The news was inevitable: La Taqueria is bidding farewell to its original Vancouver "Pinche Taco Shop" location ahead of the site's redevelopment.
While the closure was expected, until now, a final date had not been set for the lively, casual Mexican restaurant.
Now La Taqueria has announced its final day at 322 W Hastings St will be Sunday, May 18.
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.
La Taqueria launched in 2009, brand has grown significantly
Since then, the brand has enjoyed tremendous growth, from the addition of multiple locations, including at the Amazing Brentwood in Burnaby and on Yukon in Mount Pleasant, to being the spring board for the Michelin Guide-endorsed Chupito, which began as a seasonal patio, complete with a shipping container bar, accessed through the alley at the back of the original La Taqueria on Hastings.
The redevelopment is why Chupito enjoyed its last season there last year; recently, Chupito re-opened in a new space, occupying half of the La Taqueria space on Yukon.
Back at Hastings, La Taqueria will spend its last days in festive mode. La Taqueria will hold a two-day farewell fiesta on May 17 and 18. Over that final weekend, every purchase will come with a complimentary cerveza (19+ only). And for its very last service, the original Hastings location will go out with a bang with offering everything on the menu for $5 while supplies last, starting at 7 p.m.
While the loss of the original shop is sad news, after 16 years, La Taqueria will still be a presence in the area, only at a new location. Set to open later this summer, La Taqueria will offer a taco-centric menu at its new digs, which has been in the build-out process at the Waterfront Hub building (601 W Hastings St/333 Seymour St) for several months now.
Details on the relocated La Taqueria are expected to be released soon.
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