Food and Drink

Taco spot reopens months after fire. ‘Come taste what’s new’

A year and a half after an unexpected fire, a Charlotte taco shop has reopened.

Taqueria Number 1, a restaurant specializing in authentic Mexican and Central American cuisines, started hosting customers again on Nov. 3 in MoRA, a spokesperson told CharlotteFive.

Fans who haven’t made it back yet can expect a “newly renovated (space), with enhanced flavors and a fresh, expanded menu,” the restaurant said in a recent Instagram post.

Two folded, cheese-covered Birria tacos with crispy orange shells and meat filling are presented on a long white rectangular plate, garnished with lime wedges and cilantro. Beside the tacos, a white bowl holds a portion of rich red consommé, and a tall plastic cup of bright orange juice stands in the background.
Quesabirrias are a crowd favorite at Taqueria Number 1 in Charlotte. Taqueria Number 1

“We can’t wait to welcome our old fans and new friends: come taste what’s new!”

The taqueria’s menu features traditional Mexican offerings from burritos to sopes and tacos. Customers can also choose from sides like chips and queso, plantains and beans.

There are sugar-dusted churros, too.

A hand holds a single, ring-shaped churro coated in sugar, which is being dipped into a pool of dark, melted chocolate. The chocolate drips from the churro, and a bright yellow cup containing more chocolate dipping sauce is partially visible in the blurred background.
Taqueria Number 1 also has a dessert options including churros. Taqueria Number 1

Owner Rubén Granados went door to door selling his homemade tamales when he arrived in the U.S. as a teen and went on to open Taqueria Number 1 in February 2021. In April 2024, a small fire forced the beloved taco joint to close temporarily.

“It was a difficult chapter, but it also became an opportunity to rebuild stronger than ever,” the restaurant’s website states. “Today, Taquería Number 1 stands renewed safer, more modern, and more inviting without losing the authenticity that has defined us from the beginning.”

The reimagined menu still focuses on traditional Mexican fare but with dishes that don’t take long to make, a spokesperson told CharlotteFive.

Menu highlights include the quesabirrias — a crowd favorite — alongside additions including flautas ahongadas and empanadas.

Taqueria Number 1 is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Three taquitos topped with pico de gallo and crumbled white cheese are served upright in a small white paper cup on a dark wooden table. A clear plastic cup of a creamy, light-brown beverage, both featuring a “Number Taqueria” logo sticker, sits next to the taquito cup.
Flautas Ahongadas at Taqueria Number 1. Taqueria Number 1

Taqueria Number 1

Location: 3619 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28205

Menu

Cuisine: Tacos, quesadillas, gorditas + more

Instagram: @taquerianumber1

Three tacos with meat, cilantro, and diced red onion are arranged on a piece of paper on a metal tray, accompanied by a pile of sautéed white onions and two lime wedges. In the background, there is a small jar of orange sauce and a blurred plastic cup containing a light-colored beverage.
The menu at Taqueria Number 1 includes tacos, quesadillas, gorditas and more. Taqueria Number 1
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This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 9:10 AM.

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Tanasia Kenney
Sun Herald
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
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