The Wolf of Tacos Opens Brick-and-Mortar in Downtown Miami

After four years of pop-ups across the city, the Wolf of Tacos will finally have a brick-and-mortar home. The cult-favorite taqueria will open its first location Tuesday, June 17, at Central Fare Food Collective inside MiamiCentral's Brightline station, serving its popular Mexico City-style tacos.

No more chasing Instagram updates or arriving too late to snag a taco, chef Eduardo Lara and business partner Pablo Reyes will finally have a (semi) permanent address and a kitchen built to keep up with demand.

From Driveway to Festival Favorite

The Wolf of Tacos began in October 2020, when Lara started selling dollar tacos from his Little Haiti driveway. The pandemic had left him out of work but gave him time to break out the taco equipment he'd bought at age 15. Having worked at over a dozen restaurants around Miami, Lara had built connections throughout the industry that helped spread word about his late-night taco operation.

During lockdown, his driveway became an after-hours refuge for Miami's restaurant industry. Entire staff from places like Boia De and Niu Kitchen would gather with beers and stay until 5 a.m., hanging out and eating tacos. Eventually, the word got out about the tacos fueling lines that wrapped around the block, and his landlord asked him to move the operation elsewhere.

Pop-ups followed at the former Union Beer, the former J. Wakefield Brewing, and a string of local festivals. Reyes joined the team about a year later, helping to scale operations. A move to a commissary kitchen tripled production, allowing them to say yes to nearly every opportunity and build Lara's reputation as the most reliable vendor in town. "I really became the wolf in that sense," Lara says. "I was always ready to execute an event at the highest level."

A True Taste of Mexico City

The name "the Wolf of Tacos" riffs on the Wolf of Wall Street, playing on the idea of serving both high- and low-end tacos, such as wagyu beef tongue alongside pastor.

But what sets them apart isn't novelty cuts. Reyes and Lara are focused on bringing true Mexico City taqueria style to Miami — something they say doesn't really exist here. That means a menu anchored by classics: its wildly popular pastor, costilla (ribeye), suadero (beef belly), longaniza (sausage), and a poblano veggie option.

The Central Fare menu expands on those classics, with tacos ranging from $5.50 for al pastor made with Compart Farms Duroc pork to $8.50 for Mishima Reserve wagyu beef tongue. The "comal" section features traditional slow-cooked cuts like suadero and longaniza, while the "plancha" offerings include grilled ribeye and that premium wagyu tongue. For non-meat eaters, there's a poblano taco with roasted peppers, king oyster mushrooms, and crispy Gouda.

Beyond tacos, they'll serve botanas (small plates) like their take on esquites with seasonal vegetables and aged goat cheese, plus Mexican Cokes and Jarritos to wash it all down. No guac. No shortcuts. Pastor comes straight from the spit to the tortilla, never hitting the griddle. Suadero simmers for hours in a choricera (sausage pot), a traditional braising pot. Every element is intentional, rooted in regional tradition.

The Next Chapter

The MiamiCentral space is a stepping stone, not the final destination. Lara and Reyes call it a "semi-permanent" setup: an upgrade with serious equipment, including a custom-built kitchen outfitted with high-end ranges and a massive Jasper grill.

Most importantly, the kitchen is open on three sides, preserving the essence of the street taco stand experience. Customers can watch their tacos being made and chat with the taquero, an experience core to the brand. "You need to be able to talk smack with the guy making your food," Lara explains. "He's your therapist. He's like your bartender, you know, he knows what you want and he's seen you with three different girls. He doesn't care. That taquero is such a cool relationship, and we want to bring that out of Mexico."

Delivery is expected to launch about a month after opening, good news for downtown office workers looking for a lunchtime fix. For fans who've spent years tracking pop-ups and waiting in line, this may feel like the end of an era. But for Lara and Reyes, it's just the start.

The Wolf of Tacos at Central Fare Food Collective. 550 NW First Ave., Miami; thewolfoftacos.com.