To the dismay of Mexican food lovers (and beer drinkers) of North Austin, chef Joseph Gomez closed his Con Todo taqueria in January 2025 after just over three years of operation at Celis Brewery.
Gomez, who cited slow business and poor visibility as two of the biggest reasons for closing Con Todo, spent most of last year running a pop-up entitled Sana Sana Taqueria. That itinerant operation, which bounced around locations including Tare sushi, Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors and Lolo wine bar, gets a more stable home this week.
The McAllen-born chef, who was raised in his parents’ native Brownsville, will open Sana Sana in the kitchen at the Royal Blue Grocery at 360 Nueces St. in the 360 Tower in time for the 2026 South by Southwest Conference and Festival.
The initial menu from the taqueria that opens Thursday will feature vampiro de ribeye (a crispy concave tortilla somewhere between a taco and a tostada), bistec tacos in estilo Matamoros, mollejas (sweetbreads), chicharrón tacos, queso fresco cheesecake and more. Sana Sana will serve mesquite flour tortillas and corn tortillas all made with Mexican corn nixtamalized in-house.
“I’m really grateful to be back and cooking for people again, showcasing Mexican food inspired by the RGV and Northeastern Mexico, with influences from all over,” Gomez told the American-Statesman. “Food shouldn’t have borders.”
Despite his early recognition, Gomez, who served as sous chef at Easy Tiger and has worked in fine dining and casual restaurants in Austin, said the local and national praise means little to him.
“I’d rather just focus on my goal and my mission. I couldn’t care less about accolades,” Gomez said. “When I do get something, I try to use it as a platform to highlight something that’s important to talk about in our industry, whether it be migrant workers or undocumented workers. Most of the restaurants in town thrive because of immigrants.”
Sana Sana will be open from 11 a.m. until sold out during SXSW (March 12-18) and then Thursday through Monday for the rest of March. The taqueria will close for the first half of April for some additional renovations and to staff up before reopening late in the month.
“Joseph’s reputation and cuisine are both stellar, and everyone has been anxiously awaiting his next gig,” Royal Blue co-founder George Scariano said. “We’re so proud to partner with him, and can’t wait to see what’s next from this compelling chef.”