Virginia-Highland Mexican restaurant the Original El Taco is set to close March 19 after nearly 15 years.
Located at 1186 N. Highland Ave., the restaurant has served a menu of Mexican staples including tostadas, tacos and quesadillas since 2008.
The restaurant is part of the Fifth Group Restaurants hospitality group, which also includes Alma Cocina, South City Kitchen, Ecco, La Tavola and Lure. A location of El Taco that opened in the international terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in 2012 remains open.
Fifth Group, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, will open a new concept in the same space this summer after renovations and a kitchen refresh.
Fifth Group partner Steve Simon addressed the closure in a prepared statement shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
“We’ve been in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood since 1999 when we first opened La Tavola – we love our regulars and neighbors and want to bring them something fresh and new. The area is seeing an influx of investment, growth, and new retail and restaurants and we’re excited to match that energy with a brand-new concept. We hope our neighbors and everyone who loves El Taco will come by and visit our staff before we close and raise a margarita and spin the wheel of taco one last time.”
El Taco’s closing and the opening of the new concept, team members will find a temporary home at one of the other nine Fifth Group locations.
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