Popular Taco Restaurant Announces Closure After 15 Years In Norwalk

NORWALK, CT — A popular taco restaurant announced this week plans to close early next month after 15 years in business following the city's acquisition of the property through eminent domain.

Rincon Taqueria's final day at its current location, 493 Connecticut Avenue, is scheduled for Aug. 1, according to the announcement.

A letter from "the Muñoz Del Castillo Pesce family and the team at Rincon" shared with Patch by Maria Muñoz Del Castillo, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Matt Pesce, notes the property was acquired by the city through eminent domain late last year as part of an expansion of a public works project.

Jenn McMurrer, the city's communications director, confirmed in an email Wednesday the property was acquired by the city and noted "relocation assistance packages were offered to all tenants of this site."

F&M Electrical Supply is also located at the property.

In the letter, the Rincon team expressed their utmost gratitude to the restaurant's customers and the Norwalk community for their support over the years.

"To every guest who has walked through our doors, thank you," the letter reads. "Thank you for allowing us to be part of your birthdays, anniversaries, family dinners, first dates, celebrations and everyday moments. You did more than support a small business—you became part of our extended family. The friendships we've built and the memories we've shared over the past 15 years are gifts we will cherish."

Customers are asked to redeem all outstanding gift cards by July 31, the letter notes.

The owners also thanked their past and present team members for their dedication, passion and heart.

"Rincon would never have become what it is today without each of you," the letter reads. "Your hard work and commitment helped create something truly special."

In addition to a variety of tacos, Rincon offers a wide menu of Mexican dishes, including appetizers such as empanadas, nachos and guacamole, salads, sandwiches, tamales and more, as well as an expansive drink menu, according to the restaurant's website.

"Closing the shop this way was never something we anticipated," the letter reads. "For the past 15 years, Rincon has been far more than a restaurant for us—it has been our home, our dream and the place where our family has grown alongside yours. We truly believed we would have many more years here, serving the community we love. And while this news came as a heartbreak, it is also presenting us with an opportunity to pursue a dream we have carried for many years: to move closer to the surf and raise our two young children by the ocean, surrounded by their loving grandparents. We hope this next chapter will eventually lead us to a new home for Rincon, where we can once again share our food, our culture and our hearts with the community."

The Hartford Business Journal reports the city bought the 31,605-square-foot building through eminent domain for $4.11 million in December in order to build a new sanitary sewage pump station.

"This is not the ending we would have chosen, but we believe that every ending creates space for a new beginning," the letter reads. "We hope you will carry a small piece of Rincon with you, just as we will carry each of you with us wherever the tide takes us next."