I Love Tacos opens second location in the Highlands

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A second location for the restaurant I Love Tacos recently opened its doors on Bardstown Road in the Highlands.

The restaurant was originally planning to open in November but was delayed due to the pandemic and the delivery of one final piece of equipment. The co-owner, Ernesto Rivera, said he was thrilled to finally open Thursday. The team didn’t make a big announcement of it and has been pleasantly surprised to see more and more new customers come in each day.

I Love Tacos is a family-owned restaurant focused on fresh ingredients. The first location opened in Jeffersontown last May and was an instant success, Rivera said.

“I think a lot of it is our pricing and the quality of the food that we provide to the customer," he said. "As well, we try to make it a family place. You can bring the whole family here safely, and feed everyone for a meal out of the house at a good price."

So when the old Panera Bread location at 1534 Bardstown Road opened up over the summer, Rivera said it was perfect timing to keep the momentum going.

The building was gutted from top to bottom to get rid of the chain restaurant vibe.

“From what it was to what it is now, we’re so happy," Rivera said. "And we are so excited."

It’s now festive and bright inside with enough space for 60 customers to safely practice social distancing. Making the Highlands location unique from the Jeffersontown spot, this restaurant has a full bar and a larger patio for outdoor dining. There is also a window looking into the kitchen so customers can watch how tortillas are made.

“We’re doing now corn tortillas by hand, which is new," Rivera said. "We actually have two ladies back there making from scratch the dough and then cooking them fresh on the flat top. And then of course, everything else we’re doing right now is fresh. We don’t have anything pre-made.”

Rivera credits a lot of the restaurant’s success to the fact he opened in the middle of a pandemic. He said that forced him to integrate online ordering and to-go options into his business concept from the start. Currently, online orders amount to around 23% of his business.

The co-owner said he’s thrilled to finally open the new doors. It’s been tough to survive — and grow — as a small business in the pandemic. So he’s thankful for the support from his new Highlands neighbors.

The restaurant is open seven days a week. To view the menu or check make an online order, click here.