Taquiza Opening a Location in North Beach Serving Cocktails

Taquiza, the South Beach taco stand best known for serving traditional tacos by chef Steve Santana, is opening a second location.

The outpost will open at the Broadmoor Miami Beach hotel sometime during the end of March. Formerly the Days Inn, the hotel has undergone an extensive renovation and added Taquiza as its oceanfront eatery.

That proximity to the water was what sold Santana on the space. "Just being right there on the beach was a no-brainer," he says.

He tapped his original Taquiza designers to work on the restaurant, which will feature wood, metal, and concrete countertops.

According to Santana, the new space is much larger and will offer both outdoor patio seating and indoor tables.

In the beginning, the menu will mirror the original Taquiza's, offering a dozen taco varieties, such as al pastor, carnitas, cochinita, asada, barbacoa, lengua, and chapulines. Totopos with guacamole, elote, quinoa; a squash blossom quesadilla; and two breakfast items — huevos a la Mexicana and chilaquiles — round out the menu. Santana says the larger kitchen at the North Beach location will make it easier to experiment with additional items in the future.

Like the South Beach flagship, all tortillas will be made with stone-ground, USDA organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free blue corn masa.

The new spot will also offer a full bar serving cocktails developed by Nikos Mantzaridis and what is described as a "mysterious young gentleman whose resumé consists of the Broken Shaker" and other bars. In addition, the restaurant will offer Mexican sodas, a rotating craft beer selection, sangria, wine, and a michelada made with a spicy house mix.

Taquiza. 7450 Ocean Terrace, Miami Beach; 305-748-6099; taquizatacos.com.