Don't call it a comeback
Austin's most famous breakfast taco truck reopens amid coronavirus pandemic
Nearly one month after closing all operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Veracruz All Natural is rolling back onto the scene. On Monday, April 13, the taco shop opened three of its Austin-area locations, offering a limited menu and implementing new safety measures.
In an email, the beloved restaurant, famed for its migas tacos and other tasty delights, announced it has reopened its food trucks at 2505 Webberville Rd. in East Austin and at Radio Coffee & Beer in South Austin, as well as its Round Rock brick-and-mortar. (In January, Veracruz announced it was moving its Cesar Chavez truck to Webberville Road.)
Veracruz first announced it was closing down on March 19 to allow its employees to conduct a two-week, at-home quarantine. During that time, the restaurant said, no employee tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The weeks-long break also allowed Veracruz to reconsider safety measures.
"We also took these past few weeks to conduct a deep assessment of our health and safety procedures," said Veracruz. "Based on our assessment, and the assurance of knowing now that none of our employees are sick, we are ready to re-open."
This version of Veracruz, however, is a little different than it was pre-pandemic. To start, its offering contactless to-go ordering only, and orders must be made online through the restaurant's portal.
Once the request has been made, the customer will receive an email confirmation including a timestamp for pickup. Each order is then placed on a table outside the food truck or restaurant to minimize unnecessary contact between employees and the public. Veracruz also says employees have agreed to adhere to strict guidelines outside of work that include limiting travel and other activities.
In keeping with its commitment to seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, the Veracruz menu will change depending on what's available on that day. The restaurant is also now offering a Breakfast Tacos Essentials Kit, complete with homemade corn tortillas, eggs, potatoes, produce, and other ingredients to help Austinites make their favorites at home.