When Norfolk residents get a craving for Mexican food, Plaza Del Sol is a classic go-to spot for delicious and hearty Mexican dishes and drinks. Not only is Plaza Del Sol centrally located in the heart of Ghent, but offers affordable prices, including unbeatable happy hour specials, quality meals, jumbo margaritas, and friendly faces that make guests feel like family.
In addition to the restaurant’s storefront, Plaza Del Sol has a street taco trailer that travels to share authentic street tacos at events. In recent news, locals have probably heard about the street taco trailer getting stolen from the restaurant property. On a Monday afternoon in late February, employees noticed that the trailer was missing from behind Plaza Del Sol. Fortunately, the Norfolk police were able to locate the missing trailer about a week later. The trailer was found in poor condition, had been painted over, and about $30k worth of equipment had been stolen from inside. While the owners feltgreat relief that the trailer was finally recovered, the poor condition meant starting from scratch to get the street taco business up and running again.
Community Support in a Time of Need
When the Ghent community received news of the theft, businesses, and neighbors rallied around Plaza Del Sol at a level the restaurant has never seen before. Plaza Del Sol has had a strong following for the 17 years they’ve been in business and have always valued their loyal customers, but seeing Ghent come together in a time of need to offer resources was incredible and gave the restaurant a whole new view on what the word community really means. From neighboring restaurants offering kitchen supplies to various patrons and neighbors offering their money, time, and whatever Plaza Del Sol needed was remarkable. In the days following the news of the stolen trailer, Plaza Del Sol was packed with customers to show their support.
When asked what the Plaza Del Sol team would want people to know and how to help, Roberto Reyes, the restaurant’s newest partner who joined the Plaza Del Sol family in November, shared that he, Rickey, and the rest of the Plaza Del Sol crew would like to say thank you. “People came to eat here when they heard about what happened, and other local businesses offered to lend their equipment to us. To see that level of support from the community was amazing, they would have provided whatever we needed. That’s why you stay in business in a place like Ghent.”
Big Changes Coming to Plaza Del Sol
Although the trailer situation was certainly a setback, the Plaza Del Sol team is more delighted than ever to bring their Ghent community a warm and welcoming environment to enjoy a delicious meal. Roberto joining the team will bring some exciting changes in the coming months. Plaza Del Sol will continue to be the same familiar spot that Ghent residents have always known and loved, from the traditional dishes offered to Friday night karaoke. The kitchen will be cooking up a few new options, too, with 15 new items getting added to the menu. Among these new dishes will be birria, an authentic Mexican dish of beef that’s cooked for hours and historically is served for special occasions such as quinceañeras or weddings. With birria becoming more mainstream, Plaza Del Sol knew it was a perfect opportunity to bring a hearty, authentic Mexican dish to the menu. New drinks are also being added to the menu, including the spicy jalapeño mule and jalapeñorita to spice up your visit.
Another new addition to Plaza Del Sol that patrons may have caught wind of is the impromptu baila party that occasionally pops up. Several DJs in the 757 area are friends with the owners of Plaza Del Sol, and when they have an open night on their schedule, they’ll pop into the restaurant to perform. This often leads to dance parties that guests can join in on. When asked what nights to expect these DJ sets, Roberto shared that they’re impromptu, in-the-moment events you can’t write on the calendar, making it all the more authentic and special.
While Plaza Del Sol has gone through difficulties in recent months, they know that they can get through anything with the love and support of their patrons and the Ghent community. For those interested in donating to help get the street taco trailer up and running again, visit their GoFundMe page. And be sure to stop by soon to try all of the new menu items rolling out and perhaps stumble upon an impromptu baila party!
Tiffany Frazier
Ghent, NFK
Tiffany grew up in Chesapeake but has called Norfolk home for the past seven years. She fell in love with the city while working with Festevents during college summer breaks. She graduated from James Madison University (Go Dukes!) with a degree in corporate communication. Tiffany now works as a digital marketing specialist and enjoys strolling and rollerblading her way around Norfolk. She lives in Ghent with her husband Trevor, and their two cats, Tux and Joe.
