Students review their taco Tuesday favorite restaurants
3 min read
Online learning has posed a new challenge for some students, but has given others the opportunity to work while in school. This change has many pros and cons for students, leading to contemplation of taking a gap year.
by SUMMER ALLEN
Staff Writer
With the first week of classes out of the way, students are settling into their normal schedules. This is about the time when students are finding their friends, going out and exploring Fredericksburg.
With Fredericksburg being such a major city, it is almost impossible to explore everywhere in such a short amount of time.
“I didn’t even know where to start exploring,” said senior business administration major Sam Stachowiak.
Most students leave campus with the intention of finding food that differs from the UC.
“Taco Tuesday is my favorite friend tradition, my friends and I go get tacos at Soup and Taco; we always have a blast,” said Aria Janello, a senior sociology major.
Maya Levin, a senior political science major, also frequents Mexican restaurants with her friends.
“I know a ton of people who go to Soup and Taco. It is always so packed; that’s why I started exploring others,” she said.
There are four common Mexican restaurants in Fredericksburg: Soup and Taco 1, Soup and Taco 2, Rey Azteca and Pueblo’s. All four restaurants are no more than a mile away from the UMW campus.
Soup and Taco 1 is located on Caroline Street in downtown Fredericksburg. Their outdoor seating is limited but you can enjoy their special deals they offer for Taco Tuesday nights.
Soup and Taco 2 is located on William Street in downtown Fredericksburg where students can enjoy dining outside on their outdoor patio. Their specials include new dishes from Mexico, El Salvador, Venezuela and Peru.
Pueblo’s Tex Mex Grill is located on Jefferson Davis Highway. Its large menu and excellent service has kept them in business for 10 years, and they have plans to expand this restaurant to Chantilly, Va.
Also located on Jefferson Davis Highway is Rey Azteca Mexican Restaurant. Rey Azteca is known for their family recipes. They are also known for their fajitas specials on Friday nights.
Rey Azteca is Levin’s favorite restaurant. Her favorite thing about the restaurant is their salsa and their large menu. The last time she was there she ordered street tacos, and “they were really yummy for a good price.”
Soup and Taco 1 is Stachowiakto’s favorite restaurant. She recommends the steak quesadillas; however, she admits that the chicken enchiladas at Pueblo’s and Rey Azteca are also to die for.
Janello and her friends rotate restaurants, as they go out on Tuesday nights as a tradition.
“I like them all,” she said. “All of them are really good options, it’s fun to rotate them and get a change of scenery. Even though I cannot pick a favorite restaurant, my favorite dishes are the carnitas tacos from Soup and Taco 2 and the salsa from Rey Azteca.”
When asked whether they recommend Soup and Taco 1 or Soup and Taco 2, Stachowiak chose Soup and Taco 1.
“Maybe I am biased, but I just have so many memories with my friends at Soup and Taco 1,” she said.
While Fredericksburg is crawling with food and entertainment, students often find pleasure in the little things while in college. Specials and deals on meals at the Mexican restaurants have been very cost effective for students and worth their while.
Levin, Stachowiak and Janello all recall being car-less their freshman year, which limited where they could venture into downtown Fredericksburg.
“I remember walking to and from the grocery store, and it was horrible, but I still did it,” said Janello. “When we found out about Soup and Taco and how close it was, we [realized we] could walk there whenever we wanted to.”
Even as sophomores, juniors and seniors, all three still frequent those Mexican restaurants. Of course, there are other restaurants and fast food places to choose from, but Mexican food seems to be the hot spot for many students at UMW.
According to Google, Pueblo’s Restaurant has a 4.3 star rating. Soup and Taco 1 and 2 follow with a 4.5 star rating, while Rey Azteca holds a steady 4.3 star rating. All of these restaurants are top 5 when you search Mexican restaurants in Fredericksburg, Va.
So, if you’re bored and hungry on a Tuesday night, have your own Taco Tuesday and go enjoy the Mexican restaurants in downtown Fredericksburg!
