Ch-ch-changes

Celebrated Hyde Park taco truck hits the road as brick-and-mortar moves forward

Vaquero Taquero is still rolling along after the shutter of its food truck.

One of Austin’s most highly regarded food trucks is hitting the road. After less than two years in business, Hyde Park’s Vaquero Taquero quietly closed September 22.

Miguel Cobos, who owns the business with brother Daniel, says the team is selling the trailer in order to build a patio on the side of the brick-and-mortar at 104 E. 31st St., which opened in June.

“We want to focus on developing the brick-and-mortar to provide a good taqueria ambiance to the city — outdoor seating, culturally representative of taco culture, and carne asada smells,” Cobos tells CultureMap, adding that the business will be using an outdoor grill once construction is complete.

The move also means expanded hours for the restaurant. Beginning Tuesday, October 1, Vaquero Taquero will now be open from 7 am to 9 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

The food truck's closing is part of the evolution for the concept, which is devoted to preserving the culinary culture of the Rio Grande Valley. The business started modestly in early 2016 as a paleta cart serving tacos in front of downtown’s Mexic-Arte Museum before the brothers purchased the truck in January 2017.

Cobos says that back then they blasted the trompo flames without a hood, even though the truck would reach 106 degree temperatures in the process. Together, the brothers slowly customized the trailer into a state-of-the-art mobile kitchen.

That same DIY ethos extended to the storefront, located in the former home of Go Go Gourmet. The brothers did all of the work themselves, laying tiles, creating a burnt finish for the walls, and building all the furniture.

Though Hyde Park residents will have to drive a little farther to get al pastor and homemade tortillas, the future looks bright for Vaquero Taquero. During its short run, it has become one of the most celebrated restaurants in Austin — including winning the 2019 CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Favorite Taco.

closings food-trucks

Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.