The new El Rayo Taqueria at 26 Free St. is now open and serving breakfast burritos and other casual Mexican fare.
The restaurant is the new incarnation of the popular Mexican restaurant on York Street that closed almost exactly a year ago. The previous El Rayo was near the Casco Bay Bridge in a refurbished gas station painted in bright colors, and had lots of picnic tables for outdoor seating. The restaurant had to move because the property owner, J.B. Brown & Sons, moved ahead with its plan to build a five-story commercial and residential building and a two-story parking garage on the site.
The new El Rayo is in the former location of Papier, a card and stationery store. It has a 14-foot-high ceiling, a bar and a deck. For now, the restaurant is serving breakfast and lunch only, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. A dinner menu will be added soon, according to the owners.
Tod Dana, a co-owner of the restaurant, has said there will be no major changes to the menu, except to add breakfast burritos and more quick-serve options such as soups and salads for downtown workers looking for a fast meal.
A larger El Rayo is at 245 Route 1 in Scarborough.
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