Since 2016, Yallah Taco has occupied a small, tucked-away location on McAllister Alley in downtown State College. This, however, hasn’t stopped the Mexican-meets-Mediterranean eatery from establishing a large following.
Now it plans to expand to a new, more visible location right on East College Avenue.
“The idea for Yallah Taco was simple,” owner Hitham Hiyajneh says of the restaurant’s origins. “Mexican food here in State College and around the United States has become very popular. We thought, instead of selling plain tacos, we’ll sell authentic Mexican flavors with a Mediterranean twist.”
Yallah Taco plans to host a grand opening on Sept. 12 for its new location at 310 E. College Ave., which many will recognize as the previous downtown State College Taco Bell location.
“Moving to the new location gives us more exposure,” says Hiyajneh. “We’ll be located right in the middle of College Avenue, where thousands of people walk or drive by. It also gives us more room to work with. We will be adding a breakfast menu and provide more seating for our customers.”
Yallah Taco overhauled the interior of the former Taco Bell at 310 E. College Ave. to offer a spacious and colorful dining room. Photo by Alysa Rubin | Onward State
Despite the perks of expanding to the larger, more visible location, the move hasn’t necessarily been a seamless one for Hiyajneh and his team. From the COVID-19 pandemic to furnishing the new space, challenges have arisen and pushed the location’s grand opening back several times.
“I have a lot of experience opening restaurants here in State College and I’ve learned that the biggest challenges come with the small things,” says Hiyajneh, whose several local eateries also include Yallah Burrito Co. on East Calder Way, opened in 2017. “When Taco Bell moved out of the location, they took all the chairs, and it took some time for us to find the right chairs for our new location.”
In terms of the pandemic, he says, “This pandemic really came out of nowhere. We signed the lease this past April, before we really knew the severity of the situation. Thankfully, our landlord has been more than understanding and they are helping us as best as they can. Nevertheless, we are very optimistic people and are very excited about the future.”
Some of the biggest changes diners will see at the new Yallah Taco location? Indoor seating and a larger menu, resulting in what Hiyajneh calls “a completely difference experience.”
A Yallah mural stretches across the new restaurant’s interior. Photo by Alysa Rubin | Onward State
The new location will act as a testing ground for new menu items, including a brand-new breakfast menu and additional drinks and smoothies, all with the goal of establishing a winning formula that will result in more demand for the Yallah Taco brand.
“This location will act as a test area for future expansion. Our ultimate goal is to open locations around the country,” Hiyajneh says.
The new breakfast menu includes migas, a traditional Mexican breakfast dish that mixes fried corn tortilla strips, eggs, green chiles, avocado, pico de gallo and cheese; The Wrangler, a mix of eggs, tater tots, smoked brisket, cheese and tomatillos sauce; El Tradicional, with eggs, bacon, refried beans, potatoes, cheese and Yallah Sauce; and The Ranch Hand, a mix of eggs, smoked beef, cheese and diablo sauce.
Stay up to date on Yallah Taco’s new location and grand opening on Facebook.
Kiosks will allow for contactless ordering at the new Yallah Taco location, 310 E. College Ave. in State College. Photo by Alysa Rubin | Onward State
Yallah Taco plans to open in September in the former Taco Bell 310 E. College Ave., State College. Photo by Ben Jones | StateCollege.com
