velvet taco heights
Inventive Texas taco restaurant rolls out first Houston-area drive-thru location in The Heights
Houston's third Velvet Taco has made its debut. Diners will find the new location of the Dallas-based chain at the corner of 20th Street and North Shepherd Drive (2001 N. Shepherd Dr.).
Formerly a Jack in the Box, the new Velvet Taco keeps that fast food restaurant's drive-thru — a first in the Houston market — for picking up orders placed by phone, app, or online. For those dining on premises, the restaurant will seat 80 inside and another 50 on its patio at full capacity but is currently operating at 50-percent in compliance with state regulations.
“The Heights is an ideal neighborhood for our newest Houston location with its walkability and convenient location within the city,” Velvet Taco CEO Clay Dover said in a statement. “We see this location as a great opportunity to continuing providing our Houston guests with our globally-inspired scratch-made tacos and ‘kick-ass’ margaritas in a unique space.”
Velvet Taco's first Houston location opened on Washington Avenue in 2015. The upscale taco restaurant serves a variety of globally inspired fillings such as tikka masala chicken tenders with cilantro basmati rice, falafel with tahini crema, and shrimp and grits with Cajun remoulade. Brunch offerings, such as chicken in a waffle taco and a taco filled with bacon, eggs, and tater tots, are also available all day.
In addition to its "kick-ass margarita," drinks options include local beers and craft sodas.
This year will see Velvet Taco expand to five locations in the Houston area. In addition to its new Heights outpost, the restaurant will open near the Galleria on the former site of Zone d’Erotica and in the former Buffalo Wild Wings in Rice Village.
Heights-area diners have more than just Velvet Taco to look forward to for satisfying their cravings. The Taco Stand, a new concept from The Burger Joint partners chef Matthew Pak and proprietor Shawn Bermudez, will be opening across North Shepherd from Velvet Taco later this month.