By Pierce Panagakos
College Park is home to a new taco restaurant, and even before opening for in-person dining, Tacos a La Madre is serving carryout, at 5010 Berwyn Road, in the heart of Berwyn’s quaint downtown.
Many city residents have already had a taste of La Madre’s Mexican menu; the head chef initially filled his mother’s kitchen with tantalizing aromas and sold from her backyard, and then through a limited deal with College Park’s Holiday Inn.
Herson Romero, owner of the restaurant, is eager to welcome customers through the doors. “We honestly anticipate a mixture of customers. From our loyal tacoholics who have followed us in our amazing journey as well as those eager neighbors, residents, and students here in College Park,” he said.
Romero is also eager to share La Madre’s menu. “One of the menu items that we are extremely excited to bring back and make it a permanent menu item is our Carne Asada Fries! Something that is near and dear to our hearts and [we] can’t wait to bring a flavorful west coast delicacy over to the East coast!” he exclaimed. While he’s sure that La Madre’s fries will be a hit, Romero also raved about La Madre’s signature offering, their Birria tacos & nachos. “We have taken so much time perfecting these items and can’t wait for more people to try delicious and authentic Birria tacos,” he added.
Bob Catlin, a long-time Berwyn resident, said that the neighborhood is excited about having a new restaurant in the neighborhood. Catlin recalled Fishnet, popular restaurant that was at this location until 2019. He said that Fishnet had a broad customer base and added to the neighborhood’s vibrancy. He suggested that Tacos a La Madre could appeal to a diverse customer base, too.
Eric Olson, the executive director of the College Park-University Partnership, underscored the location’s attributes, writing in an email, “It is a quaint neighborhood setting, which has appeal, and the location is right along the popular Trolley Trail, making it a destination for cyclists as well. The restaurants that have been at the site previously have all been “destination restaurants” where frequent customers travel to the spot, in addition to the many customers who are College Park residents and students.”
Tacos a La Madre’s hard opening date isn’t set, but they are taking orders online at tacosalamadre.com. For updates, follow the restaurant on Instagram @tacosalamadre.
