Downtown Vancouver will soon welcome a new taco shop, as Santo Taco slides in at 108 W Hastings St in the old Noodlebox space.
Santo Taco, which calls itself a "famosa taqueria" (as in a famous taco spot), is the venture of the same team as East Vancouver's Mr Churro.
Mr Churro, which operates at 383 Raymur St, launched in 2023 and serves not only classic and stuffed churros, but also a full menu of Mexican fare including burritos, tortas (sandwiches), and tacos, along with hot and cold beverages.
However, to make the move to Gastown, Mr Churro will be closing down. Operators shared the news on social media this week, announcing first that Mr Churro's "temporary closure" on April 13, followed by the "big news" of the forthcoming launch of their Santo Taco operation.
"We’re gearing up for an epic comeback in Gastown with an authentic Mexican taqueria," reads the announcement.
Mr. Churro is currently open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with delivery available via third party platforms. You can also find "Santo Taco" for ordering, out of Mr Churro's Raymur address, on Skip the Dishes. The menu has dishes like burrotes (large burritos), tostares (a Mexican street food featuring a fried tortilla with toppings), and vampiritos (described as "not a tostada, not a taco. Kinda in between").
Taco shop opening blocks from long-time taqueria moving to new nearby location
Santo Taco is joining the neighbourhood just as nearby La Taqueria, a couple of blocks over at 322 W Hastings St, is gearing up to close down.
La Taqueria, which debuted in Vancouver in 2009 at the West Hastings space, is not gone for good. In addition to having multiple locations in Metro Vancouver, the popular casual Mexican restaurant is shifting to brand new digs further west along Hastings. The relocated La Taqueria will be going in at 601 W Hastings St, part of the Waterfront Hub duo of downtown new builds, with a spiffy, modern, 50-seat restaurant.
Once La Taqueria departs, sibling operation and Michelin Guide-endorsed Chupito will take over at 322 W Hastings St until the building nears demolition for redevelopment.
No opening timeline for Santo Taco's launch has been shared. Follow Santo Taco on Instagram @famoustaqueria for updates.
Find more delicious Vancouver food and drink video stories by following V.I.A's Forking Awesome TikTok account, @forkingawesomevancouver on Instagram, and signing up for our Forking Awesome newsletter delivered fresh to your inbox every Thursday.
