Locally Loved Food Truck, Cuates Kitchen, Gets a Permanent Home in Dallas

One of Dallas’s best taco shops has made a permanent shift from peddling tacos from the back of a food truck to flipping tortillas on the grill of its very own brick-and-mortar.

The Cuates Kitchen food truck launched as a sibling affair, after what twins Carla and Carlos Rodriguez told us in 2020 was an impulse decision to haul home a food truck in 2018. But that spontaneous decision blossomed into one of their most rewarding ventures. With authentic Mexican plates, homemade tortillas, handcrafted tortas and freshly fried empanadas, their menu quickly drew long lines that remained unbroken even under the Dallas sun.

It’s these same old-time classics that you can now enjoy at the siblings’ new Dallas post inside the building that previously housed Latino-European fusion spot Modest Rogers.

We came with high hopes and left with high praise.

Cuates Kitchen’s menu draws from the Mexican region of Veracruz, where the siblings spent their formative years.

“Some of our fondest memories are watching our abuelo and abuela make homemade tortillas,” Carlos says. “We use those same family recipes in the things we cook in the kitchen. Our mom and dad work here, too. Right next to us. It’s a family affair in every way.”

Authenticity shines through the food. Start with a basket of house-made tortilla chips and a pot of velvety queso, garnished with sliced peppers. Chips also pair well with a side of salsa, guacamole or creamy elote, all prepared fresh to order.

Then, custom-order tortas, street tacos and plates with proteins like carnitas, chicken tinga and barbacoa. All offer subtle variations while holding onto the Veracruz authenticity. Mexican-inspired desserts are a new addition to the menu, with plates like cinnamon-sugar churros and soft-fried plantains.

“We’re trying to stick to our roots and keep our menu simple,” Carlos says. “We hope to expand the menu more as we grow.”

A full-service bar is another addition that the small taco truck didn’t have space for before. Shelves stocked with tequila, margarita mix and other frozen cocktail mix-ins tempt from behind the bar counter, and a colorful patio interspersed with neon signs is the perfect place to indulge in tacos and libations.

“This whole journey has been surreal,” Carlos says. “If you had told us 5 years ago we’d have our own place, I wouldn’t have believed it. With all the obstacles we’ve had, it’s crazy that we’re here.”

But the Rodriguez siblings’ success isn’t the only triumph we see. We’re just as excited to finally have a permanent sanctuary for some of the best tacos in Dallas. And we won’t even have to wait in long lines under the hot sun.

Cuates Kitchen, 3811 Fairmount St. Tuesday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 5 -9 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; closed Monday