The team behind Carlitos Tacos expands its New Jersey and New York City offerings to the Hudson Valley with its new Palisades Center concept.
Locals to the Hudson Valley and Rockland County know the Palisades Center as a cultural hub for all things shopping, dining, experiences, and more. With news of the new Brothers Barbecue location opening last fall, the West Nyack destination continues to grow on the culinary front with Carlitos Tequileria, which opens on January 17. The Carlitos brand, which already has several booming operations throughout New Jersey and New York City, hopes to expand its taco offerings to include more Latin flavors and Meso-American dining as it focuses on agave at the new tequileria.
As a brand that started out of a food truck in 2017, Carlitos has come a long way since, serving the New York metro area with multiple brick-and-mortar locations in Newark, Jersey City, Paramus, and more. Now, founder Carlos Castillo and partners Sabrina Castillo, Fernando Campo, and Martin Moline are excited to try something new in two levels of renovated space and beautifully crafted ambiance in the Palisades Center.
While the Carlitos story began in Queens in a food truck, the brand has yet to set up a permanent location in New York. “Opening in New York has always felt like coming full circle for us, and we knew it was only a matter of time before we brought Carlitos to New York,” says Carlos Castillo. Ultimately, the team decided on the Palisades Center because of its sense of community and cultural richness. “Carlitos Tequileria isn’t just about opening another restaurant—it’s about honoring where we come from and sharing the flavors and stories that mean so much to us,” continues Castillo.
A natural next chapter in the Carlitos portfolio of restaurants, the West Nyack location seeks to elevate the usual taqueria format with great food, bold flavors, live entertainment, and unforgettable memories. The team has taken the opportunity to expand its culinary creativity with more Latin American flavors and culture, including a bar that features wines from Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile; dishes like chicharron, tostones, and chimichurri; and desserts like tres leches cake, which is a nod to Nicaragua’s colonial past. The diversified menu was designed to surprise while staying true to Carlitos’ roots.
Of course, Carlitos Tequileria has an extensive taqueria section on the menu, in addition to starters, shareable plates, a choice of parrilla (grilled) or ahumada (smoked) meats, and much more. Carlitos offers a special type of barbecue that “didn’t sprout from the polished kitchens of culinary school,” as Castillo puts it, but was rather developed in the neighborhoods of Queens where Castillo and his friends shared their generational Latin American cooking methods.
In addition to the food menu at Carlitos Tequileria, the bar reigns supreme with a skilled team of bartenders applying modern methods and deep-rooted traditions to a wide selection of tequilas and mezcals. From margaritas to mezcal-heavy cocktails to Latin American wines, the bar offers guests a diverse range of options to elevate the Carlitos experience.
While Carlitos Tequileria soft-launched on January 2 of this year, the new Palisades Center restaurant is excited for a January 17 grand opening. “From the food truck days to this moment, it’s been a wild ride, and we’re ready to celebrate in true Carlitos style—with good vibes, great food, and an experience you won’t forget,” says Castillo.
Carlitos Tequileria
Palisades Center Mall, Fourth Floor
4370 Palisades Center Drive, West Nyack
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