Though the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has countless partners who help make the event what it is — there’s one that sticks out:
King Taco, a staple in Southern California’s Mexican cuisine scene, has partnered with the Grand Prix for the last three decades.
The eatery has provided delectable Mexico City-style tacos and other offerings to thousands of race spectators over those past 30 years.
“King Taco’s presence has become legendary as evidenced by the long lines we always see at their locations,” Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, said in a news release. “They have been and continue to be a great partner, not only for us but also the Long Beach community.”
And though the Grand Prix and King Taco are celebrating the 30th year of their partnership, 2024 marks an even more significant milestone for the restaurant itself — its 50th anniversary.
Raul Martinez , King Taco’s founder, opened his first taco truck — a converted 1950s ice cream truck — in 1974 and stationed it outside of an East Los Angeles bar, where its offerings grew in popularity.
Just six months later, according to King Taco’s website, Martinez purchased and opened the business’s first brick-and-mortar location in Cypress Park.
The business’s first and only Long Beach location, 1841 Long Beach Blvd., was King Taco’s 27th restaurant to open.
And now, 50 years later, King Taco has 22 locations across both Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
King Taco began its partnership with the Grand Prix in the mid-1990s — after their food truck, which Martinez had stationed outside the event, drew in massive crowds.
“King Taco has become more than just a food vendor at the Acura Grand Prix,” the press release said. “The synergy between the two organizations has helped fulfill (a) vision of bringing people together in the spirit of community and camaraderie that defines the city of Long Beach.”
Besides helping ensure Grand Prix attendees are well fed, King Taco also donates 1,000 reserved-seat tickets to the Sunday race to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach.
Those tickets are distributed to other clubs within the region, the release said.
As a result, every year, thousands of young people have the opportunity to enjoy a day at the Grand Prix courtesy of King Taco.
So if you’re headed off to the Grand Prix this weekend — don’t forget the tacos.
King Taco, though, is just one of many sponsors that help make the Grand Prix what it is. Those include:
- Banc of California
- Broken Earth Winery
- Bubba Gump
- CV Wines
- Cooler Master
- Corona Hard Seltzer
- Firestone
- Hilton Long Beach,
- The Laborers’ International Union of North America
- Modelo
- Mothers High Performance Car Care
- Motul
- NOS
- Nocaut Tequila
- O’Reilly Auto Parts
- Omologato
- Pepsi
- The Port of Long Beach
- Ricoh
- Reaction Audio-Visual
- Rocket
- SAVOR
- Safety-Kleen
- SmartStop Self Storage
- Tixr
- U.S. Army
- United Rentals, Inc.
- UnitedSite Services
- Visit Long Beach
- WhistlePig Whiskey
- Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel
Small Cafe
The Small Cafe, on Second Street in Naples, quietly reopened on Monday, April 15 — under the leadership of new owners Megan Wright and Madison Cullen.
The Long Beach locals have added the Small Cafe to their portfolio, which also includes the Metropol Café, the Pancake Cottage, Airport in the Sky restaurant and Scoops Catalina Creamery — all located on Catalina Island.
The Small Cafe, meanwhile, is open seven days a week and most of the staffers and the menu remain the same as they were under the previous owners.
Wright and Cullen, though, plan to add some historical menus and photos as part of the décor, especially to preserve the location’s history, including past businesses that lived there, such as Russell’s Burgers.
Anyone with memorabilia can contact them at the Cafe, 562-434-0220.
“We have truly enjoyed being a part of the community,” The Small Cafe’s previous owner, Melanie Overton, wrote, “and cherish the support and friendship we have developed over the last three years.”
