When it opened in 2009, La Taqueria on West Hastings Street was at the forefront of a fresh trend in Vancouver dining, bringing authentic Mexican street-style tacos to the city's downtown core.
Flash forward 15 years, and not only has the range of Mexican restaurants in Vancouver increased significantly, but also La Taqueria has enjoyed tremendous growth, now operating a food truck, two Vancouver restaurants as well as one each in North Vancouver, Burnaby, and Victoria.
However, as 2024 unfolds, La Taqueria is poised to relocate its original "pinche taco shop" on the edge of Gastown in the face of impending redevelopment at its current location.
The La Taqueria at 322 W Hastings St will close this year, a marketing rep for the business confirmed with V.I.A. by email, however, a date was not made available.
Though the loss is poignant, it is not the whole story: "We are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of our new Seymour location, just a few blocks away," shared La Taqueria.
Specifically, the relocated La Taqueria will be going in at 601 W Hastings St, part of the Waterfront Hub duo of downtown new builds; signage for the planned restaurant was visible on the tower's ground floor last month.
"Our Seymour location will feature a 50-seat taqueria and patio, embodying the essence of an authentic Mexican-style taqueria," describes La Taqueria by email. "Focusing primarily on tacos and margaritas, we are returning to our roots to bring you an unparalleled culinary experience."
Chupito, Cantina 189 also shifting as part of La Taqueria move
The original West Hastings spot is home to the alley-access outdoor bar/restaurant Chupito and has a sibling cocktail bar concept, Cantina 189, cozied up next door to La Taqueria.
Chupito, the Michelin-recognized seasonal spot, will resume operations inside the vacated La Taqueria shop once doors are open down at 601 West Hastings and will remain there until the building is slated for demolition to make way for the redevelopment.
The business rep says "both Chupito and Cantina 189 will be making the move alongside La Taqueria," though further specifics were not made available, particularly a timeline for operation changes - if any - for Cantina 189.
La Taqueria is no stranger to moving for redevelopment. In 2018, the taco restaurant's Cambie and Broadway location shuttered ahead of demolition and shifted to nearby Yukon Street, south of Broadway.
Another recent change for La Taqueria was last year's closure of its Hornby Street location downtown; the business opted not to renew its lease on the space and instead focused on upgrading its food truck, which parks on the West Georgia Street plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery - and even has stools for customers to use for dining at the pink truck's counter.
A few other shifts are afoot for the award-winning brand. There's a new "culinary partnership" set up to add a few items to menu: "Our Head Chef Maria [Ponce] will be collaborating with a skilled chef from Mexico to introduce traditional delights, including the mouth-watering Al Pastor taco on the Trompo 'Shwarma Style,' authentic Carnitas, and much more."
Adds the restaurant: "We are genuinely thrilled about these changes, and our team is dedicated to growing the La Taqueria brand in Vancouver while continuing to provide the best Mexican food experience."
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