Taco Bell Cantina Confirms Berkeley Location, While SF Store Still Liquorless

When San Francisco was the lucky recipient of America’s second boozy Taco Bell Cantina, the excitement was high. Except … that location is still boozeless, and it’s unclear when alcohol will be added. Taco Bell told Eater that the "franchisee is still working very closely with the city to confirm the liquor license," and that there should be "updates on the front in the near future."

In the meantime, though, Taco Bell is eyeing a Cantina location in Berkeley — because if at first you don’t succeed in SF, try, try again in the East Bay. The Cantina concept is explicitly geared toward millennials, with shareable items like chicken fingers and chili cheese nachos, upgraded furniture, and hipster design elements like exposed brick and corrugated metal finishes. Plus, of course, alcohol, which Taco Bell is hopeful will be easier to obtain in Berkeley. It’s a space that makes sense for this concept, being so close to the University of Berkeley.

Though the location — at 2528B Durant Ave. — is still in the early development phase, the franchisee has officially started working on the liquor license process, with the idea to open by the end of the year. Stay tuned for more details.