Latest news with #Tijuana-style
Miami Herald
18-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Popular Mexican restaurant chain expands to new market
Whether you're into traditional Mexican birria tacos, crunchy hard-shell American tacos, or vegan nopal tortilla tacos, many can agree that tacos are one of the most versatile foods available. It doesn't matter if you're a meat-loving carnivore or a plant-based foodie; if it can be folded into a tortilla, you've technically got yourself a "taco." Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter While building a taco isn't the difficult part, few have truly mastered the art of crafting an authentic one. Since tacos didn't originate in the U.S., it's no surprise that finding the real deal can be a bit of a scavenger hunt, especially in certain states. Related: Popular Mexican restaurant adds new menu, new store concept California is known for having some of the best and most authentic taco spots, thanks to its proximity to the border, which allows prime access to traditional Mexican ingredients. Unfortunately for the Northern states, their distance from the Mexican border makes it harder to obtain the necessary ingredients, which often can increase the price of a simple taco, turning it into a splurge rather than an enjoyable experience. Image Source: Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Established in 2018, Tacos 1986 began as an independent taco cart inside a parking lot in Los Angeles, California. Although Los Angeles is known for having a dense Hispanic community and a crowded market for Mexican restaurants, Tacos 1986's unique Tijuana-style tacos, made with handmade corn tortillas and authentic flavors, were an instant success with the locals. It didn't take long for the word to spread, which led to it quickly attracting thousands of taco-loving customers. Related: Restaurant that invented beloved sandwich closing after 117 years Thanks to its rapid rise in popularity, Tacos 1986 opened its first brick-and-mortar location just one year later. By the following year, it opened three more, and today, it operates eight full restaurants across California. The owners' purpose in opening Tacos 1986 was to share Tijuana-style tacos and culture with Los Angeles, allowing the community to experience the food they had the pleasure of growing up with. Now that Tacos 1986 has conquered California, it's ready to introduce its signature cuisine to a wider audience. Tacos 1973 announced it is expanding outside of California to open its first-ever restaurant in none other than New York City on July 24. The Mexican restaurant will be part of a new three-section complex project in the West Village at 1 Cornelia St., one of Manhattan's most popular streets. The upcoming Tacos 1973 will be a small 250-square-foot unit with a standing room and counter service space where customers can order. More Food News: Popular chicken chain is begging customers to give it another chanceBurger King menu adds wild kids' meal toys parents will want tooCoca-Cola brings back controversial discontinued flavor after 3 years The restaurant will be joined by two neighboring cocktail bars, and luckily for their customers, they'll be able to order food from Tacos 1973 while they sip some cocktails. Tacos 1973 will only be open during evening hours for its initial phase, but operations will expand to morning and afternoon, and it will eventually offer breakfast items. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Eater
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
One of LA's Best Taquerias Makes Its New York Debut
is a born-and-raised New Yorker who is an editor for Eater's Northeast region and Eater New York, was the former Eater Austin editor for 10 years, and often writes about food and pop culture. It used to be said that tacos in New York weren't as good as in other regions of America, say, Texas or California. But NYC's taco scene has certainly improved in recent years. And now, a famed Los Angeles taqueria is making its East Coast debut in New York City this month. Tacos 1986 will open in the West Village at 1 Cornelia Street, at West Fourth Street, on Thursday, July 24. The taqueria's first location outside of the Los Angeles area is going to be part of a three-part complex — One Cornelia — run by the owner of East Village speakeasy Please Don't Tell, Jeff Bell. Tacos 1986's focus is Tijuana-style tacos, per co-owners Victor Delgado and Jorge 'Joy' Alvarez-Tostada, who grew up in the Mexican border city. The menu includes grilled meats layered onto house-made corn and flour tortillas. There's the popular carne asada (steak) and the adobada (adobo-marinated thin pork cut from a trompo), along with chicken and mushroom varieties. Then there are also taco iterations with varying degrees of grilled cheese, from the mulitas to the vampiros to the quesadillas, as well as the recommended perrones (flour tortillas with grilled cheese and layered with beans and meats). The team will also offer their breakfast tacos and burritos during the daytime, with scrambled eggs, meats, mushrooms, salsas, bacon, beans, and much more. Delgado and Alvarez-Tostada previously worked together with Bell, serving food at Coachella in 2023. And Bell was determined to work with the duo at some point, leading to One Cornelia. The rest of the building includes two cocktail bars. There's the agave bar Mixteca, led by longtime Please Don't Tell staffer Victor Lopez, which is set to open in August. In addition, luxe basement bar Kees will open in the fall. Bell talks about how the significance of the address — the three-part complex sits at the confluence of West Fourth Street, Sixth Avenue, and Cornelia Street — along with the addition of Tacos 1986, makes the project that much more special. He recounts how passersby will point to the restaurant