“Taco temple” Banditos aiming to open in Pentagon City next month

“Taco temple” Banditos Bar & Kitchen appears to be preparing to open in Pentagon City next month.

A new black and pink banner declaring an “April 2022” opening for the Baltimore-based Mexican eatery was spotted hanging over the exterior of 1301 S. Joyce Street at Westpost.

We reported about a year ago that Banditos was coming to Westpost, the Pentagon City shopping center formerly known as Pentagon Row.

ARLnow has reached out to both Banditos and Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT), which owns the development, for more details about the plans.

The self-described “taco temple” is moving into the 3,000 square foot space plus outdoor seating that was previously occupied by Thaiphoon, which closed in November after more than a decade at the spot.

Company owner Sean White told ARLnow last year that the size, design, and layout of the Arlington location will be roughly the same as the other Banditos restaurants in Maryland. This is the eatery’s first location in Virginia, but is opening a Fairfax eatery later this year, according to its website.

White also noted that Amazon’s continued expansion into Arlington, a few blocks from Westpost in Pentagon City, made the county a particularly good fit for Banditos’ own expansion.

The brunch, lunch, and dinner menu includes more than 20 different types of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, street corn, more than 40 different brands of tequila, and mezcal.

Hat tip to CartChaos22202