Sixth Tony's Tacos opens in Holbrook
The fusion restaurant expands to the Shops at SunVet, bringing 4,000 square feet of Italian-style tacos to the community.
By Thomas Obasi ·
Residents of Holbrook can access a new dining option this weekend. Tony's Tacos, a fusion brand that combines Italian ingredients with Mexican formats, opens its sixth location on Saturday, November 14. The restaurant is situated at The Shops at SunVet. It features over 4,000 square feet of space, including both indoor areas and retractable outdoor seating.
Owner Mike Scotto arrived in the United States from Italy in 2014. He worked as an executive chef for the Umberto's Italian restaurant group before developing his own concept. Scotto first tried a taco at age 29. He decided to create a hybrid dish using 00 Italian flour for the tortillas, which he toasts in garlic and oil. The menu includes items such as the chicken Milanese taco, the chicken parm taco, and the surf and turf with steak and shrimp.
The first Tony's Tacos opened in Floral Park in 2019. It began as a small stand-alone concept with only 12 seats. Scotto later expanded to Franklin Square, Huntington, and Garden City. These locations were chosen for their walkability and foot traffic. The new Holbrook site marks the second opening in a shopping center. The first was at the Queens Center in Elmhurst, which opened in late July.
Scotto explained the shift to mall locations as a way to increase brand visibility. He noted that customers visit places like the Queens Center for other reasons and then discover the restaurant. The Holbrook space is outward facing at the renovated Shopst. It includes a garage bar and maintains the colorful atmosphere found at other locations. The menu is consistent across all sites, with prices ranging from $5.95 for the fall squash and mushrooms taco to $10 for the apple pie margarita.
A limited-time lasagna taco with burrata is also available for $6.85. Scotto said he has scaled his expansion rate from one location per year to five. He described the growth process as challenging but manageable. He stated that the effort required is similar whether he opens one site or five.
The company has plans for further expansion through 2027. Leases are signed for new sites at the Levittown Mews shopping center on Hempstead Turnpike and in Babylon on Deer Park Avenue. A space at Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream is scheduled to debut in early 2027. The Holbrook location will be open Monday through Wednesday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Hours extend to 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.
