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Mexico City restaurant La Popular is opening its second-ever location in America right in Austin. It’ll be found within the Lantana Place development at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building Five, Suite 100 in the West Oak Hill neighborhood debuting sometime in spring 2023.
Through executive chef César de la Parra Coghlan, the restaurant serves up a taqueria menu, with tons of tacos such as pastor, chicharrónes, milanesa; quesadillas, gorditas, and sweets like flan and tres leches. For drinks, there’s a strong list of tequilas, mezcals, and beers, developed and selected by vice president of beverage operations Trevor Tyler.
La Popular was opened originally in 2013, focusing on coastal Mexican fare. Restaurant company Grupo Carolo bought it in 2020, after which it pivoted to a pan-Mexican food approach. There are two locations in Mexico City’s Lomas de Chapultepe and Bosques de las Lomas. neighborhoods The first stateside one opened in Northern California in late 2022. There are plans to open a third location in outside of Los Angeles later this year too.
Grupo Carolo’s other restaurants include Carolo, Emilio, Cachava, and others. Overseeing the group’s American expansion is Eureka! Restaurant Group, which runs the namesake American restaurant and bar chain and has an Austin location.
Also found in Lantana Place are Moviehouse & Eatery, Black Rock Coffee Bar, Carve American Grille, and Austin chef Ling Qi Wu’s forthcoming Ling Wu Asian Restaurant opening this year.
