Tacos Coming Up

Cuantos Tacos marinating first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Austin

Cuantos Tacos is highly regarded in Austin for its Mexico City-style tacos.

Cuantos Tacos/Facebook

After seven years of serving Mexico City-style tacos out of a food truck, one of Austin’s popular taco spots is preparing for its next chapter.

Cuantos Tacos, which opened in September 2019, is planning to expand into its first brick-and-mortar restaurant, with hopes of opening during the first quarter of 2027.

Owner Luis “Beto” Robledo said the expansion has been years in the making.

Robledo said he and his team began searching for a location again late last year and were finally able to secure a space.

“It’s something that’s long overdue,” he said.

When Cuantos Tacos first opened in 2019, Robledo said it was just him and his manager operating the truck.

The business initially served customers late into the night, sometimes staying open until 1 or 2 am.

That schedule helped attract restaurant industry workers looking for a meal after their shifts. Word quickly spread.

“A lot of the industry folks were coming and swinging by and helping us spread the word,” Robledo said. “Next thing we knew, by December of that same year, we were having a problem of running out of food.”

The early success helped Cuantos Tacos build a loyal following, eventually earning recognition from the Michelin Guide.

But Robledo said tacos weren’t originally his first choice when considering opening a business. He had four other restaurant concepts in mind before deciding to focus on Mexico City-style tacos.

A trip to Mexico City in 2018 helped shape that vision.

Robledo visited several taco spots, studying the flavors and techniques he wanted to bring back to Austin.

“I’m gonna try to make sure to stay true to it, not mess with it, but just with my fingerprint,” Robledo said.

What’s next for Cuantos Tacos?

While the food truck has allowed Cuantos Tacos to build a following, Robledo said a permanent restaurant will provide opportunities to expand beyond the current menu.

The new location could feature additional dishes, rotating daily specials and more opportunities for creativity in the kitchen.

Read the full story at our news partner KVUE.com.

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H-E-B News

Bastrop elote sauce wins $25,000 first place prize in H-E-B contest

H-E-B Quest for Texas best first place winner La Fregonia

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

The makers of La Fregonia traveled around Mexico, their home country, for three years to perfect their recipe.

Five Texas-made products took top honors in Quest for Texas Best, the annual competition hosted by Texas supermarket chain H-E-B, sharing $110,000 in cash prizes, as well as a chance to be sold at H-E-B stores.

According to a release, a Bastrop company took the first place prize of $25,000 (which was one step below the grand prize). Called La Fregona, the company makes a five-chile sauce for elotes and esquites, or anything else shoppers want to punch up with it.

The Grand Prize winner was Sol Dias, a family-owned Mexican ice cream and paleta company based in Haltom City, who took home the top cash prize of $50,000, earning the title of "Texas Best" and a guaranteed placement on H-E-B shelves.

The five winners were as follows:

Grand Prize $50,000: Sol Dias, Haltom City Mexican ice cream company
First Place $25,000: La Fregona, Bastrop chile sauce for elotes and esquites
Second Place $15,000: Hive Food Co., Houston beekeepers known for gourmet infused honey
Third Place (tied) $10,000: Dean & Peeler Meats, Floresville beef producer known for smoked Gouda sausage and Angus tallow
Third Place (tied) $10,000: Uncle Marc’s, Glenn Heights manufacturer of barbecue seasonings, rubs, and sauces

Now in its 13th year, Quest for Texas Best challenges small businesses to compete for the chance to win cash prizes and the opportunity to be stocked on H-E-B shelves.

This year's winners were chosen from a record-breaking 978 entries representing more than 500 companies statewide. Those were culled down in September to 10 finalists, who pitched their products on October 8 at H-E-B's headquarters in San Antonio.

The remaining five finalists were awarded $5,000 each, bringing the grand total to $135,000.

La Fregona was founded in 2023 by married couple Rafael Ayala and Jocelyn Alvarez. They are originally from Michoacán, and they traveled across the country for three years to develop the most authentic sauce they could create with input from eloteros. It was important that the product be shelf stable, but it still doesn't use any artificial colors or flavors. In addition to corn, the makers recommend trying it on fruit, snacks, and cocktail rims.

The 2026 finalists brought a distinctly Texas mix of food, beverages, and general merchandise to the competition, from frozen cookie dough, smoked sausage, and infused honey to seasonings, street-corn sauce, pet treats, and cocktail mixes.

Since the program began in 2014, H‑E‑B has discovered more than 1,000 Texas-made products and awarded nearly $3 million in prize money, complemented by marketing support, mentoring, and opportunities designed to help small businesses scale.

In a statement, H-E-B's Senior Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity James Harris said that “Because H‑E‑B began as a small business, we understand the difference that meaningful support and access can make. Through Quest for Texas Best, we are honored to champion these innovators as they take the next step in building their businesses and reaching more customers.”

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Brandon Watson and Brianna Caleri contributed to this story.

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