LUDLOW, Vt. – As the saying goes, “If you know, you know,” and those in the know are heaping praise on Ludlow’s Tacos Tacos like owner Lauren Nazzaro heaps shredded chicken into her massive burritos.
In an online review, one customer commented, “The burrito was big, delicious, and filling. Lived in Texas for 20 years and these felt like something you would get at a small taqueria down there!”
“I wish I had a picture of the burrito that I ate so fast it almost made my head spin,” wrote another reviewer.
The restaurant’s loyal customers appreciate the portion sizes, affordable pricing, quality, quick service, and the variety of vegetarian and vegan options. In addition to the popular, famously large burritos, Tacos Tacos serves tacos – obviously – nachos, and salads. For dessert, a cream-filled churro brings a cool finish to the meal.
When Tacos Tacos first opened in Ludlow, in April of 1991, the owners were Kevin Lefter and John Early. They had previously opened the flagship restaurant in Nantucket, which stayed open until 2023. A third Tacos Tacos in Rutland was attempted, but ultimately shut down.
The original owners introduced the gun-toting, mustachioed bandito logo that still adorns the merchandise, and whom Nazzaro lovingly calls “Paco.” Nazzaro related that when she first signed the ownership papers in 2018, she gave her lawyer the business information over the phone and when the documents came back, everywhere the name appeared, it was written as “Paco’s Tacos.”
Nazzaro and her right-hand man Nick Arduini, who she says motivates her by being “the gentlest bully you will ever meet,” have kept the business going through a pandemic and a flood. Now they collaborate on how best to keep costs down as the price of ingredients and supplies is going up, among other things.
Arduini worked at Tacos Tacos before Nazzaro bought it, and taught her some of the tricks of the taco trade. Tom and Holly Ellis were the shop’s owners at that time, and wanted to retire.
In a twist of fate, Nazzaro’s uncle Ben lived next door to the Ellises in Plymouth, and when he learned they were selling the business, he told them about his niece who had been working in the restaurant business for years. Nazarro said once she and Holly Ellis met and had gotten to know one another, Ellis basically insisted Nazzaro take over the business and offered to help figure out how to make it work.
Her uncle unfortunately passed away before Nazzaro made the move to Vermont, but Ellis reached out, and eventually they made a deal. Ellis handed down the original recipes, and Nazzaro admits she has changed very little since then.
Another magical coincidence occurred when Nazzaro and Ellis were finalizing the contract. Nazzaro had left her jacket behind after a meeting with Ellis, with a pin attached that had been her grandmother Alice’s – a handcrafted angel pin.
When Nazzaro returned to retrieve the jacket, Ellis asked her, “Where did you get this pin?”
“It was from my grandmother,” Nazzaro replied.
“I gave that pin to your grandmother for Christmas many years back,” Ellis remarked.
“It was this moment of ‘This is where you are meant to be, this is what is supposed to happen,’” said Nazzaro.
Additionally, the money Nazzaro was using to buy Tacos Tacos had been left to her by her grandmother, which she had earned by owning her own restaurant, Benny’s Den, in Connecticut, for 30 years.
The tradition continues in many ways for Nazzaro, who had been about 10 when visiting Okemo and stopping at Tacos Tacos for a burrito; now her 10-year-old daughter, Aurora, accompanies her.
“We ski, then come down off the mountain and we eat our well-earned burritos,” said Nazzaro, relaying that this tradition is shared by many families who visit the area.
The restaurant received a makeover after Nazzaro came on; the muted murals were replaced with vibrant colors associated with Mexican culture and celebration. Nazzaro created a line of Tacos Tacos hot sauces, including “Ghost Chile” and “Caribbean Lime.”
With an easy smile and genuine laugh, Nazzaro brings a friendly, welcoming energy to the shop. A neon sign hangs in the window that reads, “Inhale tacos. Exhale negativity.”
With five or six staffers and a small kitchen with a two-burner stove, Tacos Tacos is still able to stay open all season, seven days per week, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. In the warmer months, outdoor seating will be ready – two picnic tables on the lawn in front, and tables on the deck beneath a set of festive string lights.
Tacos Tacos will also be teaming up with Darkside Snowboards for their fourth Taco & Skateboard contest at the Okemo Skate Park. There will be prizes given out in different categories, and free tacos for all participants.
The original “burrito hotline” remains open for business – 35 years and still going strong, serving the “best burritos outside the baja,” at 1 Lamere Square.