Both new restaurants are second locations for local chains. (Mike Platania photos)
The Fan is set to get a pair of new taquerias – right across the street from each other.
Juan More Taco is preparing to open at 304 N. Robinson St., while Nuevo Mexico Restaurante #2 is heading to 301 N. Robinson St.
The 1,300-square-foot Juan More Taco space has housed at least four concepts over the years, including Kirin Asian Cuisines, Boka Tako Bar, J Kogi and Michael’s Pies & Pints. Nuevo Mexico’s storefront has seen slightly less churn, with Metro Bar & Grill operating there from the late 1990s until 2020, when it was succeeded by Mr. Pulpo Seafood Grill & Bar, which closed over the summer after about a two-year run.
Juan More Taco was founded as a food truck in Fredericksburg in 2016 and went brick-and-mortar in 2019. Owner Maria Martin said she started thinking about adding a Richmond location a few years ago when her daughter moved to town for school.
“I’ve been going around everywhere tasting the food and I was like, ‘You know, there are some good places in Richmond that sell tacos, some amazing places, but our flavors are different,’” Martin said. “I think we can do something here, and we have a lot of Richmond people that already come to our (Fredericksburg) location.”
Martin said Juan More Taco’s menu is filled with food from her native country of Honduras, such as corn cakes, which are cornbread patties stuffed with cheese, a protein of choice, and topped with guacamole and pico de gallo. It also serves staples including tacos, burritos and quesadillas.
“With (Honduran) cuisine, we use a lot of spices – our food is very aromatic and very flavorful,” she said.
Juan More Taco signed a lease for the Robinson Street space about a year ago, but ran into delays during renovations. Martin said she’s now hoping to have the Richmond location open in a few weeks.
She said the plan is to be open for lunch and dinner, and possibly later.
“I know that it’s a residential area and I don’t want to bother the neighbors but I’m trying to see if we can stay up until maybe 2 a.m. on the weekends for that late-night crowd,” Martin said.
Fewer details are available regarding Nuevo Mexico across the street.
The restaurant looks to be a second location for Nuevo Mexico, which has been operating at 10282 Staples Mill Road in central Henrico for over a decade.
A sign for the restaurant is up and building permits have been filed in recent weeks, however attempts to reach owner Julio Landaverde have been unsuccessful.
As Juan More Taco and Nuevo Mexico work to open, another Fan restaurant recently tapped out. Earlier this week Kreggers At Hand closed at 2614 W. Cary St. The Southern-inspired tavern had operated in the Fan for about five years. Its sister location, Kreggers Tap and Table, remains open in Ashland.
Both new restaurants are second locations for local chains. (Mike Platania photos)
The Fan is set to get a pair of new taquerias – right across the street from each other.
Juan More Taco is preparing to open at 304 N. Robinson St., while Nuevo Mexico Restaurante #2 is heading to 301 N. Robinson St.
The 1,300-square-foot Juan More Taco space has housed at least four concepts over the years, including Kirin Asian Cuisines, Boka Tako Bar, J Kogi and Michael’s Pies & Pints. Nuevo Mexico’s storefront has seen slightly less churn, with Metro Bar & Grill operating there from the late 1990s until 2020, when it was succeeded by Mr. Pulpo Seafood Grill & Bar, which closed over the summer after about a two-year run.
Juan More Taco was founded as a food truck in Fredericksburg in 2016 and went brick-and-mortar in 2019. Owner Maria Martin said she started thinking about adding a Richmond location a few years ago when her daughter moved to town for school.
“I’ve been going around everywhere tasting the food and I was like, ‘You know, there are some good places in Richmond that sell tacos, some amazing places, but our flavors are different,’” Martin said. “I think we can do something here, and we have a lot of Richmond people that already come to our (Fredericksburg) location.”
Martin said Juan More Taco’s menu is filled with food from her native country of Honduras, such as corn cakes, which are cornbread patties stuffed with cheese, a protein of choice, and topped with guacamole and pico de gallo. It also serves staples including tacos, burritos and quesadillas.
“With (Honduran) cuisine, we use a lot of spices – our food is very aromatic and very flavorful,” she said.
Juan More Taco signed a lease for the Robinson Street space about a year ago, but ran into delays during renovations. Martin said she’s now hoping to have the Richmond location open in a few weeks.
She said the plan is to be open for lunch and dinner, and possibly later.
“I know that it’s a residential area and I don’t want to bother the neighbors but I’m trying to see if we can stay up until maybe 2 a.m. on the weekends for that late-night crowd,” Martin said.
Fewer details are available regarding Nuevo Mexico across the street.
The restaurant looks to be a second location for Nuevo Mexico, which has been operating at 10282 Staples Mill Road in central Henrico for over a decade.
A sign for the restaurant is up and building permits have been filed in recent weeks, however attempts to reach owner Julio Landaverde have been unsuccessful.
As Juan More Taco and Nuevo Mexico work to open, another Fan restaurant recently tapped out. Earlier this week Kreggers At Hand closed at 2614 W. Cary St. The Southern-inspired tavern had operated in the Fan for about five years. Its sister location, Kreggers Tap and Table, remains open in Ashland.
To hereby be known as the Taco District.
Given all the places going up and down Cary off Robinson as well that is not a bad name.