Taqueria Chapala closed its original East Cesar Chavez location Sept. 27 and will reopen on South First on Oct. 29. (Jessica McLaren/Community Impact)
For nearly three decades, Taqueria Chapala served barbacoa and breakfast tacos on East Cesar Chavez Street. The family-run taqueria closed that location Sept. 27 after the landlords declined to renew its lease, and it plans to reopen Oct. 29 at 2448 S. First St., Austin.
A family business
Manuel Lopez and his brother opened the restaurant at 2101 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin on July 1, 1997, Lopez wrote on Facebook.
"It's still really hard to process because even though we never really owned this building, our family grew up here," Mauricio Lopez said in an Instagram video. "We've worked here for practically our entire lives."
How it happened
On May 1, the landlords stopped by for their monthly collection of rent and deferred taxes from the previous year and handed Manuel Lopez a document about the outstanding tax balance, he wrote in the Facebook post.
"It stated in writing that they were not going to renew my lease, and I wasn't given any other options," Manuel Lopez wrote. "I never actually read that document—that was my mistake."
He learned what it meant June 15, when the landlords told him in person they would no longer rent him the space. He tried to negotiate but was told another tenant would move in, he wrote. As of Sept. 28, a sign outside the building listed the space for lease as a second-generation restaurant through Austin real estate brokerage firm Asterra.
A sign advertises Taqueria Chapala's former home at 2101 E. Cesar Chavez St. for lease. The location closed Sept. 27 after 29 years. (Jessica McLaren/Community Impact)
On the menu
The taqueria's menu features tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, tortas and seafood such as whole fried tilapia, alongside caldo de res, menudo, all-day breakfast and its Chapala Especial, a Jalisco-style barbacoa plate.
