Soul Fire Tacos, a fast-casual spot that fuses Southern soul with Latin and Southwest flavors, is set to fire up its griddles in Scottsdale’s Airpark on February 21, with a grand opening at 11 a.m. The compact, counter-service kitchen is leaning hard into comfort food, promising short-rib birria tacos, beer-battered catfish, tequila-honey wings and a deep-fried Soul Roll that stuffs mac and cheese with candied yams and greens.
The opening date and early details were first reported by What Now Phoenix, which notes a Feb. 21 grand-opening deal: one free chicken or carnitas taco with the purchase of any taco, burrito or bowl. The outlet also pegs the space at about 900 square feet, with room for roughly 24 guests to dine in.
Menu highlights
The restaurant’s online menu leans into Southern comfort and Latin street-food staples. Highlights include short-rib birria, jerk shrimp and smothered birria chicken, along with rotating daily specials. The headliner is the Soul Roll, described as a deep-fried changa packed with mac and cheese, candied yams and collard greens, plated with rice and Cuban black beans. The full spread is posted by Soul Fire Tacos.
Who’s cooking
Chef Johnnie Dixon, a former Ohio State wide receiver who spent time on NFL practice squads and in the USFL, is listed as running the kitchen and sits at the center of the concept’s story. Dixon told What Now Phoenix he wants to show he is “more than an athlete” and hopes to bring smiles to the Arizona community. For a deeper look at his playing days, his roster bio is available through Ohio State Athletics.
Owner and local roots
Soul Fire Tacos is being launched by Dana Dumas under her SJ Concepts umbrella. Dumas also runs SugarJam The Southern Kitchen a few doors down in the same center and frames the taco shop as a cultural mash-up that complements her existing operation. SugarJam’s site outlines her local footprint and multi-concept strategy, while state business records list Soul Fire Tacos LLC at the Hayden Road address. See SugarJam The Southern Kitchen and registration details from Bizprofile.
Hours, address and what to expect
The shop will open in the Corner Shopping Center at 15111 Hayden Road, Suite 120, in North Scottsdale’s Airpark. The restaurant’s Hours & Location page currently lists Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while pre-opening coverage has suggested a broader evening schedule on weekends. Diners are advised to confirm the latest hours directly through Soul Fire Tacos.
Where it fits in Scottsdale
Soul Fire Tacos is landing at a time when Scottsdale’s Airpark and Old Town neighborhoods keep drawing in chef-driven and fusion taco concepts, signaling that operators are banking on inventive spins rather than only traditional builds. Sitting just steps from SugarJam and other daytime-heavy tenants, the new spot is positioned to court both office workers and weekend crowds as it settles into the strip. A breakdown of the Corner Shopping Center’s tenant mix and layout is available on LoopNet.
