Casual taco and tequila restaurant opening on Monroe Street

On May 8, a new taco restaurant will open at 1925 Monroe Street. Co-owners Ben Roberts and Alin Stupinean hope to create a laid-back tavern environment where patrons can hang out, watch a sports game and, of course, enjoy tacos.

Ben Roberts, who owns two Pasqual’s Cantina locations in Verona and Middleton, envisions a space that’s entirely different from his other restaurants. Pasqual’s is a Southwestern restaurant, with culinary roots from New Mexico and Arizona.

“Here, we’re really trying to focus on a simple, honest, straightforward taco menu,” says Roberts. “We’ll have a nod to the gringo-style, the Americanized, taco, but we’re really focusing on traditional Mexican tacos.”

The taco menu is divided into three categories: Gringo, traditional, and luxury. The latter category includes specialty tacos — like a grilled pickled cow tongue or lamb barbacoa taco. It’s not just tacos, either: Diners can order ceviche, aguachile (a raw seafood dish similar to ceviche), nachos and more.

At the new restaurant, Roberts looks forward to featuring new or unique tequilas that he hasn’t been able to add at Pasqual’s (which already offers over 100).

The 2,000-square-foot space has a clean aesthetic, with white walls and a SoCal color palette (think pops of color in terracotta, muted blue and olive green).

For now, Taberna Tacos & Tequila will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

“If the demand is there we’ll stay open later on the weekends,” says Roberts.

Anna Kottakis is digital editor at Madison Magazine.

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