logo
Popular Oakland taqueria moving into S.F. food hall adjacent to IKEA

Popular Oakland taqueria moving into S.F. food hall adjacent to IKEA

Tacos El Último Baile, a popular Oakland taqueria, is gearing up to open in downtown San Francisco.
Chef-owner Dominic Prado confirmed to the Chronicle that his business will be serving customers at Saluhall, the two-story food hall connected to the IKEA on Market Street. He estimates the kiosk space will begin operating at the end of June.
Tacos El Último Baile began as a food truck serving the bar crowd in Oakland. The top-rated taqueria became well known for its offerings, which include smoky tacos stuffed with flame-kissed carne asada and al pastor-style pork shaved off a spinning trompo, served on corn or flour tortillas.
Prado launched his first brick-and-mortar shop at Oakland's Fruitvale Public Market in 2022, but announced he was changing his model after a dispute with a landlord over construction. Now the taqueria operates as a popup and catering company, with tacos featuring coal-grilled meats and specials including smoked brisket and chile colorado.
The restaurant arrives as Saluhall, an expansive dining venue, is at a crossroads. Two operators, Algerian restaurant Kayma and vegan taqueria La Venganza, have pulled out from the hall's top floor, citing low sales. Meanwhile the hall's operators retired two proprietary concepts: a vegan burger bar and a bakery. The latter were replaced with critic's pick burger shop Smish Smash and Cheezy's Artisanal Pizza, a project of Delfina Pizzeria and Flour + Water Pizzeria alum David Jacobson.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tacos El Ultimo Baile to close Oakland shop, move to San Francisco's Ikea food hall
Tacos El Ultimo Baile to close Oakland shop, move to San Francisco's Ikea food hall

CBS News

timean hour ago

  • CBS News

Tacos El Ultimo Baile to close Oakland shop, move to San Francisco's Ikea food hall

After originating in Oakland and spending a decade in the city, Tacos El Ultimo Baile is closing up shop and moving across the bridge to San Francisco. "It seems like it's a little brighter on that side," said owner Dominic Prado Prado says his taco business has taken different forms over the years: a popup, a food truck, and most recently, a restaurant at Fruitvale Public Market. The restaurant opened in October of 2022, but less than two years later, in July of 2024, it was forced to close. "People are not out as much as they used to be," said Prado about the current state of the Fruitvale District."People are not out here at all." He said there's very little foot traffic, and he believes people don't feel safe there. That inspired him to run for Oakland City Council last November, he called out elected officials and police over safety issues in the area. He ultimately lost to Noel Gallo. Now he's keeping his business afloat with catering jobs and he's trying to sell the Fruitvale location. "What I've seen here is a lack of investment, a lack of attention," said Prado. "A lack of respect for the people who live here and work day to day." He also felt a lack of support from The Unity Council, the non-profit corporation that owns and oversees the public market. He was vocal about it. "I think I spoke up when no one else wanted to about the situation here and I'll continue to do what I can, but I didn't make the change I wanted to see," explained Prado. "If you take a stroll through international, you'll see some of the conditions there and that's what's been the hardest part." So he's taking his northern Mexican-style wood-fired tacos to San Francisco. At the end of the month, he'll be moving into a location at Saluhall, the Ikea food hall on Market Street. "Saluhall has been welcoming, they're eager, they're excited," said Prado. "The PR team that they have is going to work wonders for my brand. Oakland is a tough place right now. It's not welcoming. There's not a lot of support for small businesses." Prado said he's impressed by the investment he's seeing from the new San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. Prado thinks he's incentivizing small businesses and cleaning up the area around Market Street. "We live in major cities and there's always going to be some kind of element, but I think what they're doing downtown in San Francisco at Market is actually really promising," said Prado. Prado's agreement is for a four-month trial, with an option to extend if the business is successful. We reached out to The Unity Council for comment, but they did not respond at the time of this report.

