Juana Tamale is Hosting a 12 Course “Year of the Taco” Dinner on New Year’s Eve

Tacos on New Year’s Eve? What if I told you that it was a 12 course taco dinner featuring  tocos to represent each month in 2022? Well Chef Jennifer Zavala of Juana Tamale is doing just that.  On New Year’s Eve 7 pm- 10:30 pm Juana Tamale will be hosting their inaugural “Year of the Taco” event.

“This is my first time doing this dinner. I came up with the idea because my life the last 3 years has been nothing but tacos (and tamales). I hit the one year mark of business ownership in Philly and declared my next year 2023 will be the year of the taco. If tacos were a zodiac sign, these would be them,” Chef Zavala states.

The Year of the Taco dinner will also include chips, guacamole and salsa, chicarrinas (wheat chicharrons), 2 different salsas, radishes on the table for guests to snack on as well as Intermezzos of aqua frescas, some fresh, some frozen (think water ice) as a palate cleanser. To finish it off, guests will also be treated to homemade choco tacos. on edition to a 1 foot Bavarian cream filled churro to snack on as well. Each guest gets to take home 3 tamales as a gift.  Chef Zavala will also lead everyone with a cheers of 12 grape drink to bring in luck for the new year (Las doce uvas de la suerte) of 2023.

All tacos will be served on a 4 inch corn tortilla and they are all gluten free. “Last Year we did “Pigs in Space” where we had a whole pig from Espositos and made roast pork, spinach and prov tacos all day,” Zavala adds

For those looking for a New Year’s Day event Chef Zavala states, “If the weather is right we will open on Sunday New Years day and serve $3 tacos all day for parade goers. If it rains and the parade gets canceled we wont open. I’ve lived in South Philly for the last 14 years and no where in the city does New years like South Philly. People are all over the streets celebrating with their friends and family before they hit Two Street last. Its something pretty special and it’ll be even more special if they are walking around with tacos in their hands. That will be walk in only that day.”

Space is limited to 40 seats and tickets are only available for online prior to the event and can be purchased here.