Nestled in the corner of UC San Diego’s Old Student Center, Taco Villa has been a staple of student life at UCSD since it first opened in Fall 2016. The restaurant spent the last decade bringing San Diego’s signature Mexican cuisine to students, offering beloved specialties such as the Triton Burrito and the Triton Quesadilla. However, this era has come to an end; on April 10, Taco Villa permanently closed its doors.
On its final day of operation, hungry students and staff alike swarmed the establishment. The long line at the ordering kiosk and the crowded dining area served as a testament to how integral the vendor had become to the campus.
First-year Toa Hernández was disappointed by the closure because of Taco Villa’s convenient location.
“Relative to the La Jolla area, it’s one of the more authentic Mexican restaurants that I could find,” Hernández said. “Because I’m coming from the South Bay, closer to the border, and [now] staying in the dorms, I’m like, ‘Oh, I can’t really find a good place made by other Mexicans like myself.’ It’s mostly something I would have to do at home.”
Taco Villa owner Ryan McGuffie said that the restaurant chose not to renew its lease due to financial issues, as previously reported by The UCSD Guardian.
However, Holly Menninger, vice chair of the University Centers Advisory Board, said that Taco Villa is closing because UCAB voted not to renew the lease. Menninger told The Guardian that she could not disclose the specific reasons why UCAB did not renew the lease, including potential lease violations. After the vote, the University informed Taco Villa that its lease would expire.
UCAB is a student-led advisory board of student representatives from all college councils. Menninger explained that UCAB discussed the decision to close Taco Villa with these councils, which were then responsible for disclosing the information to their respective student bodies.
“From some student feedback, along with some lease violations, we felt that there was a need to change the occupant of the space and decided to not go ahead with the renewal of their lease,” Menninger said.
UCAB polled students on Library Walk and sent out surveys through student councils starting at the end of Winter Quarter. These polls and surveys informed students about Taco Villa’s closure and asked what they would want to see in that space going forward.
“A lot of people felt very strongly about keeping a Mexican taqueria … and I think that is what we’re ultimately going to be moving forward with,” Menninger said. “We’re going to be looking at some dessert options and Mexican options. But we’re looking to get something similar to Taco Villa, hopefully San Diego-centered or based in San Diego.”
For students like Hernández, the loss is about more than just the food; it’s also about the space Taco Villa provided.
“I have to go farther now for something that is relatively close enough to the [authentic Mexican cuisine] experience,” Hernández said. “I mean, I live around here, so it’s just a trolley home, but I’d rather have something on campus to experience with my classmates.”
