Veracruz All Natural Opens a Walk-Up Taco Window in Downtown Austin

Veracruz All Natural, makers of the Austin’s best tacos, opened a brand-new location in the downtown area over Memorial Day weekend. The taco restaurant took over what was been the Line Hotel’s casual restaurant Dean’s One Trick Pony on 111 East Cesar Chavez Street.

For now, Veracruz is operating the restaurant as a to-go walk-up window facing Congress Avenue, where Dean’s had served to-go pies and soft serve ice cream. Orders are placed in-person, and the restaurant is serving Line Hotel guests in the pool area. Customers are required to wear facial coverings when ordering and picking up food, keeping in line with Veracruz’s COVID-19 preventative measures for all of its locations.

The downtown menu features many of Veracruz’s popular tacos, from the migas to the La Reyna, along with quesadillas, chips, guacamole, salsa, juices, smoothies, and aguas frescas.

The plan is that this Veracruz will stay open in this location through the summer. If it is successful, the restaurant will remain there permanently according to Ryan Myers, media coordinator for Veracruz. During this period, Veracruz will repaint the street-level mural, and will eventually open the indoor space as well.

However, a rep for the Line Hotel said that Dean’s isn’t closed permanently, even though the restaurant doesn’t appear on its website anymore. The restaurant, which opened in the late fall of 2018, announced it was originally temporarily closing in mid-March, ahead of the city-wide shutter of all dining rooms, along with the rest of Line Austin. The hotel, rooftop bar P6, and coffee shop Alfred reopened for business last week. Arlo Grey, its flagship restaurant led by chef Kristen Kish, remains closed for now.

“The Line wanted a local business to take over Dean’s spot,” explained Myers. “For us, we wanted to look for opportunities on East Cesar Chavez. That street is our history, and we are so excited for this spot.”

Veracruz has long wanted to open a permanent physical restaurant space along East Cesar Chavez Street. Co-owners Reyna and Maritza Vazquez tried to open one in 2014 at Mildred Street, but that fell through because of permitting issues. The original food truck location near Chalmers Avenue closed in March.

Veracruz is still planning on building a restaurant in East Austin at 2505 Webberville Road at some point this year. Until then, its taco and juice trucks are open for business. It also had to close its North Burnet restaurant earlier than expected because of the dining room closures in April and the address will make way for a condominium development.

Veracruz’s downtown hours are from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and then from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Update, May 27, 11:29 a.m. This article, originally published on Tuesday, May 26, has been updated to include updates on Dean’s One Trick Pony’s reopening status.

• Veracruz All Natural [Line Hotel]
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