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Santa Fe Taqueria

Santa Fe Taqueria was a Mexican restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Owner Danny Cardoso opened the restaurant on 23rd Avenue in northwest Portland's Northwest District in 1990, serving traditional cuisine such as burritos, enchiladas, nachos, tacos, and margaritas. The family-friendly taqueria garnered a positive reception, and is slated to close permanently on September 30, 2024.

Santa Fe Taqueria
The restaurant's exterior, 2022
Map
Restaurant information
Established1990 (1990)
ClosedSeptember 2024 (2024-09)
Owner(s)Danny Cardoso
Food typeMexican
Street address831 Northwest 23rd Avenue
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97210
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°31′44″N 122°41′55″W / 45.5290°N 122.6987°W / 45.5290; -122.6987

Description

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The Mexican restaurant Santa Fe Taqueria operates on 23rd Avenue in northwest Portland's Northwest District. It has a large dining room and an attached cantina.[1] The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, and in 2007, Christopher Reynolds of the Los Angeles Times called Santa Fe Taqueria "a tang of Southwest flavor amid much Northwestness".[2]

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According to Eater Portland, the taqueria serves Mexican food in the style of Puebla, where the owner's family is from.[3] The menu includes Aztec Calendar dip, blue-corn chicken, burritos, enchiladas, flautas, nachos, tacos, horchata,[4] and margaritas.[5][6]

Vegan and vegetarian options for burritos, nachos, and tacos include ground Beyond Meat, jackfruit carnitas, soy chorizo in green sauce, or soy curls with onions and red sauce. Among blended and frozen margarita varieties are blood orange, guava, or passionfruit.[1]

History

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Exterior of the restaurant in 2022

Owner Danny Cardoso opened Santa Fe Taqueria in 1990; he also owned sibling establishments Mayas Taqueria (or Maya's Taqueria), which opened in 1986 and was later sold, as well as Aztec Willies, which opened in 1994.[6][7][8] Yolanda Munos was the bar manager of Santa Fe Taqueria in 2020.[9]

In November 2015, to commemorate its 25th anniversary, Santa Fe Taqueria hosted an event with free food, drink specials, and live music, as well as activities for children such as balloon modelling and face painting.[3][10] As of 2017, children ate for free on Wednesdays after 5pm.[11]

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a parking-strip patio made of corrugated plastic walls was installed outside Sante Fe Taqueria, at a cost of approximately $6,000. The patio collapsed under the weight of snow in February 2021.[7] The restaurant increased outdoor seating at times when there were indoor seating capacity restrictions.[12]

On August 29, 2024, Cardoso announced plans to close the restaurant permanently on September 30.[13] He said on social media: "I opened the first taqueria in the city of Portland (on) August 4, 1986 and now the window for exiting the food scene in Portland has opened up for me. I am eternally grateful and appreciative to all who have come through and supported me." A farewell party is slated for September 25, where belongings like chairs, plates, and tables will be put up for sale.[6][14][15]

Reception

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Santa Fe Taqueria's horchata won in the Best Hangover Cure category of Willamette Week's 2009 "best nights" overview.[16] In 2022, the business was among the 30 highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the city, according to Tripadvisor. The website gave ratings of 4 for food, 4 for service, 4 for value, and 3.5 for atmosphere, each on a scale of 5.[17] In 2023, Waz Wu recommended Santa Fe Taqueria in Eater Portland's overview of the city's best vegan tacos,[1] and Meira Gebel and Emily Harris included the business in Axios Portland's list of six restaurants for "standout" tacos.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Wu, Waz (2021-05-11). "Where to Find Tasty Vegan Tacos in Portland". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2021-11-28. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  2. ^ "Wonderfully weird". The Spokesman-Review. Cowles Company. June 10, 2007. ISSN 2993-1274. OCLC 11102529. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  3. ^ a b Bamman, Mattie John (2015-11-09). "Acadia Bistro Goes Gumbo Crazy | Santa Fe Taqueria's 25th Anniversary Free-Food Bash". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  4. ^ "Best Nights". Willamette Week. 2009-07-22. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  5. ^ "Santa Fe Taqueria". Thrillist. Vox Media. 2017-10-05. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  6. ^ a b c Russell, Michael (2024-09-06). "Santa Fe, one of Portland's oldest taquerias, will close this month". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. ISSN 8750-1317. OCLC 985410693. Archived from the original on 2024-09-06. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  7. ^ a b Russell, Michael (2021-02-17). "Winter storm deals Portland area restaurants yet another blow". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  8. ^ Hillhouse, Vicki (March 28, 2011). "To become Buddha, bring him home". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. ISSN 2154-6207. OCLC 17390524. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2024 – via Tri-City Herald.
  9. ^ "The big picture: Election Day across America". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  10. ^ Bakall, Samantha (2015-11-05). "Portland restaurant and bar events -- Nov. 5 - 10". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  11. ^ Acker, Lizzy (2017-01-10). "21 places in the Portland area where kids eat free". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  12. ^ "Sunny weather helps Portland restaurants amidst stricter risk levels". KGW. 2021-04-12. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  13. ^ "Northwest Portland's Santa Fe Taqueria set to close after 35 years in business". KGW. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  14. ^ "Santa Fe Taqueria Will Host Sept. 25 Party Ahead of Closure, Celebrating Nearly 40 Years". Willamette Week. 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  15. ^ Wong, Janey (2024-09-12). "The Portland Restaurant Closings to Know, September 2024". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  16. ^ "Best Nights". Willamette Week. 2009-07-22. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  17. ^ "Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Portland, Oregon, according to Tripadvisor". KOIN. May 5, 2022. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  18. ^ Meira, Gebel; Harris, Emily (October 24, 2023). "6 spots for standout tacos in Portland". Axios Portland. Cox Enterprises.
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