LA Weekly Plans Return of Beleaguered Taco Festival Despite Boycott Troubles

Back at it

LA Weekly is planning to move forward with its Tacolandia taco festival this year, making it part of a larger lucha libre and art event at Plaza de la Raza in Lincoln Heights on June 22. Despite the public departure of the event’s co-founder Bill Esparza (an Eater LA contributor who has since started his own Taqueando festival slated for June 15), an ongoing boycott of the alt-weekly paper since its takeover, and previous cancellations of public food events, the Weekly says that more than a dozen unnamed restaurants will participate.

Wine in the city

There’s a new winery of sorts coming to Long Beach soon, reports the Long Beach Post. Water’s Edge will set up shop at 217 Pine Avenue, buying grapes from all over the world and finishing them locally as part of a franchise model with deals in dozens of states.

Another in the Valley

Feel-good Valley restaurant Health Nut is expanding its footprint, taking over the closed Wild & Free restaurant at 4550 Van Nuys Blvd. in Sherman Oaks. The company has previously spent more than three decades in Woodland Hills doing salads, sandwiches, wraps, juices, and the like, and expects to open its second location soon. Signage, as seen below, is already up.

The truth

Sonoratown just keeps gathering new fans. The recent L.A. Taco Madness tournament winners also got a nice write-up this month in Bon Appetit, all thanks to the strength of their immaculate flour tortillas.

A deeper dive

LAist goes all the way into the history of Pho 79, the iconic Southern California Vietnamese restaurant that won an American Classics award from the James Beard Foundation this year. From the family’s rich history to its early successes in America, this place really does have it all.

Tonight is the night

Chris Kronner of Kronnerburger is back in Los Angeles, and, yes, he’s doing burgers. The popular San Francisco chef is popping up tonight at Shibumi in Downtown from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., with space for walk ins only.