New Taco Restaurant Promises Fresh Corn Tortillas in East Austin

A new taco restaurant is coming to East Austin with Nixta Taqueria on 2512 East 12th Street in the Chestnut neighborhood, opening sometime this spring or summer.

The Mexican-inspired menu includes corn tortillas, tacos, and tostadas. For drinks, there will be aguas frescas and then paletas for dessert.

Behind Nixta are co-owners chef Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi. The name is a nod to nixtamalization, the corn processing method which can be used for fresh house-made corn tortillas and other items. Rico will be previewing Nixta at this year’s Live Fire food event in April.

Rico was part of the opening team of Los Angeles restaurant Son of a Gun from James Beard Award-winning chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo in 2011, and the duo’s fine dining French restaurant Trois Mec with Ludo Lefebvre in 2013. He also spent time at the country’s favorite hip breakfast spot Sqirl as well as a stage at Mexico City fine dining destination Pujol. In Austin, he served as the chef de cuisine at Asian-Southern comfort restaurant Peached Tortilla’s event space Peached Social House, which opened in 2016.

Mardanbigi met Rico at Peached Social House, where she was the senior events coordinator. Currently, she is a recruiting manager for Torchy’s Tacos. At Nixta, she’ll oversee the restaurant’s operations.

Nixta Taqueria [Official]

Nixta Taqueria [Official]

• Nixta Taqueria [Official]
• Nixta Taqueria [Facebook]
• Nixta Taqueria [Instagram]