In addition to its first U.S. branch opening later this month in National City, Tijuana’s Michelin-recognized Tacos El Franc is launching a more central location in the historic Gaslamp Quarter.
Founded as a humble street cart in 1974 by Javier Valadez, Tacos El Franc has evolved into a bustling brick-and-mortar institution famous for its spit-roasted adobada, flame-grilled carne asada, and hand-pressed tortillas. The taqueria was included in the Michelin Guide’s first-ever Mexico edition and has become a culinary landmark that draws devoted crowds from both sides of the border.
Tacos El Franc is nearly ready to unveil its first-ever U.S. restaurant at Westfield Plaza Bonita mall in National City, which is expected to finally debut after a year in development at some point this June. The South Bay restaurant will seat up to 200 guests and aims to be a near-exact replica of the original, featuring glossy blue and white tiles, a custom indoor charcoal grill, and a traditional cheve-bar pouring micheladas, Mexican beer, sangria, and Mexican sodas.
The Gaslamp branch will be significantly smaller than its southern counterparts, taking over the compact Fifth Avenue space formerly occupied by Lefty’s Cheesesteaks. Designed as a scaled-down version of the Tijuana flagship, the downtown eatery will deliver the full menu that made Tacos El Franc a borderland legend – featuring lengua, cabeza, tripa, suadero, and towering trompos of marinated adobada. Each taco will be finished with the taqueria’s signature hand-mixed avocado salsa, prepared fresh every morning to ensure the same bold, authentic flavor that drew crowds across the border for decades.
Bringing the taqueria stateside is co-owner Roberto Kelly, who spent more than two decades working alongside the founding Valadez family. Determined to preserve the authenticity of the original, Kelly and his team imported specialized equipment, sourced identical ingredients, and trained staff in traditional preparation methods…