signage, exclaiming, ''Oh my god, I went to UCLA and I had this every day.'' The video interview kept getting interrupted by people recognizing and talking to Delgado and Alvarez-Tostada. And then, a certain pop star used to be a nearby resident. Taylor Swift had lived on the West Village block and has a popular song named after the street. Bell notes, 'If you stand out for an hour, you're probably going to get a dozen Swifties taking photos with the Cornelia Street sign.' The adobada perron from Tafcos 1986. The New York Tacos 1986 will be a slim, standing-room counter-service space at 250 square feet. When the rest of One Cornelia opens, customers at the cocktail bars will be able to order the food. The restaurant will serve its own aguas frescas, too. Initially, Tacos 1986 will operate with evening hours, but it'll expand to include morning and afternoon hours later on. That's when breakfast will be served. 'It was a mission, a vision,' Alvarez-Tostada says about expanding into Manhattan. Delgago positions it as: 'How do you say no to New York City?' The two are focusing on this restaurant for now, but they're not totally ruling out a future expansion in the region. Ultimately, Tacos 1986 NYC is about showcasing the team's West Coast taco sensibilities to the East Coast. 'That's really the goal in this small corner of New York: to represent Tijuana and Los Angeles,' says Alvarez-Tostada. 'I would love to create a nostalgic vibe for people who know it and have been to Tijuana.' Eater NY All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
LA Taco Chain Closes 15 Locations Amid ICE Crackdown
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A popular taco chain in the Los Angeles area has temporarily closed all but one of its locations amid increased immigration enforcement operations. Newsweek reached out to the restaurant, Angel's Tijuana Tacos, for comment. Why It Matters Los Angeles has become a flashpoint in the nation's immigration debate after a weekend of unrest tied to opposition to President Donald Trump's mass deportation policy, with reports of arson and looting in downtown Los Angeles and 42 arrests. What To Know In a message shared Thursday night on Instagram, Angel's Tijuana Tacos announced that its Anaheim restaurant will remain open, while its other 15 locations—primarily taco trucks and stands—are closed until further notice. Though the statement did not explicitly cite U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity as the reason for the closures, the post appeared to reference ongoing enforcement actions across Southern California. "Anaheim is our only location open. ALL other locations will be closed until further notice. We hope to see you soon. Stay safe everyone," the business wrote in a social media post. Angel's Tijuana Tacos is a Southern California taco chain known for its authentic Tijuana-style tacos. Founded in 2018 by a 31-year-old taquero with roots in Guerrero, Mexico—known publicly as Taquero Angel—the business began as a single stand in North Hollywood and quickly expanded to 15 locations across Los Angeles. Just weeks ago, the chain opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Anaheim, a city about 26 miles south of Los Angeles in Orange County. File photo of a taco at a restaurant in New Hampshire. File photo of a taco at a restaurant in New Hampshire. Matthew Mead/AP The move comes amid a backdrop of heightened concerns in California as Trump squares off against Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump ordered the deployment of approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests sparked by his intensified immigration enforcement policies. The demonstrations escalated following the troop mobilization and have since spread to other major cities, including New York, Boston, and Chicago. Newsom has asked a judge to block the deployment, arguing that the military presence has heightened tensions and is interfering with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los Angeles. On Thursday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily halted a lower court order that required Trump to return control of National Guard troops to California. The deployment was initiated in response to protests in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement actions. Earlier the same day, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that the deployment was unlawful, stating it violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded the president's legal authority. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social early Friday: "Incompetent Gavin Newscum should have been THANKING me for the job we did in Los Angeles, rather than making sad excuses for the poor job he has done. If it weren't for me getting the National Guard into Los Angeles, it would be burning to the ground right now!" Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on June 8: "This is a difficult time for our city. As we recover from an unprecedented natural disaster, many in our community are feeling fear following recent federal immigration enforcement actions across Los Angeles County. Reports of unrest outside the city, including in Paramount, are deeply concerning. She added: "Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable." What Happens Next The locations could be reopened, as they are currently listed as temporarily closed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular Tijuana taqueria opens location in San Diego County
