Taco Daddy Founder Sam Thornton Brings Popular Street Food to Crown Perth's Urban Food District
Sam Thornton, the founder of the beloved Perth street food brand Taco Daddy, is set to open his first permanent bricks and mortar location at Crown Perth's new Urban Food District. The venue will commence operations on April 17, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the business after four successful years operating from a mobile food truck.
From Food Truck to Permanent Fixture
Despite not having South American heritage or Mexican upbringing, Thornton has cultivated a dedicated following within Perth's Latin community through his authentic street food offerings. The 35-year-old chef's signature item, the quesa birria taco, has become a crowd favourite at local markets where Taco Daddy regularly appears.
"Basically every market we go to, we can have a huge line and lot of repeat customers," Thornton told PerthNow. "Sometimes we'll see the same faces three or four markets in a row."
The decision to establish a permanent location came from recognizing consistent demand and Thornton's ambition to scale the business. "We thought the demand is definitely there, and we want to branch out, we want to scale up and have multiple stores and maybe franchise down the track as well," he explained. "So this just seemed like the logical step, and the opportunity at Crown sort of popped up."
Maintaining Mobile Operations
Importantly, the new permanent location won't mean the end of Taco Daddy's mobile operations. Thornton plans to continue operating both simultaneously, valuing the direct customer interaction that comes with the food truck experience.
"What I love about the truck is you're right there with the customers, you're face to face," he said. "You're on the front line, and you've got that discourse, the conversation between the customer at the front, I'll definitely be doing that still."
The food truck maintains a regular schedule at Perth's popular markets:
- Scarborough Sunset Markets on Thursdays
- Perth Twilight Food Market on Fridays
- Subiaco Night Market on Saturdays
- South Perth Streats on Sundays
Culinary Journey and Authenticity
Thornton's culinary journey began at age 16, with experience in fine dining restaurants and offshore work before finding his true calling during travels through Central and South America. Inspired by the street food culture he encountered, he launched Taco Daddy in 2022.
"I always had that voice in the back of my head that I wanted to work for myself, wanted my own place, my own restaurant, and didn't really know what that looked like," Thornton recalled. "And then I fell in love with street food in South America and Central America, and it seemed like the next step, so just walked straight into that full time."
Despite not being South American himself, Thornton employs a predominantly South American team and goes to great lengths to ensure authenticity in his products. He imports international smoked chillis and Mexican oregano to achieve the perfect balance of flavours in his entirely gluten-free menu.
"We get a lot of Mexicans, a lot of Americans that obviously grew up in the south of America, that grew up on tacos. And we've heard we remind them of home," Thornton shared. "(They say) 'Man, these are the best tacos we've had in Australia'. It's cool to hear it."
Expanded Menu and Operating Hours
The Crown Perth location will feature an expanded menu that includes both the traditional soft tortilla street-style tacos from Taco Daddy's early days and their famous quesa birria tacos with accompanying consomme for dipping. New additions will include a caramel flan dessert and tuna ceviche, all maintaining the brand's 100 percent gluten-free commitment.
The permanent venue will operate seven days a week with the following schedule:
- Monday to Thursday: 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-9pm
- Friday and Saturday: 11am-midnight
- Sunday: 11am-9pm
When asked about the best time to enjoy his tacos, Thornton humorously noted: "We've done breakfast events where people are smashing tacos at 8am, so I don't think there's ever a bad time. Obviously, I'm very biased."
Joining Crown Perth's Culinary Lineup
Taco Daddy will join several other food and beverage venues at Crown Perth's Urban Food District, including American-based establishments Side Piece Pizza, Burgers by ES, and Tekka Bar, alongside various homegrown names. This development represents the entertainment precinct's largest expansion in over a decade.
The brand has cultivated a strong social media presence with nearly 20,000 Instagram followers, keeping customers informed about locations and menu updates. Thornton's personal touch and commitment to customer experience have been central to Taco Daddy's success story, which now takes its next logical step with this permanent Crown Perth location opening on April 17, 2026.
