Hi-Lo Taco opens permanent home in Philly’s Midtown Village

-Courtesy of Cashman & Associates

Industry veteran and Restaurateur Jeff Newman recently announced the opening of Hi-Lo Taco (Hi-Lo), an American-style taco bar touting handmade flour tortilla tacos with smoked meats, house-made salsas and more. Hi-Lo Taco officially opened its doors for service in Center City’s Midtown Village neighborhood at 1109 Walnut Street on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

Hi-Lo marries a commitment to quality ingredient sourcing and chef-driven culinary techniques with a casual, laid-back atmosphere that welcomes diners to pull up a seat at the bar, sit down for a shared meal with friends and family, or take Hi-Lo’s feel-good fare to go via custom takeout window directly on Walnut Street.

“The concept is simple,” begins Jeff Newman, Restaurateur and Chef-owner of Hi-Lo. “A fun American-style Taco Bar where Philadelphian’s can come as they are, kick back and stay awhile. Our entire menu is hand-made and made-to order with flavors that are almost too good to share.”

Hi-Lo’s permanent home in Midtown Village serves as an extension of Newman’s Fishtown pop-ups where breakfast tacos on homemade flour tortillas stole the show. Hi-Lo Midtown Village will debut an extended menu of ten (10) additional tacos including Guajillo BBQ Chicken, Smash Burger, Chicken Fajita, Steak Fajita, Crispy Shrimp, Crispy Fish, Grilled Fish, Mushroom Asada, Cauliflower Tinga and Adobo Pork. All tacos come with (1) taco per order – starting at $4.75/taco with corn tortillas available upon request.

All day long, diners can also enjoy Hi-Lo Taco’s signature Breakfast Tacos, including:

• Burnt Ends ($6.25/taco): Egg, Abundantly Good white cheddar
• Chorizo ($4.75/taco): Egg, Abundantly Good white cheddar, black beans
• Mushroom ($4.75/taco): Egg, Abundantly Good white cheddar, peppers & onions

Additional menu items include a selection of crispy, house-fried heirloom corn tortilla chips made for dipping & scooping into Queso, Loaded Queso, Salsa Ranchera and/or Guacamole; plus a selection of shareable bowls, salads and small plates including but not limited to:

• Chicken Fajita and/or Baja Fish Bowl with your selection of full grains or half grains/half greens
• Chipotle Cheddar Chop or Big Bowl Salad with options to add grilled chicken, mushroom asada and/or grilled mahi mahi
• Smoked & Fried Wings: Six (6) jumbo wings – choice of buffalo or Guajillo BBQ – served with Maggi Ranch
• Shrimp and/or Yellowtail Tostada

For every pound of locally produced Abundantly Good Cheddar cheese purchased and utilized in Hi-Lo’s signature breakfast tacos and Queso, $1 goes back to Philabundance, Philadelphia’s largest hunger relief organization. Likewise, 10% of all sales from Hi-Lo’s soft opening weekend were donated to Prevention Point to promote health, empowerment and safety for communities affected by drug use and poverty.

“After nearly 20 years of cooking, I’m bringing my obsession with BBQ, fire and smoke to life. I’m striving to marry the love, care and thoughtfulness I learned working in fine-dining kitchens with simple affordable food that diners can enjoy time and again,” continues Newman.

Guests are encouraged to wash down their tacos with a beverage menu full of additive free tequila & mezcal, draft & bottled beer, wine, signature cocktails & mocktails and, of course, Margaritas and Ranch Water. Unsure what to drink first? Start with a “Chupito” – a pair of shot-sized cocktails for toasting – or a $10 “Boot + a Beer” pairing including a shot of Casca Viejo Blanco tequila and a can of Tecate. 

To complement Hi-Lo Taco’s vibrant menu and create an atmosphere equally as spirited, the team partnered with local artist Patty Crash, also known as @shade.brigade, to create a custom stained glass window piece titled “Digital Sunset” – a new variation on Crash’s signature ‘Sunset Sun-Catchers’ pieces using color blocking to create a color saturated palate that spills through Hi-Lo Taco’s rooftop skylight onto the back white brick wall when light is introduced.

Hi-Lo’s dining room will feature a hybrid service model that favors a QR code ordering platform over traditional table service to create an efficient, yet attentive dining experience. Blurring the lines between “fast-casual” and “full-service”, and “fine dining” and “fast food,” Hi-Lo embraces the ultimate “High-Low” ethos where great food doesn’t have to be fancy, and incredible service doesn’t need to be formal.

The restaurant features seating for 68 guests including 12 bar seats, 8 high-top table seats within the bar area and a dining room with a 48-person capacity. With sustainability at the forefront of Hi-Lo’s values, Hi-Lo’s signature orange bar stools and matching high-top table stools are made from recycled plastic bottles – with each stool crafted from 111 upcycled Coca-Cola bottles to create a sustainable, timeless and classic chair.

Hi-Lo Taco will be open Tuesday – Thursday 4pm – 9pm and Friday-Saturday 4pm-10pm. Plus, diners can enjoy happy hour deals Tuesday – Friday 4pm-6pm. Hi-Lo Taco will be closed Sunday & Monday, with plans to open for lunch and a breakfast taco takeout window in early 2024.

“I’m grateful for the local community and loyal Hi-Lo fans I’ve cultivated through my popups and can’t wait to welcome them into the reimagined Hi-Lo space. For those who haven’t tasted our handmade flour tortillas yet, you’re in for a treat,” ends Newman.

For more information about Hi-Lo Taco and to stay up to date on opening details, visit https://www.hilotaco.com/ or follow @hilotacoco on Instagram.