We got a sneak peek at the globally inspired menu—and it did not disappoint.
Velvet Taco, a Texas-born brand known for bold, globally inspired flavors, opens its first Raleigh location in North Hills on Monday, February 16, 2026. With this debut, Raleigh’s taco scene gets a creative upgrade, as highlighted during the Raleigh Reveal Event on February 12.
The evening was a chance to sample a handful of selections from their scratch-made menu, and we were impressed from the first bite. Highlights included the beer-battered cauliflower, indulgent Bacon Smash Burger, flavorful Spicy Tikka Chicken, and Raleigh’s exclusive Cue taco—a delicious nod to the city’s Southern roots featuring Carolina pulled pork, cornbread hushpuppies, creamy slaw, pickled onions, and fresnos on a flour tortilla. We couldn’t leave without indulging in the house-made Red Velvet Cake with cajeta drizzle—a perfectly sweet finish.
What we love about Velvet Taco is the concept: it’s not just tacos, it’s an experience. The menu spans chicken, pork, beef, seafood, and vegetarian tacos, along with Velvet Bowls and boozy libations like the cult-favorite Kick-Ass Margarita. The Weekly Taco Feature (WTF) program keeps things exciting, with a new, limited-time taco every week—52 chances a year to discover something different. Proceeds from the Raleigh ‘Cue support Note in the Pocket, a local nonprofit, which makes each bite feel even better…