(FOX 5/KUSI) — Tacos el Franc, one of Tijuana's most renowned taquerias, opened its first location in the United States this Wednesday in a shopping plaza in National City.••• Lee este artículo en español The new location is located in Westfield Plaza Bonita, right at the plaza's east entrance. Two Baja California restaurants receive Michelin stars The taco chain is known for its Tijuana-style meats, and its menu includes asada, adobada, cabeza, suadero, tripa, campechano, and lengua, as well as vegetarian tacos and other dishes. Its name comes from the French ancestry of the family that founded the company. Founder Javier Valadez worked at a taco stand in Tijuana in 1974 and opened the first Tacos el Franc in 1996. Visit The San Diego Guide to find unique places and experiences The taqueria has been recognized by the Michelin Guide and gained even more fame when it was featured in the popular Netflix series, Taco Chronicles. The Tijuana location is located at the intersection of downtown and Zona Río. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Eater
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
One of Tijuana's Most Legendary Taco Spots Opens in San Diego
The opening of Tacos El Franc, one of Tijuana's most famous taquerias, is the moment San Diegans have been waiting for. The taqueria opens on June 11 inside Westfield Plaza Bonita in National City from the founding Valadez family, along with partners Roberto Kelly and Salvador Lombroso. The legendary taquería illuminates a wide stretch of Sánchez Taboada and beckons a steady flow of diners looking for Tijuana-style carne asada and spicy adobada on handmade corn tortillas. Tacos El Franc has big expansion plans in the U.S., with a second location coming to San Diego's Gaslamp in just a few weeks. Tacos El Franc founder Don Javier Valadez started serving tacos from a street cart in Tijuana's Colonia El Soler in 1974, saving up to open a first brick-and-mortar taquería called Tacos La Glorieta just a few blocks away. The red-and-white checkerboard tiled fonda remains one of the city's most respected old-school destinations for tacos in Tijuana. Then came Tacos El Francés in 1986, advertising Mexican flavors with a French twist to hint to the French ancestry in the Valadez family tree (the 'A' in the storefront sign forms an Eiffel Tower). Tacos El Francés eventually moved to its current location in Playas de Tijuana, but the business really took off with Tacos El Franc on Sánchez Taboada, near the intersection of downtown Tijuana and Zona Río. Tacos El Franc has been recommended in the Michelin Guide and was featured on Netflix's Taco Chronicles . Tijuana taco culture continues to proliferate in the U.S., with a nationwide Tijuana-style beef birria frenzy that began in Los Angeles in the 2010s. Chains that serve guacamole-covered carne asada and adobada, like Tacomasa, Tijuanazo (and its sister restaurant Tacos Frontera), and Tacos 1986, continue to expand across Southern California. In Las Vegas, Tacos El Gordo serves more than 4,000 tacos a day. With the Westfield Plaza Bonita opening, Tacos El Franc joins hometown competitors Tacos El Gordo, with seven U.S. locations, including in San Diego, Chula Vista, and Las Vegas, and, most recently, Tijuanazo, which expanded in East Los Angeles and Hillcrest in 2024. The restaurant design features red-and-white tile walls and counters that recall the original Tacos La Glorieta, as well as brick walls in the dining area. The stainless steel kitchen area is filled with cooks working shoulder-to-shoulder, smoke and steam billowing out between them as they move swiftly. The taquería may be inside a suburban mall, but the show behind the counter is pure Tijuana. For Kelly, this opportunity has been 23 years in the making. 'I've been a customer since I was a teenager and always wanted to get Don Javier to open in San Diego,' says Kelly, who grew up working in his mother's Tijuana restaurant and is now an entrepreneur. 'Once I felt ready, I approached Don Javier with a plan.' Don Javier is supervising the project to ensure his tacos, mulitas, quesadillas, vampiros, and tostadas are filled with quality ingredients. Steaks must be cooked over mesquite, and the kitchen team must work in a traditional taco brigade system. 'We will have two trompos with taqueros, another on the tacos de fritanga station, one for the steamed meats, and a master taquero on carne asada supported by a pair of expeditors,' explains Kelly. Don Javier trained the taqueros in the new National City location, while a team traveled to Tijuana to learn the salsas, vegetable preparation, and marinades. Westfield Plaza Bonita's Tacos El Franc uses top sirloin for its tacos de carne asada and pork picnic roast for adobada that will be sliced from the trompos. Each trompo can hold more than 200 pounds of meat. From the tacos de fritanga station, cuts like suadero and tripas are fried in fat along the inside rim of a stainless steel disc. The last part of the kitchen steams beef head and tongue, just as in Tijuana. Tacos de carne asada are served with hand-pressed corn tortillas, while premade tortillas sourced from a San Diego tortillería are used for all other tacos. Kelly says any taco can be upgraded to a handmade one for an additional charge. The menu also includes simple vasos de frijol (whole beans), or prepared cups of beans with meat and cheese. The U.S. Tacos El Franc team promises the full Tijuana experience in terms of speedy service and flavor, but they also hope to mix in a little bit of San Diego with the menu additions of carne asada and adobada fries. 'We have plans to expand to Las Vegas, but for now we are focused on these pair of San Diego openings,' says Kelly, who knows Don Javier was approached with many offers to open in the U.S. but ultimately chose to partner with him. 'I'm shocked every day that this is even happening, that Don Javier agreed to work with me and fulfill my dream.' Tacos El Franc opens on June 11 and will serve daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Westfield Plaza Bonita, 3030 Plaza Bonita Road, Space 1108, National City, CA 91950. See More: San Diego Restaurant Openings
