A new restaurant moving into the former Zia Taqueria in West Asheville, plus Biltmore Park

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read

ASHEVILLE - The question of what will take over the former Zia Taqueria location in West Asheville has been answered.

South Carolina-based restaurant management company has announced it will make its Asheville debut with two Taco Boy restaurant locations slated for the mountain city.

“I couldn’t be more excited to bring Taco Boy to Asheville. Living in both cities has confirmed what I always believed as a visitor: that our values, as a family of neighborhood taquerias, align with the greater sense of purpose I feel within the community in Western North Carolina,” founder Karalee Nielsen Fallert said in a news release. She is also the founder and CEO of All Good Industries restaurant management group. “We believe that all good things are possible with the power of inclusivity, generosity, interconnectedness and tacos ... and always EXTRA guac!”

Taco Boy, a Mexican cuisine-inspired eatery, will open at 521 Haywood Road, tentatively by the end of 2022. It is the address of Zia Tacqueria, which closed in May.

Hiring for Taco Boy will begin in November.

Taco Boy, a South Carolina-based restaurant, will open two new location in Asheville.
Taco Boy, a South Carolina-based restaurant, will open two new location in Asheville.

The venue will be remodeled before opening day and the décor will be accented by work from local artisans. It will be designed to encourage community collaboration through food, drink, music, entertainment and art.

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By spring 2023, a second location is scheduled to open in Biltmore Park Town Square, 2 Town Square Blvd., #130. Hiring is expected to begin in late January.

In 2006, the first Taco Boy was opened in Folly Beach and now operates with a location in downtown Charleston and Summerville, South Carolina.

Taco Boy touts its fresh, scratch-made Mexican-inspired dishes and drinks. The menu features tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, rice and beans, chipotle slaw, Mexican street corn, guacamole and more.

Taco Boy, a South Carolina-based restaurant, will open two new location in Asheville.
Taco Boy, a South Carolina-based restaurant, will open two new location in Asheville.

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

“All tortillas will be made in-house using heirloom corn and a traditional nixtamalization process,” according to the news release.

The beverage menu features margaritas and Latin-infused craft cocktails.

The restaurant will offer brunch services, too.

The Asheville team will be headed by culinary director Francisco Alvarez. The chef offers his training and experience gained at Las Vegas restaurants and through his Mexican family and heritage.

A Blood Orange Margarita at Taco Boy.
A Blood Orange Margarita at Taco Boy.

Maty Hollingsworth will be the beverage director, described as a long-time Ashevillian and restaurant industry veteran who’s managed beverage programs at many local restaurants including Jargon and Limones.

View Taco Boy’s menu at tacoboy.net.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times. 

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Taco Boy restaurant moving into former Zia Taqueria in West Asheville