Bartaco

Bartaco is a full-service taco and tequila restaurant that brings a coastal feel to urban streets, lifestyle centers, and walkable mixed-use projects. The concept centers on street-style tacos, rice bowls, and shareable small plates, with a strong cocktail program built around tequila and mezcal. Restaurants are designed with relaxed, beach-inspired interiors and active patios, and they generate meaningful bar sales alongside food revenue, which supports all-day and evening traffic.

The first Bartaco opened in 2010 in Port Chester, New York, created by Andy Pforzheimer, Sasa Mahr-Batuz, and partners who had previously grown Barcelona Wine Bar. They set out to pair a casual “beach shack” vibe with elevated tacos and a streamlined ordering system that kept service moving and tables turning. Early success in New York and Connecticut suburbs showed the format could perform in both destination and neighborhood settings, which led to expansion into affluent suburban nodes and select metropolitan markets along the East Coast.

Bartaco’s growth entered a new phase when L Catterton acquired a majority stake in Barteca Restaurant Group, the parent company of Bartaco and Barcelona Wine Bar, in 2016. In 2018, Barteca was sold to Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group in a transaction valued at $325 million, with Bartaco highlighted for its unit productivity and runway in lifestyle and urban locations. When Del Frisco’s was later taken private by L Catterton affiliates, Bartaco remained under private ownership as a focused growth platform with disciplined, company-led development.

As of April 2024, Bartaco operated 32 locations across markets including New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Minnesota, with additional units under development. Recent and upcoming openings in areas such as Coconut Grove in Miami and the Boulder–Denver corridor illustrate how the brand is filling in existing East Coast and Sunbelt markets while entering select interior growth regions.

Over roughly the last five years, Bartaco has evolved from a regional East Coast concept into a broader, yet still tightly controlled, multi-state brand. Expansion has focused on high-income, dense trade areas in Florida, Colorado, Texas urban cores, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast infill markets, and select suburban mixed-use projects. The company targets walkable urban neighborhoods, mixed-use streets, and lifestyle centers where patios can be heavily utilized and evening bar business is strong. Growth has remained measured at a few new units per year, prioritizing real estate quality and consistency of the concept rather than rapid franchising.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Bartaco brings a recognizable, experience-driven dining use that anchors patios, activates evenings, and fits naturally into curated, walkable environments. The format performs well in streetfront and mixed-use settings, benefits from strong cocktail attachment, and has the backing of an established private equity sponsor with a track record in scaling restaurant brands.