YOU HAD US AT TACOS
Hot Texas taco chain breaks into San Antonio with first outpost
Just ahead of Cinco de Mayo, a Dallas-based chain has announced it’s bringing its street tacos to San Antonio.
Rusty Taco, the Acapulco-inspired taco stand founded in 2010, will open its first Alamo City franchise later this summer at the Bulverde Marketplace at 17026 Bulverde Rd.
Operated locally by Andy Besing and Perrin Larsh of San Antonio-based Lone Star Restaurant Group, the 3,000-square-foot Rusty Taco will be the first of several the franchisees plan to open in San Antonio, with additional locations coming online in 2022 and 2023.
Part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants, Rusty Taco (named for founder Rusty Fenton) in San Antonio will emphasize the handmade street-style tacos the brand has become known for, including 20 street taco variations — Baja shrimp, beef fajita, roasted pork, brisket, and fried chicken tacos among them — as well as a selection of breakfast tacos (including a brisket version because, well, can you ever have enough brisket?) that will be available all day every day alongside made-from-scratch guacamole, salsa, and taco sauces.
The new Alamo City taco spot will also feature a 900-square-foot outdoor patio and a custom-built, full-service bar concocting an array of cocktails, including handmade margaritas with fresh lime juice, each curated to pair perfectly with tacos.
“We want to bring an authentic and simple taco concept to our city, who we know loves tacos as much as we do,” says Besing, who has worked in the commercial real estate industry for 20 years, often representing restaurant clients. “And nothing accompanies a taco better than a refreshing margarita or cold mixed drink that can be enjoyed on our expansive patio with roll-up-style garage doors.”
The restaurateurs seem to know a beefy concept when they see one (particularly Larsh, who owns four Arby’s franchises), as the Rusty Taco business is adding up to a whole lot more than a hill of beans. The company currently has 32 taco shops in 10 states, including 10 in Texas.