State Street Taco to replace Shawarma Station in Food Hall; plans tasting Friday

Jennie Geisler, Erie Times-News
Updated ·2 min read

You won't have to wait until Tuesday for tacos. New vendor State Street Taco will offer samples Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. inside Flagship City Food Hall.

The new business replaces Shawarma Station, which left the Food Hall in April.

The Flagship City Food Hall in downtown Erie is welcoming a new vendor, State Street Taco, to fill the vacancy left by Shawarma Station, which closed in April.
The Flagship City Food Hall in downtown Erie is welcoming a new vendor, State Street Taco, to fill the vacancy left by Shawarma Station, which closed in April.

State Street Taco owner Kevin Lupp hopes to open for regular business hours June 15, according to Mark Inscho, director of food and beverage operations for the Erie Downtown Development Corp., which runs the Food Hall.

"(Lupp) has engineered an Erie twist on Street Tacos," Inscho said. "Erieites are going to love it.”

“We are so excited to be joining the great local culinary talent that is already in Flagship CityFood Hall,” Lupp said. “Downtown Erie is going to be known as the place to go for streettacos.”

Lupp is a Food Hall veteran, as he also helps out at Jo’s Brooklyn Bagel Too, Inscho said, which opened inside Flagship City Food Hall in 2022.

State Street Taco will feature classic tacos with classic ingredients, as well as the option for guests to customize their own. Also, seasonally themed tacos will come and go from the menu year-round.

History: Shawarma Station restaurant departs from downtown Erie's Flagship City Food Hall

Shawarma Station owners cited "decreased foot traffic" when they left the Food Hall. That took Inscho by surprise, he said, claiming foot traffic was actually up. Either way, he said, the Food Hall was in part intended to be a stepping stone for restaurateurs who would eventually outgrow their space there and build their own business. He said in April that he wouldn't be surprised if that continues to happen with other Food Hall vendors.

Shawarma Station offered Middle Eastern food and was one of the original nine vendors. It is the third of the nine to leave, following Blue Willow Bakery and Cafe, which was replaced by Jo's Brooklyn Bagel Too, and Lucky Louie's, whose spot was taken over by North Row Philly, all in 2022.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: New vendor State Street Taco to replace Shawarma Station in Food Hall