The Taco Bell located at 1525 North High Street in the South Campus area has recently closed, but it’s going to come back bigger and better than ever in 2017. The existing building will soon be demolished to make way for a new six-story apartment building, and while we already knew that the ground floor retail space would contain a new Taco Bell, we learned last week that it will actually be their first “Taco Bell Cantina” location in the Columbus area.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, Taco Bell launched its first two “Cantina” restaurants last year in San Francisco and Chicago, which feature a more modern design aesthetic and a simplified menu.
“These urban concept restaurants have five things in common that differentiate them from standard Taco Bell restaurants: décor, localized artwork, open kitchen layout, open plating and shareable menus,” explained Deborah Brand, VP of Development and Design at Taco Bell. “Additionally, Cantina restaurants may also serve alcoholic beverages, which can include beer, wine, sangria and twisted Freezes.”
Brand said that the first two stores have performed well thus far, and the company is excited to expand the concept to the Columbus market.
“The Taco Bell Cantinas are part of our planned expansion into new markets that will reflect the millennial trend of seeking more urban environments to live, work and play,” she stated. “The Columbus location, being on the ground level of a student housing and a retail project near the university, will do just that.”
Anyone over the age of 21 will be disappointed to learn that the Columbus Cantina will not feature alcoholic drinks upon first opening sometime next year, but Brand said that they may be added to the menu at a later point in time.
For more information, visit www.tacobell.com.