Serving up “Tacos y margs y menos,” De Nada Cantina is a favorite in East Austin for tacos, margaritas, and more. After building a following at 4715 E Cesar Chavez St., De Nada is now preparing to expand to a new location, taking over the space at 1302 S First Street, which was formerly occupied by El Mercado.
What Now spoke on Friday with owner Stephen Shallcross about the move, which is set to bring De Nada Cantina into a space more than double the size of its current restaurant.
“We’ve got kitchens twice as big here, so we will be adding a few new menu items, like enchiladas, nachos, and a few other things that are kind of a nod to El Mercardo,” Shallcross said.
What kind of changes have been made to the place? What Now asked.
“Well, it’s mostly just décor. El Mercado was kind of the keep-Austin-weird vibe for Tex Mex. One guy who was doing some of the work on the place described it as ‘mythical Aztec.’ We’re going De Nada style, which is a little bit more traditional.”
With the ability to add outdoor patio space and relaunch the stage and backstage area, it’s a place De Nada Cantina can grow into.
Originally hoping for a January opening, the new De Nada has faced some delays and expects to open in February. And as soon as De Nada 2 is up and running, Shallcross says the original De Nada location is getting a long-awaited and -asked-for update: bigger bathrooms. No more long lines!
All of that is to say: De Nada Cantina is growing into the area’s love for De Nada Cantina! Keep an eye out for the new De Nada replacing El Mercado soon.
You can keep up with all things De Nada Cantina by following @denadacantina on Instagram.