UK latest country to back Morocco's plan in disputed Western Sahara
UK latest country to back Morocco's plan in disputed Western Sahara

San Francisco Chronicle​

time12 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

UK latest country to back Morocco's plan in disputed Western Sahara

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — The United Kingdom on Sunday became the latest country to back Morocco's position on the disputed Western Sahara, calling its plan to keep the territory under Moroccan control 'the most credible, viable and pragmatic' way to resolve the decades-long conflict. At a joint press conference in Morocco's capital, British Foreign Minister David Lammy said the United Kingdom was changing its position to support Morocco's plan to offer the area limited autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. He and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita lauded the two countries' ties on security and trade, noting Morocco's role as co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. "The time for a resolution and to move this issue forward is long-overdue, and would strengthen the stability of North Africa," Lammy said. He also reiterated support for the United Nations-led process and called on Morocco to 'expand on details of what autonomy within the Moroccan State could entail for the region.' Western Sahara is a strip of coastal desert rich in phosphates and fish that the United Nations has considered a 'non-self-governing territory' throughout almost 50 years of dispute. It's claimed by both Morocco and Polisario, a pro-independence group that operates out of refugee camps in southwestern Algeria. The shift fulfills one of Morocco's primary foreign policy objectives and makes the United Kingdom the third permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to back its position, following France and the United States. Since 1991, the United Nations has administered a peacekeeping mission designed to hold a referendum to determine the status of the disputed territory, all of which is under Morocco's control except for a small sliver near the Algerian border. After years of conflict, the area has recently emerged as a hotspot for investment, drawing European and American firms interested in fishing, agriculture and infrastructure projects that would allow for the transmission of wind and solar power. As negotiations have stalled, Morocco has invested heavily in the region and sought support from trade partners. Polisario has taken its fight to international courts, arguing that Morocco does not have the right to trade resources belonging to the Sahrawi people while the conflict remains unresolved. The countries exchange billions of dollars worth of cars, fruits and vegetables. The two are partnering on XLinks, a renewable energy storage and transmission project whose backers hope will power millions of British homes. The British shift angered Algeria, Morocco's regional rival, which in a statement on Sunday blasted Morocco's plan as 'empty of content and incapable of contributing to a serious and credible settlement of the conflict.'

UK latest country to back Morocco's plan in disputed Western Sahara
UK latest country to back Morocco's plan in disputed Western Sahara

Hamilton Spectator

time12 hours ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

UK latest country to back Morocco's plan in disputed Western Sahara

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — The United Kingdom on Sunday became the latest country to back Morocco's position on the disputed Western Sahara, calling its plan to keep the territory under Moroccan control 'the most credible, viable and pragmatic' way to resolve the decades-long conflict. At a joint press conference in Morocco's capital, British Foreign Minister David Lammy said the United Kingdom was changing its position to support Morocco's plan to offer the area limited autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. He and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita lauded the two countries' ties on security and trade, noting Morocco's role as co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. 'The time for a resolution and to move this issue forward is long-overdue, and would strengthen the stability of North Africa,' Lammy said. He also reiterated support for the United Nations-led process and called on Morocco to 'expand on details of what autonomy within the Moroccan State could entail for the region.' Western Sahara is a strip of coastal desert rich in phosphates and fish that the United Nations has considered a 'non-self-governing territory' throughout almost 50 years of dispute. It's claimed by both Morocco and Polisario, a pro-independence group that operates out of refugee camps in southwestern Algeria. The shift fulfills one of Morocco's primary foreign policy objectives and makes the United Kingdom the third permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to back its position, following France and the United States. Since 1991, the United Nations has administered a peacekeeping mission designed to hold a referendum to determine the status of the disputed territory, all of which is under Morocco's control except for a small sliver near the Algerian border. After years of conflict, the area has recently emerged as a hotspot for investment, drawing European and American firms interested in fishing, agriculture and infrastructure projects that would allow for the transmission of wind and solar power. As negotiations have stalled, Morocco has invested heavily in the region and sought support from trade partners. Polisario has taken its fight to international courts, arguing that Morocco does not have the right to trade resources belonging to the Sahrawi people while the conflict remains unresolved. The countries exchange billions of dollars worth of cars, fruits and vegetables. The two are partnering on XLinks, a renewable energy storage and transmission project whose backers hope will power millions of British homes. The British shift angered Algeria, Morocco's regional rival, which in a statement on Sunday blasted Morocco's plan as 'empty of content and incapable of contributing to a serious and credible settlement of the conflict.' Polisario Front representatives didn't respond to questions about the United Kingdom's stance. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store