Anna’s Taqueria potential Southie location receives mixed reaction at abutters meeting

South Boston looks very different today than it did 20 years ago. Amidst an influx of new buildings, new people, and new business has come a massive overhaul of West Broadway. In a January 29 abutters meeting, Anna Taqueria‘s latest potential addition to the community received community feedback pending a Zoning Board Approval to move into 457-469A West Broadway.

Anna’s has done business in the greater Boston area since 1995. The city’s self-proclaimed “most beloved Mexican restaurant” has expanded from Brookline into Cambridge, Somerville, and even a spot inside the Prudential Center.

GA Equipment Vendors’ Principle Gina Venezia and Sean George of Dunmoe Consulting gave a brief presentation on Anna’s, emphasizing that alcohol will not be served on the premises.

“We think they’re going to be great neighbors,” said Dylan Deflorio, representing the condo association of the four floors above the restaurant’s prospective location. “They’ve, you know, involved us in every step of the process. We’ve come to this great cooperative agreement, and certainly would encourage others to reach out to them.”

Deflorio’s positivity was not universal, however. One community member, Jim, dialed in with concerns about potential traffic congestion caused by the influx of Uber Eats and DoorDash drivers picking up food on a street where parking is already at a premium.

“Do you have any are there any plans for addressing where those drivers might park in relation to your store when they’re doing the pickup?” He asked.

“I don’t have any plans for that. [I] actually didn’t even look into that,” replied Venezia.

“I was just curious, what if anything you know you would be doing to mitigate that,” said Jim, encouraging Anna’s to visit the area around dinner time and on weekends – times he has noticed traffic congestion and double parking being particularly hazardous.

“I really like Anna’s. I would love to see you here. But my apprehension is if we have more and more restaurants like yours, like Taco Bell, and even to some extent, like Capo and Lincoln that have a lot of delivery traffic as well, is that we’re just going to have a whole line of delivery driver pickups.”

“The licensing board does ask every applicant for a common victual license if they’re planning to use these use the apps, and what if any mitigation measures they have,” added Community Engagement Specialist Sigurgeir Jonson, though he did also note that restaurants that have been operating before delivery apps became part of everyday life can essentially circumvent the licensing board’s process.

Tina Thomas, a representative of an unnamed local restaurant, expressed concern about yet another restaurant setting up shop on West Broadway. “we’ve been in business for over 30 years here in South Boston, and just over the past five years, there’s been so many restaurants coming into Southie, and I feel like it’s kind of pushing out some of the single small business restaurants.” she said.

Having survived both the pandemic and the wave of gentrification that has hit Southie over the past two decades, Thomas sees Anna’s coming to town as another hurdle for local business owners who may not be able to compete with the prices of a chain restaurant.

Thomas suggested Anna’s consider moving into 11 W Broadway, the space formerly inhabited by Purple Shell, instead. Caught in Southie just announced that this spot already has a tenant – another Mexican restaurant.

A meeting with the Zoning Board of Appeals will be scheduled after Anna’s presentation to the Cityside Neighborhood Association. Pending approval, Anna’s would then have to appear before the licensing board for a Common Victualler License to sell food at the location. Dates for these meetings have yet to be announced.

Stay tuned.

3 Comments

  1. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH… February 6, 2025 at 2:26 pm - Reply

    …just let me know when Tony’s Pizza Center is having the Grand Re-Opening, will ya?

  2. Joe February 6, 2025 at 3:33 pm - Reply

    Cry me a river I’m down in Florida where if you serve good food you’ll be fine but if your Southie slop sucks you deserve to be knocked off the block.

  3. waaaahmbulance February 6, 2025 at 4:25 pm - Reply

    Does tina thomas know what capitalism is lmao

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