Mike Cordero, whose Northern Virginia restaurants include Barley Mac, Bronx Pizza and Don Tito, will open his ninth restaurant, Taco Rock, in Fairfax County’s Pinecrest Plaza in December.
The restaurant, in the Alexandria area of the county, is a replica of the Taco Rock that opened in Rosslyn last year.
Taco Rock restaurants are Cordero’s first fast-casual restaurants.
The 2,500-square-foot Fairfax location, opening in early December, is at 6548 Little River Turnpike. It will seat 75 with 20 bar stools centered around a tequila bar and will have a large outdoor patio with 48 seats.
It is the second of up to 12 Taco Rock locations Cordero plans to open over the next few years.
The Rosslyn location, which opened at 1501 Wilson Blvd. last March, replaced Spinfire Pizza, which closed in 2018.
Team Cordero, the family business that includes sons Nick Cordero and Anthony Cordero, and chef Stefano Marzano, signed a 20-year lease for the Pinecrest Plaza space. Marzano also owns prepared meal delivery company MightyMeals.
Pinecrest Plaza is anchored by a Lidl grocery story and also includes Foxfire Grill and Firehouse Subs.
Taco Rock, which bills itself as “Tacos with an Attitude,” serves tacos with homemade blue corn tortillas, as well as flautas, quesadillas, bowls, burritos, empanadas and ramen. Menu prices at the Rosslyn location range from $3.25 to $11.
It also serves desserts such as stuffed churros and ice cream tacos. The restaurant also serves Mexican beers. The new location will also serve breakfast, including huevos rancheros and breakfast burritos.
The Alexandria-area location will be open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and for takeout and delivery, including to-go cocktails.
Cordero’s other restaurants include Bronson Bier Hall, Don Taco, Rockwood Sports Bar and Primetime Sports Bar. He is working on two new restaurant concepts in the D.C. area.
