Yet another Taco Bamba will be gracing the Northern Virginia landscape. The newest location will open its doors in Sterling on February 28.
The new restaurant is in the Cascades Marketplace, at 20968 Southbank St., Sterling. This is the 16th Taco Bamba location overall, but the first in Loudoun County.
“Loudoun County has been very vocal … with regards to ‘Please bring Taco Bama to us.’ So, you know, we’ve listened,” says chef and founder Victor Albisu.
Albisu first launched Taco Bamba in 2013 in Falls Church. Today, it has locations throughout Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland, as well as Richmond, Raleigh, and Nashville. It was named on Northern Virginia Magazine‘s 2024 Best of NoVA poll as the best taco shop.
“We generally choose kind of against-the-grain and out-of-the-box type of locations for our growth and in our patterns of expansion,” Albisu says. “And so we tried to do that in Loudoun, with our first location being in Cascades, which is, I believe … kind of an up-and-coming center.”
Fans of the NoVA-based chain will know that no two locations are the same. “It’s a new Bamba. You know, every Bamba always has its own style. This one is no different,” Albisu says.
That’s true of both the menu and the decor. Here are some of the special menu items that will be available at the new location:
- The Doña Rosi, a Peruvian chicken taco that serves as a tribute to Albisu’s mother
- The Habibi G, a brisket shawarma taco
- The Pork Pingao taco, with chipotle-guava barbecue carnitas
- The Poyo di Parma, a chicken parm–style super torta with chicken chorizo
- The Jeez Oh Man, a quesadilla stuffed with pepperoni and pickled peppers
“It’s just a fun place with a constantly evolving menu, and people love to kind of see what’s next,” Albisu says.
Visitors to the newest location will enjoy a spacious interior with seating for 71, plus a 46-seat seasonal patio. There’s seating that is serviced from a carry-out counter, plus a full-service bar with an assortment of tequila and mezcal cocktails.
The interior of this space keeps the red and gray color scheme that can be found in many locations, but with what Albisu describes as an “industrial, lighter, airier vibe,” and an original artistic design by artist Alexa Indriolo.
At the grand opening on February 28, doors will open at 9 a.m. The first 100 guests will receive a complimentary coffee tumbler and get a chance to win gifts such as free menu items, free T-shirts, hats, and more. A few guests will receive a taco a week for a year.
Taco Bamba’s Sterling location will be neighbors with Chinese Korean restaurant CHīKO, which opened in Cascades in early February.
Feature image by Greg Powers, courtesy Taco Bamba
