Space Taco, Seattle

As chronicled in a David Nelson article for Seattle Pi, when one stands outside Space Taco, a quick glance down the street yields views of the famous Space Needle. It makes it easy for patrons to guess what inspired owner Giuseppe Forte’s naming of his taco shop, aside from its location on a planet that’s traveling through outer space at 67,000 miles per hour.

According to Nelson, Forte was eager to open a Mexican eatery just a couple doors down from his Italian restaurant, so he partnered with Mexican cuisine experts. One of his cohorts was a chef who attended a Guadalajara culinary school, and together they hired a wait staff well versed in traditional Mexican meals. And while Space Taco stays true to tradition, serving tortas, tacos, fajitas, and other familiar favorites, the taco shop strays from “fattening ingredients”, opting for healthier versions. Traditional Mexican drink options like horchata, imported beers, and Jarritos soft drinks can complement classic chips and salsa. And though the eatery is called Space Taco, Nelson’s article describes surroundings that are far from space-agey, with salvaged clocks on the walls, restored wood for tables, and Holiday lights strung on the wall.