Bartaco, Sister Spot to Barcelona Wine Bar, Opens in King of Prussia Tonight

Source, Eater Philadelphia, Rachel Vigoda

Bartaco, from the same restaurant group that brought Barcelona Wine Bar to East Passyunk Avenue, is ready for its debut in the King of Prussia mall. The fusion-y Mexican-ish restaurant opens for dinner Thursday, March 14. It’s a sit-down spot with alcohol.

This is the first Philly-area location of Bartaco, which calls itself “coastal-inspired.” What does that mean in KOP? “It has an airy beach house vibe with white-washed wood, hanging plants, communal seating, and a garage door that on nice days opens up the dining room to the patio,” says Bartaco president Sabato Sagaria.

The food offerings are heavy on the tacos, with options like tempura cod, tamari-citrus steak, and pork belly with a spicy arbol chile sauce. There’s also a menu section of rice bowls (taco fillings on rice) and a section called “not tacos,” with salads, poke, chicken empanadas, and duck quesadillas.

The drinks list include a lot of tequilas and mezcals, available on their own, in flights, or in cocktails, plus other spirits, beer, and wine. Nonalcoholic options include aguas frescas (fruit juice plus sugar) mixes like ginger grapefruit and a nojito, a booze-free version of a mojito.

Bartaco is starting with dinner only, but will add lunch in a few days.

Look for the KOP outpost in the exterior crosswalk between the Court and the Plaza — the area between Neiman Marcus and Macy’s, where the newly opened North Italia is. It’s below the Savor food court, which houses Shake Shack, Pink’s Hot Dogs, Sweetgreen, and Melt Shop.

The chain also has locations in New York, Boston, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Colorado.

Bartaco and Barcelona Wine Bar are part of Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, which acquired their original owner, Barteca, last year. Barteca’s first foray in the Philly market was a Barcelona Wine Bar, the Spanish tapas restaurant that opened at 1709 E. Passyunk Avenue in summer 2017.