Costa Taco is dishing up authentic Mexican eats.
Costa Taco is dishing up authentic Mexican eats.
Combining great-tasting food and sustainably sourced ingredients is a realm we should be looking to head if climate-related headlines are anything to go by. Two brothers who believe in this ethos are brothers Matt and Nick Stanley, who are the gents behind Palm Beach’s soon to open taco den — Costa Taco.
For those who do the rounds of farmers markets, you may recognise these two who also double as the proprietors of Cuzzie Pies. They’re ones to keep themselves busy and have been since holding regular taco pop-ups at Dust Temple’s Summer Series, Alfred’s Apartment and Bundall Farmers Markets; keeping finger-licking tacos coming to the masses right across the Coast.
With the increasing popularity and desire to find themselves a spot to call home, the guys landed themselves a humble yet fun space right on the Gold Coast Highway in Palm Beach. This is an honest-style Mexican taqueria where you’ll find no Oz-Mex cliches — only wholly authentic-tasting tacos, ice-cold beers, and a simple but rustic setting where banter and good vibes are guaranteed to gush.
From their time spent around farmers markets and talking with dedicated growers and producers, the two brothers became acutely aware of how our little corner of the world mirrors Mexico’s climate. With near-identical weather patterns and even soil types, they began to experiment with chillies and vegetables, fully appreciating how food from local farmers not only rewards you with quality produce but a much smaller carbon footprint. And before you know it, Costa Taco was born!
Everything you ingest at Costa Taco is sourced from our sun-drenched local area and is highly seasonal. But what else would you expect?
The guys are adamant about keeping their food offering small and delicious — no dishes acting as purely menu fillers here. You’ll have a straightforward choice of five tacos: Beef Birria, Pork Canitas, Guerrero Chicken, Baja Fish and Seasonal Veggie, which comes as your vegan choice. All of these delights come on pillowy corn-based tortillas — meaning zero gluten for you, compadre! Running alongside this will be an ever-changing and evolving sides and specials list with a handful of exciting and ‘of the moment’ dishes the guys are excited for you to try and share amongst friends.
For drinks, you’ll find a small selection of wines and one of the iciest assemblages of Young Henry beers ever seen — perfect for when the spice begins to cut in.
In the space, there’s low seating for couples, and a stand-up bar for those who want to chat whilst they sip beers and munch tacos. You’ll also notice a fun and eye-catching part of the venue is a spice thermometer painted on one of the walls: handily indicating where specific chillies and peppers sit in the grand scheme of hotness. You’ll then have the option of customising your tacos to whatever level of heat your heart desires. Finally… you can now settle that argument over which sauce is the spiciest!
Authenticity is at the heart of Costa Tacos. While Palm Beach might not be a dusty cactus-filled town in Mexico, the local produce and dedication to flavour more than make up for this fact!
Hours: Opening 14 Saturday August 2021 then Tuesday-Sunday, 5pm-late
Where: 1136 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach
Words by Alex Mitcheson.