A popular Durham restaurant space has been revived with some of Raleigh’s best tacos
Born from a wildly popular taco truck, a Raleigh taqueria just debuted its newest location in downtown Durham.
Taking over the former Pompieri Pizza, the new Gym Tacos launched this week in the heart of Durham.
Gym Tacos launched in 2019 as a parked food truck on Raleigh’s Six Forks Rd. Bright orange, with a line through the parking lot, the truck flourished, leading to a brick and mortar location on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh and now-closed expansions into North Raleigh and the Morgan Street Food Hall.
Now Gym Tacos lands in Durham, replacing a longtime pizzeria with fiery tacos, tortas and burritos. Among the Gym Tacos favorites is a giant nacho tower built inside of a large tin can, which reveals perfectly layered chips and toppings once lifted.
The old Pompieri building got a vibrant orange makeover and taco themed murals on the walls.
Gym Tacos took over the space last summer when Pompieri’s closed after more than a decade in business. After a delayed construction process, the Durham Gym Tacos started its soft opening just after the new year.
Today Gym Tacos has a trio of owners: Uriel Romero, Jorge Perez and Roberto Bruno. Co-owner Gamaliel Romero left the group and started the food truck G’s Tacos in Raleigh.
The taqueria’s name comes from a quandary that should feel familiar to anyone committing to a healthy-eating resolution: fitness or a tray of tacos?
“I tried to be a fitness guy, but also I like tacos,” Uriel Romero said in a 2020 interview. “I always say I want to go to the gym. Now I go to Gym Tacos.”
