West County’s Tex-Mex scene is about to get a scratch-made shakeup. The brothers behind UKRAFT are opening GuacoTaco, a new hybrid fast-casual Tex-Mex spot in Winchester next month. Moving into the former Tacos 4 Life space at 14560 Manchester, the restaurant will feature scratch-made salsas, weekend brunch, and a full bar. The team is aiming for a late April soft opening, with bigger Cinco de Mayo celebrations lined up right behind it.
Service Model And Opening Plans
Co-owner Matt Ratz told St. Louis Magazine that GuacoTaco will pair daily scratch-made recipes with a hybrid ordering system that mixes the speed of fast-casual service with a more traditional, linger-a-while style of hospitality. Diners can order from a QR code at the table or flag down a server, while carryout customers will have the option to use a kiosk or head to the register. Ratz said the team is tentatively eyeing the third or fourth week of April for opening, with a larger celebration planned around Cinco de Mayo.
From Ukraft To Guacotaco
The concept grew out of UKRAFT’s downtown kitchens, where the team and staff were already experimenting with Latin-inspired dishes. UKRAFT started as a food truck and kiosk in 2019, then grew into a downtown brick-and-mortar in 2020 before adding a West County location in 2022, according to the company’s press page at UKRAFT Brunch Cafe. Putting GuacoTaco in a nearby strip center lets the brothers launch a distinct brand while still keeping the supply and staffing efficiencies of their existing operations.
Menu And The Room
Chef Ricardo “Ricky” Granados is building out a Tex-Mex menu that will feature tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls, and salads, along with a planned lineup of seven to eight salsas that the team hopes to eventually retail, as reported by St. Louis Magazine. On weekends, GuacoTaco will add brunch favorites like chilaquiles and huevos rancheros, backed by a full bar pouring margaritas and other cocktails. Inside, the dining room is planned at about 4,500 square feet with roughly 120 seats, plus a six-table patio and a four-table sidewalk area.
Where It Sits And Why It Matters
The storefront lands in Winchester Plaza at 14560 Manchester Road, a busy Manchester Road retail strip with strong visibility and several available lease spaces. Leasing listings for the center note the address and co-tenancy and emphasize the shopping center’s high daily traffic counts, details that likely helped draw the UKRAFT team to the site; the center listing is available via realmo.com. For West County diners, GuacoTaco is set to bring a from-scratch Tex-Mex option with a heavy nod to margaritas and weekend brunch.
