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Taco Vegana owners Rachel and Milton Rodriguez
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Taco Vegana is located at 1004 Oakwood Ave.
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The inside of Taco Vegana, accented with a Frida Kahlo mural completed by local artist Jiminai
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Taco Vegana is anchored by a long bar that offers views into an open kitchen.
Devoted vegans for the past decade, spouses Milton and Rachel Rodriguez are on the verge of debuting their ode to plant-based eating. On Oct. 14, the first-time restaurant owners will introduce Taco Vegana, a casual, counter-service Mexican-inspired eatery — and the city’s only dedicated vegan restaurant with a bar — at 1004 Oakwood Ave. in Church Hill North.
For Milton, the restaurant is a reflection of his upbringing, its offerings a blend of dishes that explore his Mexican heritage, time spent growing up in California and living in Austin, Texas — minus the meat. And for Rachel, a member of the planning committee for the recent Richmond VegFest, it’s an opportunity to offer the neighborhood, and vegans, a new place to nosh.
“I had a drive to build something; I knew that I wanted to own my own thing, and that evolved through many emotions, through veganism, through not finding good vegan Mexican options,” Milton says, “and this idea, this concept, just kind of started molding into what it is now.”
Nearly 10 years ago, Milton embarked on a mission to learn the ins and outs of the dining industry. After arriving in Austin, where the couple met, he landed his first restaurant gig at a wine bar, arriving with resume in hand and a resolve to “do anything.” He started as a busser and since then has worked various positions, even earning Level 1 cicerone and sommelier certifications.
In 2021, the couple relocated to Richmond. “It kind of fit the bill for everything we were looking for,” says Rachel, a University of Virginia graduate who grew up in the Shenandoah Valley.
The homecoming also granted them a chance to think about their future, and the idea of solidifying something of their own. With a young child, Milton says, they thought, “We’ve been working towards making something happen; this is the time to do it.”
The venture feels like a natural reflection of its owners. Rachel was a vegetarian since her teenage years before committing to veganism. For Milton, the choice was a bit more personal. After his sister was diagnosed with cancer, he says, he had an epiphany.
“There’s a lot of my family history that I realized I could easily avoid with attention to my diet,” he says. “I thought, ‘Something’s got to change in my life.’ And I made the change from the health perspective; the whole environmental aspect just came later on. We obviously completely respect everybody’s choice, but this is for us. This is it.”
The Rodriguezes secured the building, which had been abandoned for years, in early 2024. Due to a historic tax credit renovation, the process of opening has taken over a year. A compact eatery, Taco Vegana is anchored by a 10-seat bar that offers an up-close view of the kitchen. A mural of Frida Kahlo adorned with tattoos — described as a “nod to Richmond” — by Austin-based artist Jiminai covers an entire wall, while aqua blue tiles serve as a bright backdrop, rattan fixtures hang above, and large windows flood the space with natural light.
Regarding their design philosophy, Milton says they aimed to avoid stereotypical Mexican decor and instead worked to create a space that reflects their own style and the desert and ocean environments of Baja California in Mexico. “Being from Baja, I want to bring in some of that aspect. Baja California is basically desert and ocean.”
The menu taps into Mexican, Californian and Tex-Mex flavors. Over the years, Milton says, he has been working to develop dishes and rethink how to infuse the same flavors, aromas and time-honored recipes into meat-free substitutes.
“In my family, or my culture, as a kid, you’re always right there in the kitchen with Grandma,” he says. “But becoming vegan sort of changed things a little, I had to figure out recipes that I really loved and dishes I really loved, and that evolved to this.”
Starters include asada fries loaded with a seitan-mushroom mix, refried beans, Tex-Mex queso (a housemade cashew-based cheese), pico de gallo, crema, pickled onions and guacamole, in addition to nachos and elote loco (a twist on Mexican street corn).
Tacos are split between street-style and specialty, available on flour or corn tortillas. Find a reimagined al pastor, made using a seitan-mushroom mix tossed in al pastor adobo and topped with pineapple; a Baja featuring fried cauliflower florets, chipotle mayo, red cabbage and pico; and the Chi’ken Alambre, which brings together seasoned soy curls, soyrizo, bell peppers, onions and avocado salsa.
Additional handhelds: the Not-A-Cali burrito, with seitan, fries, rice, beans and pico de gallo, along with the Richmond Burrito, loaded with soyrizo, tater tots, rice, beans and queso. Other menu items include green, red or mole enchiladas; a burrito bowl; and a quesadilla. There will also be a kids’ menu available. Brunch service promises tres leches pancakes, chilaquiles, Tex-Mex tater tots and variations on scrambled tofu tacos.
On the sweets front, there is a tres leches cake with condensed coconut, almond and oat milks topped with a vegan frosting, as well as churro bites.
The cocktail menu lists sips including the Blue Tide on the James, a blend of Blanco tequila, pineapple and lime juices, blue curacao, and coconut cream, or the Texas Sunset, with a foundation of hibiscus-infused tequila, along with triple sec, lime juice, agave and club soda.
Imbibers can also expect a few beer cocktails, including the lime-spiked, tangy, salt-rimmed, Michelada that originated in Mexicali, the capital city of Baja California, where Milton was born. In addition, find local drafts, wines and cans.
The restaurant aims to be family friendly and inclusive and will eventually introduce outdoor seating. Rachel says, “Richmond has had more vegan spots open in recent years, and I feel like this is a good fit in the mix. We’ve gotten a lot of really positive excitement from people, and we’re just so happy to bring this to life.”
Taco Vegana will be open Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
