Velvet Taco, the acclaimed restaurant brand known for its innovative and globally-inspired tacos, delicious sidekicks, house-made red velvet cake and kick-ass margaritas, announces its first Florida location will open in early September 2023 in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. With its scratch-made, chef-driven menu of unique recipes, Velvet Taco has garnered a dedicated following, leading to the brand’s rapid growth across six states including Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia. Velvet Taco’s expansion into Fort Lauderdale signifies a new milestone for the brand, as Florida becomes the seventh state to host its out-of-the-ordinary offerings, reflecting the brand’s commitment to reaching new audiences while exploring exciting culinary destinations.
Situated along the northern side of Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, the brand boasts one of its largest restaurants to date with an expansive 108-seat, 3,477-square-foot space and a 38-seat, 842-square-foot patio. The restaurant design is brimming with bright pops of color, natural wood textures, irreverent interior graphics and fun messages to engage guests in an authentic, casual environment.
“We are thrilled to bring Velvet Taco to the Sunshine State,” says Velvet Taco CEO and Taco Maker Clay Dover. “Our innovative scratch-made menu, combined with our commitment to inspiring our guests to ‘resist the ordinary,’ will resonate with Fort Lauderdale’s dynamic and diverse culinary scene. We look forward to welcoming taco enthusiasts to our first of many Florida restaurants and introducing them to tacos like they’ve never experienced before.”
Velvet Taco’s menu includes internationally inspired and curated tacos categorized by chicken, vegetarian, pork, beef, fish and gluten-free options. Standouts include the Chicken & Waffle served in a house-pressed waffle tortilla; Mediterranean Mushroom with tzatziki, chimichurri and queso fresco; The Cuban, made with slow-roasted pulled pork; Kobe Smash Burger in velvet sauce; and Fish n’ Chips, beer battered cod with curry aioli and French fries. What’s more? The brand’s namesake Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting and signature cajeta sauce, is made in-house daily and is the perfect way to round out any order.
Guests can also enjoy Velvet Taco’s all-day breakfast taco menu, which includes the Velvet Griddle, served in a French toast tortilla with candied bacon, scrambled eggs and tater tots, and the Hangover Breakfast, slow-roasted Angus brisket served in a flour tortilla with crispy potatoes, among others. Kiddos can dig into the kids’ menu, which includes a range of chicken, steak and cheese quesadillas and tacos, as well as tenders and tots.
All tacos pair artfully with Velvet Taco’s expertly crafted boozy libations, including the signature Kiss Ass Margarita, which can be enjoyed frozen or on the rocks; the Paloma, made with Lunazul premium blanco tequila, Jarritos grapefruit soda and a fresh grapefruit wedge; and the Sangrita, a red wine blend with boozy pineapples and apples.
Diners can also enjoy Velvet Taco’s Weekly Taco Feature (better known as WTF), featuring a relentlessly innovative new taco every week and The Velvet Room, an exclusive loyalty program with enticing benefits, including special VIP experiences, personalized rewards and access to limited-time offerings. For additional information or to sign up, visit velvettaco.com/the-velvet-room.
With the opening of the Fort Lauderdale restaurant, Velvet Taco expects to bring an estimated 55 new jobs to the area. Applicants for both front- and heart-of-house positions can visit velvettaco.com/careers for more information.
Velvet Taco is located at 305 S. Andrews Ave., Suite 115, in Fort Lauderdale. Starting in early September, it will be open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to midnight, and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
