In 1994 Justine Langevin, along with a group of friends, went travelling all over Mexico. She fell in love with the laid-back lifestyle, colourful culture and rich language. Her home away from home became a rustic beach village near Puerto Vallarta. While living there seasonally every year, Justine found some close woman mentors who taught her all about the complex flavours and cooking techniques of Mexican food. Her love of the Mexican culture and especially the food was shared by her parents, who travelled throughout Mexico with her as a toddler.

While Justine studied the language, food and culture of Mexico her father Gil was working as a contractor, and cabinet maker. During this time he was frustrated with the nutrition and quality of fast-food in their hometown, Nelson B.C. After a short holiday in San Francisco enjoying the burrito/ taco culture, he knew what needed to happen. Nelson needed a taco joint.

In 2003, father and daughter brought together their wealth of experiences and shared dreamof owning a restaurant. Together they opened the Nelson El Taco in 2004. The restaurant was an immediate success! Two years later, the team expanded their dream and opened a second restaurant, ElTaco on Davie. The company was incorporated and was joined by two more partners, Jeannine Belanger and Dana Rothkop.

The concept behind the El Taco menu stems from a food philosophy shared by all the partners. “We believe what we offer our customers has to be made from the best quality ingredients wecan find; to be made from scratch; to be fresh; to have dietary options; to allow customers to determine for themselves how spicy their food should be; is a menu inspired by ingredients that have nourished people for thousands of years; will make customers feel energized; will make them feel grateful and want to return.”

Building on this food philosophy, we encourage our staff to have fun and ensure that every customer is treated as if they were guests in our homes. El Taco is committed to eco-environmental practices and use “green” packaging and product supplies. We choose suppliers who are local and community-based wherever possible. Our ingredients are combined in a perfect harmony of flavours and textures to create delicious and fresh-tasting foods that are not only healthy but leave our customers fully satisfied and wanting to return.