Joe Biden’s very first DC restaurant outing as president was a Cinco de Mayo taco run. This year, he and VP Kamala Harris are continuing the tradition with a visit to Taqueria Habanero’s newest location in Northeast DC.
According to a pool report, the President was greeted to cheers of “We love you Biden! We love you Joe!” when he entered the restaurant, which is located in Edgewood’s Bryant Street Market food hall. He and Harris posed for photos with staff behind the register and in the kitchen and chatted with some families before grabbing a to-go bag. The order included an assortment of tacos to bring back to White House staff, plus chicken quesadillas and churros.
Taqueria Habanero is run by husband-wife team Dio Montero and Mirna Montero-Alvarado—who are originally from Puebla, Mexico and El Salvador, respectively—and their family members. The couple started selling Mexican food at a farmers market before opening their first restaurant in Columbia Heights in 2014. They’ve since expanded the business to College Park and Bryant Street Market, where they also operate a pan-Latin drinking destination called Bar Alegria. Another drinking spot, Tequila & Mezcal, is in Columbia Heights. The restaurants have developed a loyal following for their tacos on housemade tortillas, standout mole, and excellent margaritas.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
