An Old Fourth Ward taqueria has closed its doors, barely a year after opening.
Taco Cantina, which opened at the end of 2017 at 480 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. NE, officially closed yesterday. An employee at the restaurant's original Smyrna location -- which will remain open -- confirmed the closure. Taco Cantina took over the space at the bottom of the Tribute Lofts previously occupied by Baked Comfort Foods.
The Schumacher Group listed the space for lease earlier this month, claiming an “absentee owner is unable to grow business per other commitments and restaurant,” but at the time noted the business was continuing to operate.
The Old Fourth Ward location’s menu featured about 60 percent of the items from the Smyrna spot. A bigger kitchen allowed the restaurant to offer an expanded list of appetizers, including ancho chipotle chicken wings, salads and tacos, as well as beverage offerings including several varieties of margaritas and tequilas.
AJC food critic Wendell Brock gave the Old Fourth Ward location a mixed review when he wrote about it in May 2018: "Sure, the tacos need work, but we haven't totally given up on them, either. We'll be back.
Adolfo Gonzales owns Taco Cantina with his wife, Brianna is a native of Mexico. He worked in the Atlanta hospitality for years, with stints at Buckhead Life restaurants including Atlanta Fish Market, Buckhead Diner and Corner Cafe, as well as Coast Bar & Grill in Charleston. He opened Taco Cantina in Smyrna in 2015.
The AJC has reached out to Gonzales for more details on the closure.
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