Artisan Mexican restaurant to open in Lexington this week

Area entrepreneurs and restauranteurs Arif Rizvi and Jeff Zona will officially launch their newest venture on Thursday when One Taco Two Taco opens for business at 5225 Sunset Blvd. in Lexington.

The restaurant’s menu includes, “a lot of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, chimichangas and the best carne asada fries and desserts in the universe,” Rizvi said.

One Taco Two Taco will be opening in the space formerly occupied by Buddy’s Saucy Dogs--Zona’s previous restaurant venture that closed there in late August. The restaurant opening is one of several major changes coming to the 5200 block of Sunset Blvd. The short strip mall housing One Taco Two Taco also includes Bruegger’s Bagels and the recently opened Clean Eatz and is located directly across Sunset Boulevard from the site of one of Lexington’s two new Lowe’s Foods grocery stores which is already under construction. European grocery chain and Aldi competitor Lidl is also opening a location in the block in the former JT’s Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge site next door to One Taco Two Taco (and across from the Lexington Aldi). The dealership moved earlier this year to a 9.3-acre site along U.S. 378 a mile west of I-20 that’s closer to other dealers.

“With this growth in Lexington and our location we (believe) this area will be a new restaurant hub,” Rizvi said.

Rizvi--who opened and previously owned Rue 77 on Assembly Street in Columbia--told The State in August that One Taco Two Taco will be different from other Mexican eateries in the area because it will feature, “an à la carte chef-inspired menu with 10 to 15 choices of tacos and three or four tortas or Mexican sandwiches.”

“I’m hoping Lexington is open to it and really gives us a chance to come in and make a difference,” Rizvi said.

This story was originally published October 24, 2016 at 8:35 AM with the headline "Artisan Mexican restaurant to open in Lexington this week."