Megan Trotter Writer
September 15, 2022
Pittsburgh hosts its annual Strip Taco Festival on Saturday, celebrating what organizers call "the best comfort food known to man."
In partnership with the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation (PHDC) and the Latin American Cultural Union (LACU), Smallman Street features food trucks, music, stalls and dancing from 12:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Many food trucks and taco stands were run by family businesses looking to expand and gain recognition.
Jamie Ybarra, co-owner of El Colibri LLC, shares how he, his mother and her husband ran a grocery store in Mexico. However, since moving to the United States and reopening last month, they have no permanent residency. To share their tradition of family recipes, they have opened pop-up shops at local farmers markets and cafes.
"My husband is from Oaxaca, he cooks biriya and my mom cooks all the vegan food," Ybarra says. "A lot of Mexican food is actually vegan. People don't know because it's not labeled that way because it scares people."
Birria is a Mexican meat dish cooked slowly for three or more hours in a five-chili sauce. Ybarra also shared that although quesadillas are not a traditional dish, they decided to include them due to their popularity.
Although El Colibri LLC has only been in business for a month, they say they are happy with its success so far. According to the team, they sold out all their food at a small impromptu event and lined up at their stall throughout the festival.
The family restaurant Inmortales Fondita also serves traditional Mexican cuisine. They added that one of their neat things is that they only use fresh fruit to make their signature margaritas.
Owner Griselda Martinez said the taco fest has consistently drawn more customers to her restaurant over the years. Every year they expect to have more customers.
J Ricardo Santos, owner of Zapata, shared another reason to attend the event for the second time as a seller
"I'm here to have fun," Santos said. “I am not alone in this business. I am also passionate about what I do. My addiction is the kitchen.
Santos proudly wore his big taco hat with a sense of fun, despite baking in the sun and the heat all day.
Unlike many other local and family caterers, franchise chain Moy's Southwest Grill was also present.
"At events like this, people often come to eat tacos at 'family' establishments," says Caitlin Norman, Mo's chief marketing officer. "If people don't want to wait in line or certain people [ say], 'Oh, we like Mo Tacos', so they'll come to us."
Norman said Moe was there to build brand awareness. Even though they weren't particularly busy, he had fun working on the event.
One of the most popular foodie favorites of the day was California Taco Shop's "Mexican Street Corn." This dish consists of corn on the cob that is grilled, then tossed with a creamy spicy mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, chili powder and lime.
There was no shortage of entertainment at this year's festival, which brought together more than 25 producers.
Mariachi International played a two-hour live set with trumpets, guitars, fiddles and dancers, all dressed in traditional Charro costumes. Guitarist Gustavo Galupillo shared that they've been playing Taco Festival since Craig McCloud started in 2016.
People of all ages flock to the Los Sabros Dance Co. booth to learn how to salsa dance step by step. Even with small mistakes, there were lots of laughs and good times.
In addition to the food, the Taco Festival featured several clothing and jewelry stalls, local artists, and even a cartoon gentleman.
Karina Buari is the owner of HipDrippe, a boutique specializing in items such as bracelets, earrings and bags handmade in Mexico and Africa. Buari explains how the Taco Festival gave him the opportunity to share his culture.
"I'm excited to show my culture in Pittsburgh," Bowery said. "I'm glad people find it beautiful, like me."
With both parents born in Mexico and raised in Chicago, Buari said he noticed a lack of Hispanic culture in Pittsburgh. He would eventually move to Texas, where the Hispanic population resides, and open a permanent HipDrip location there.
At the same time, she shares that such events create an atmosphere of home comfort for her and more "with her."
