City Reverses Course: Federal Blvd Taco Truck Gets to Keep Serving (For Now)
After a stressful week for one longtime Denver taco truck, the city has reversed course and is now allowing the business to stay open at its current location — at least for the next year, according to KUSA.
Tacos y Tortas El Pluche, a family-run food truck owned by Martin Salvador, has operated out of the Monclova Law firm parking lot on Federal Boulevard since 2013. For more than a decade, the truck renewed its city license every year without any issues. But during this year’s renewal, Denver’s updated online licensing system flagged a zoning requirement that had never been enforced before: a zone use permit for operating on private property.
City officials said Denver moved its food licensing process online in 2023, creating a more automated system that asks more detailed questions than the old in-person process. One of those questions specifically asks whether a food truck operates on private property and if the answer is yes, the system requires the applicant to provide a zone use permit. In Salvador’s case, the city discovered that the permit had never been in place, and the zoning at that location does not allow a food truck to legally operate there, meaning the permit couldn’t be approved.
At first, the city told Salvador the truck would need to relocate, even though the issue had gone unnoticed for 12 years and the family said they had never been informed it was required. But on Wednesday, Denver informed Salvador that the truck can continue operating at its longtime spot while the renewal application remains pending. A city official confirmed the business can stay open for the next year as the city works with the family on a longer-term solution.
Denver said it values the truck’s role in the neighborhood and wants to support local businesses while still working toward compliance. Salvador said the news was a huge relief for his family, especially after weeks of stress and uncertainty. Since the story gained attention, customers have been stopping by to show support, and the Hispanic Restaurant Association also reached out to help facilitate conversations with the city.
For the Salvador family, the truck has become more than just a business it’s a neighborhood staple. Salvador said he’s watched kids grow up into adults over the years, and some regulars even check from their apartment windows to see if the truck lights are on before heading down to order.
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