After 10 months of development, vegan taqueria Chihuahua Brothers is getting ready to open, and owner Kevyn Matthews said that it will be “one of the most technologically advanced restaurants in the city.”

Inspired by his wife, who had kept a vegan diet and never traveled outside of the country, Matthews opened the first iteration of Chihuahua Brothers as a food cart. Two years later, he moved into a spacious brick-and-mortar dining room in Abell where he sought to “represent Mexico,” rather than play into the “disrespectful” stereotypes that Matthews said permeate many other Mexican restaurants. But a combination of “too much crime,” a poor-quality building and a property lead for the basement space in the Biddle Street Inn drove him to begin the relocation process in August of 2024.

“I was obsessed with this space,” said Matthews about the new Chihuahua Brothers location at 58 West Biddle Street. “It’s a beautiful building, and I wanted to show the strength, vibrancy and resilience of the culture.”

At the new spot, which will feature Mexican art and a hand-painted mural by Matthews himself, many of the food offerings will be the same — including plant-based tacos, tamale-burrito hybrids and empanadas inspired by the Mexican Feria de Santa Rita. Matthews also plans on adding some twists. Among the most significant changes is a digital ordering system, which Matthew said will make the restaurant “waiterless.” While he explained that there will still be food expediters and staff to prevent the environment from becoming “impersonal,” guests will place their orders using tablets with digital menus at every table.

“The food comes right to you as it’s made,” Matthews said. “There’s less room for mistakes, and no waiting around for a waiter.”

The restaurant’s liquor license is still pending, but in the meantime, Matthews is planning to launch a beverage menu of exclusively Mexican beer, wines and spirits. While he had hoped to open up in May, he assured fans that the new Chihuahua Brothers will be worth the wait.

“Contractors were rushing and making mistakes, but this isn’t about rushing. It’s about longevity and doing it correctly, which is a reflection on the food itself,” he said. “You can’t rush perfection.”

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