El Califa de León Ends Participation in Dallas Pop-Up Due to Unmet Standards
El Califa de León ended its participation in a pop-up that opened in University Park in the Dallas area on Oct. 16, 2025, arguing the standards promised for its operation in North Texas were not met.
“The decision follows multiple instances in which the agreed-upon conditions, particularly around space, quality, and raw materials, were not met,” said Rodrigo Rivera, president of Authentic Taco Holdings, LLC, which operates El Califa de León in the U.S., in a news release. “As stewards of one of Mexico’s most recognized culinary brands, we felt it necessary to take this step to uphold our standards and reputation.”
Chef Mario Saldaña prepares tacos for an El Califa de León taquería pop-up, while Mario Hernandez, the owner, supervises the operation, on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in University Park. El Califa de León is located in Mexico City and is the only Michelin-starred taquería in the world.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Background Information
El Califa de León is a taqueria in Mexico City, and is the only taco shop in the world to hold a Michelin star. Since Oct. 16, it had been in Dallas offering its tacos at a pop-up in University Park, in collaboration with GrinGo LLC, a company that owns an app that functions as a digital concierge for Mexico travel.
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Reasons for Ending the Collaboration
“GrinGo acted as an independent collaborator and El Califa de León had no operational control over the Dallas event setup, supply chain or customer experience once the collaboration began. As a result, the decision to terminate was made to prevent further brand misrepresentation,” said Authentic Taco Holdings’ news release.
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The planned opening date was Oct. 15, but the day before, the pop-up experienced problems with a gas leak and subsequently faced issues with city inspections and permits from the city of University Park, resulting in its operation being postponed until Oct. 16.
Due to a lack of permits, preparations began in the kitchen of D.L. Mack’s, a restaurant next door to the pop-up location, and tacos were served in the back parking lot, while dozens of people waited in line for hours.
The pop-up was scheduled to last until Oct. 28.
Dozens of people wait in line outside an El Califa de León taquería pop-up, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in University Park. El Califa de León is located in Mexico City and is the only Michelin-starred taquería in the world.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Statement from El Califa de León
“We want to distance ourselves from any activity or menu they offer and apologize
