Taco Chelo, a Phoenix-based restaurant that combines both culinary and visual arts, is getting ready to expand to a new location in Tempe at 521 S College Avenue, Site #112.
The company’s second location will move into the former home of Fractured Prune Doughnuts later this year. The new Taco Chelo will sit on the ground floor near University House Tempe. Other building tenants include The Paleta Bar and Shawarma Factory. Taco Chelo is a collaboration between restaurateur Aaron Chamberlin, chef Suny Santana, and artist Gennaro Garcia. Chamberlin recently applied for a liquor license for the restaurant and tells What Now Phoenix he expects this site to open around August 2023.
Mostly everything will remain the same in the second location, according to Chamberlin. Chef Santana, who has worked with Chamberline since 2011 with St. Francis, will continue to showcase his culinary heritage through several delicious tacos. The Monterrey, Mexico-born chef grew up working with his mother in the kitchen, which led to a passion for cooking. Taco Chelo is named after Suny’s mother, Consuelo, nicknamed “Chelo.” Some items on the menu include tacos made with fish, carnitas, chicken, al pastor, and carne asada. The restaurant will also offer other dishes other than tacos like specialty rolled tacos, tortas, and salads.
Internationally recognized artist Gennaro Garcia, a native of Sonora, Mexico, will design the space with unique art. Garcia has spent most of his life opening and decorating restaurants, having started at 19 years old. The artist has since participated in more than 60 exhibits in the last four years and was a finalist in Martha Stewart’s Made in America contest. The two, along with Chamberlin, who is the owner and operator of Phoenix Public Market Cafe, should have no problem finding success with this second location.
