Taco Bamba to open next week in Shirlington

Shirlington is getting the newest location of Taco Bamba.

The taqueria is set to open next Thursday (June 29) in the Village at Shirlington, replacing Taco + Piña, which closed last year.

The outpost at 4041 Campbell Ave will be Taco Bamba’s second location in Arlington, after one in Ballston that opened in 2020, and the company’s 10th location in a decade.

“Ten years and 10 locations later, staring down our most ambitious year of growth yet, I’m filled with gratitude for our Taco Bamba family, our guests, and for the opportunity to bring a second location to Arlington,” Chef Victor Albisu said in a statement.

The chef and founder of the burgeoning, taco-centric chain says the Shirlington area is inspiring him to serve up different foods from this particular location, which also has a full bar and patio seating.

“The area has such a vibrant dining scene,” Albisu said. “We look forward to challenging ourselves to provide something new and unexpected to an audience that is already familiar with what we do.”

The Shirlington location’s menu features a mix of Mexican favorites, including al pastor and carne asada, as well as original creations specific to this location, such as a steak, chicken and shrimp-stuffed quesadilla and a foot-long meat spring roll.

Inside, a mural by a local artist depicts the restaurant’s rooster mascot battling a crow — an homage to the ever-present murders of crow terrorizing the streets of the Shirlington shopping center and leaving behind their ever-present droppings.

The first 50 customers who order at the register on opening day will get a free travel mug, which can be used for the complimentary coffee all Taco Bamba locations serve daily, with a purchase, until mid-afternoon, a press release said.

This location will be open Sunday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. People can order online for pickup and delivery.