copped some cash on the side by selling Italian silk ties in Mexico, where he fell in love with a woman, a cuisine and a culture. What he did not love about Mexico was a mix-up at customs that ended in his brief incarceration. 

He returned to Florence and opened Tijuana, intent on introducing not only authentic Mexican food, but authentic, well, everything to his clients. Every single knick-knack and element of décor, from the thick margarita glasses to the Jose Cuervo barrel tables, religious statuettes crowding nooks in the brick walls, iron cast chandeliers and vibrant artwork, was hand picked and shipped from Mexico. In over a decade, Eike Frantz has shipped over 20,000 kilos of goods to Florence.