TacoMania festival happening at SouthSide Works

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop
Friday, July 28, 2023 11:10 a.m. | Friday, July 28, 2023 11:10 a.m.

Courtesy of Taqueria El Pastorcito

Taqueria El Pastorcito will showcase El Pastor tacos which are thin slices of spit-roasted marinated pork sliced thin and topped with pineapple, onion, cilantro and homemade salsas at TacoMania Super Fest on July 30 at SouthSide Works.

Courtesy of El Sabor: Latin Kitchen on Penn

Tijuana Tacos have a soft corn tortilla, cilantro lime cabbage and queso fresco and will be available at the El Sabor: Latin Kitchen on Penn food truck at TacoMania Super Fest on July 30 in SouthSide Works.

Courtesy of La Palapa

La Palapa, which makes traditional Mexico city gluten free, meat and vegetarian tacos, will be one of the vendors at TacoMania Super Fest on July 30 at SouthSide Works.

Courtesy of T Adam Woods

Brisketburgh will be one of the food trucks at the Tacomania Super Fest on July 30 at SouthSide Works.

Courtesy of Bull River Tacos

This vegetable taco from Bull River Tacos is roasted black beans with house seasoning topped with fresh made pico de gallo, lettuce, cotija cheese, housemade bullseye sauce and garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge. It will be available at TacoMania Super Fest on July 30 at SouthSide Works.

Tacos, tacos and more tacos will be on the menu Sunday with TacoMania Super Fest at SouthSide Works. A dozen food trucks will be shelling out the popular food item.

“People love tacos because they are a hand held food, and there are so many variations infusing so much flavor,” said Mark Turic, co-founder of Beers of the Burgh, an annual event that features more than 50 brews and is hosting TacoMania. “It will be an action-packed day.”

The event is taking place in SouthSide Works Town Square, an area that has a stage and seating for entertainment.

In addition to tacos, there will be other food items, as well as beer and drinks, live music and wrestling.

Entertainment

Enjoy Wrestling will be hosting matches between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wrestlers include Gringo Loco, Edith Surreal, MV Young, The Production, Dan Champion, Beast Man, The Runway and Kaplan. There will also be a championship match.

Local disc jockey Samuel Andres will be spinning records from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the Mariachi Internacional group is scheduled to perform between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh’s Timbeleza band takes the stage from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Beer samples

In addition to tacos, there will be a little bit of a Beers of the Burgh feel at TacoMania. Tickets will include a punch card for four ounce samples of brews from Mindful Brewing Co. in Castle Shannon, Hitchhiker Brewing in Sharpsburg, Strange Roots Experimental Ales in Millvale, and Levity Brewing of Indiana, Pa.

There will be margaritas made with Don Julio tequila and Wild Basin hard seltzers from Colorado and non-alcoholic beers from Athletic Brewing Co., with locations in Connecticut and California.

Courtesy of Mark Turic

Mindful Brewing collaborated with Enjoy Wrestling on this beer for TacoMania Super Fest on July 30 at SouthSide Works.

On the menu

Taqueria El Pastorcito will feature its El Pastor Tacos which are thin slices of spit-roasted marinated pork topped with pineapple, onion, cilantro and homemade salsas.

Brisketburgh has the Brisketburgh Taco, a flour tortilla filled with brisket, baked macaroni and cheese, biscuit crumble and topped with house barbecue sauce.

El Sabor: Latin Kitchen on Penn plans to showcase Tijuana tacos, a soft corn tortilla, cilantro lime cabbage and queso fresco. The restaurant also makes a taco with tofu.

Look for the Pastor taco from Tokayo Taqueria, which has slow roasted pork shoulder and roasted pineapple topped with red onions, cilantro and a habanero pineapple salsa served in a double corn tortilla.

La Palapa makes traditional Mexico city gluten free, meat and vegetarian tacos.

Bull River Tacos will have a vegetable taco featuring roasted black beans with house seasoning and topped with fresh pico de gallo, lettuce, cotija cheese, housemade bullseye sauce and garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge.

Courtesy of Tocayo Taqueria

Tocayo Taqueria’s Pastor taco has slow roasted pork shoulder and roasted pineapple, topped with red onions, cilantro, and a habanero pineapple salsa, and is served in a double corn tortilla. It will be available at TacoMania Super Fest on July 30 in SouthSide Works.

Details

TacoMania is from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Food trucks include Bull River Tacos, Brisketburgh, Dos Reyes Pgh, Kona Ice Pittsburgh, La Palapa, Let’s Taco Food truck, Los Gallitos Pgh, Steel City Chimneys, Taqueria Pastorcito, Tocayo Food Truck, Taquitos, VAYA Food Truck, Smokin Ghosts BBQ, Pita My Shawarma, Slice on Broadway — SouthsSide Works, La Casa Del Tacos and El Sabor: Latin Kitchen on Penn.

TacoMania is happening from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday in Town Square in the SouthSide Works

Part of Sidney and 27th streets will be closed.

Tickets are $15, $12 in advance and available here.

Website: beersoftheburgh.com

More tacos

As a testament to the tacos popularity there is another taco festival happening this summer. The Original Pittsburgh Taco Festival is from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 26 at The Stacks at 3 Crossings in the Strip District.

Details: pghtacofest.com

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.