Rejoice, Mexican street food fans: Chilacates taqueria opened its second Jamaica Plain location on Centre Street on Saturday night.
Chilacates owner Socrates Abreu at the Mexican restaurant's second Jamaica Plain location, which is opening Saturday, Feb. 25.
Owner Socrates Abreu exuberantly handed out menus to passersby peering through the windows of the restaurant at 658 Centre St. Saturday afternoon, Feb. 25, while standing beneath a colorful "Bienvenidos" shingle welcoming diners to his taqueria's newest home.
"This is the first place that I really wanted to open [a restaurant]," Abreu told Jamaica Plain News. However, the Centre Street space was not available at the time, so he opened his first Chilacates location at 224 Amory St., near the Stonybrook MBTA station, in the summer of 2015. It quickly became popular, with customers flocking to dine on burritos, traditional tamales, taco specials like the taco de chicharron, tortas, tostadas and more.
The Amory Street location will remain open. "I was born and raised in that neighborhood. My heart is there," Abreu said.
The Centre Street location is larger than the Amory Street branch and has seating for 20. Like its sister restaurant, the new spot features artwork depicting Mexican painter Frida Kahlo on the walls, and will offer the same lineup of Mexican street food.
The dining room at Chilacates' brand new Centre Street restaurant.
"We're happy everyone supported us for the last year and a half and we want people to continue to support us at this new location," Abreu said.
Abreu said that while it may sound "corny," the restaurant's secret ingredient is love. "We make sure our food is good. I still don't have a freezer -- that means my food is fresh."
Both Chilacates restaurants will also reportedly start to offer delivery soon.