East Village’s New LOLA 55 Is Not Your Average Taco Shop

In a city where you can practically trip on a taco concept on every corner, LOLA 55 is trying to differentiate itself from the rest. The restaurant recently opened its doors in the quickly growing East Village neighborhood, serving Mexican gastronomic fare (not just tacos) steeped in regional tradition.

The 3,200-square-foot restaurant, named after owner Frank Vizcarra’s mother Lola along with his birth year, is located in the IDEA1 space in downtown’s East Village at 1290 F Street, San Diego, CA 92101. It’s situated right next to the new Young Hickory so you can get your caffeine fix post taco coma.

The space is beautifully designed by LA-based firm Bells & Whistles, the award-winning company also behind such architectural stunners as Starlite, Sycamore Den and (most recently) Campfire.

Details of the LOLA 55 space include a color palette consisting primarily of peach, aqua and turquoise and a white terrazzo bar top – again, not your typical taco shop!

The LOLA 55 culinary team aims to deliver an authentic Mexican gastronomic experience, with a unique twist. They’re using local produce to create traditional Mexican dishes prepared in a forward-thinking manner.

The team is led by Chef Andrew Bent, who honed his skills at Enrique Olvera’s Criollo in Mexico City under the tutelage of Chef Luis Arellano. After that, he held a brief stint at Noma’s Tulum pop-up.

Not Just Tacos

LOLA 55 consider itself a tacos + cocktails concept, so naturally there are tacos. Nine to be exact.

Highlights include: Ribeye Carne Asada, Pork Belly Al Pastor and Spicy Smoked Fish.

There are also vegan and vegetarian options, including the Rainbow Cauliflower, Squash Blossom Relleno, and Baby Carrot Adobada. LOLA’s corn tortillas are made from scratch and pressed to order right before your drooling eyes.

Not in the mood for tacos? There are plenty of other options on the menu including aguachile, ceviche tostaditas, mesquite grilled elote and pozole verde.

And beans. Not just any beans though. LOLA’s Beans are made from Frank’s 81-year-old mother’s recipe.

The cocktail menu is the brainchild of Gareth Moore, better known on Instagram as @longhairedpieceofshit. He’s crafted a well-curated list of libations intended to mirror the restaurant’s culinary philosophy. His light, refreshing repertoire of cocktails was intentionally created with citrus-focused elements to balance the menu’s spice-forward dishes.

LOLA 55 is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. and on Friday/Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., with happy hour from 4-6pm daily.

See you there!