The team behind Taco City Louisville is reportedly planning a new restaurant called Encanto Taquería y Cantina, described as an upscale and modern Mexican concept for the Louisville area. Taco City has built a following across the city as a popular local taco chain, and this latest move would mark another step in its expansion beyond its four current locations.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reported the plans, with staff writer Amanda Hancock noting that Taco City's owners intend to open the new restaurant in Louisville at 9870 Von Allmen Court, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Eastbridge Town Center has a merchant listing for Encanto Taquería y Cantina, but it gives a Denver, Colorado address rather than the planned Louisville address, according to Eastbridge Town Center.
Taco City's Track Record of Growth
Taco City has steadily built out its footprint since its early days with just two locations in the Highlands and Middletown, a count confirmed as of November 2021 by owner Oscar Estrada in comments to LEO Weekly. At the time, Estrada told the outlet that the chain had bigger ambitions, saying, “we had in mind to open about five stores in Louisville.”
That expansion push led to Taco City's third location, which opened in the Hikes Point neighborhood on June 3, 2022, inside a building that previously housed a MOD Pizza restaurant, the Courier-Journal reported at the time. The Hikes Point shop landed at 3085 Breckenridge Lane, according to the same report. A search snippet tied to Taco City's own website lists the chain as currently operating four locations — Highlands, Middletown, Hikes Point and Fern Valley — though that figure comes from a low-confidence source and has not been independently verified.
What's Still Unclear About Encanto
Encanto Taquería y Cantina is planned for 9870 Von Allmen Court and is expected to open by the second week of December 2026. Its construction timeline and whether it is already operating, under construction, or still in the planning stages remain unclear.
Encanto is described as an upscale and modern concept.
Part of a Broader Louisville Trend
Encanto's emergence fits into a wider pattern of Mexican restaurant growth around Louisville. Veronica's Mexican Restaurant opened its third location in a Prospect shopping center this past February, according to a Louisville Business First report. Around the same time, Chica's Cantina, a Mexican street food concept, was reported as heading toward an opening in the Butchertown neighborhood, part of a broader wave of new restaurants the Courier-Journal said were set to debut in Louisville at the start of 2026.
Louisville's upscale Mexican dining scene already includes names like Guacamole Modern Mexican, Epiphany, Las Cazuelas Mexican Cuisine and Gustavo's Mexican Grill. Whether Encanto will slot into that same tier remains to be seen, but the Eastbridge Town Center listing suggests it's aiming for a similar niche of cocktails, tacos and all-day dining.
