Gomez Salsa owner opening brick-and-mortar store in Walnut Hills

Andrew Gomez, owner of the Gomez Salsa walk-up window in Over-the-Rhine, is investing in his own neighborhood and opening a second location in Walnut Hills. The restaurant will be in the old Angst Coffee space at 2437 Gilbert Ave. and will open onto the Five Points Alley public gathering space.
 
Gomez, a self-taught cook and University of Cincinnati graduate, started Gomez Salsa by hosting mobile taco nights in Mt. Adams and Montgomery. From there, he toyed with the idea of a food truck, but an opportunity came up for the kitchen space at HalfCut and he jumped at the idea.
 
Now he’s taking his walk-up taco window to new heights. The menu in Walnut Hills will be the same, including chicken, fish, carnitas, tofu, fajita and chorizo tacos; taco bowls; chips and salsa; and Gomez’s signature Turtle Shell, a tortilla stuffed with rice, beans, cheese, a tostada, sour cream, lettuce, meat and salsa and then wrapped up.
 
The restaurant will also have a liquor license and will serve beer, and there’s a beverage program in the works that might include wine and liquor.
 
The Gomez Salsa window in OTR is recognizable by its mural painted by BLDG. Gomez is thinking of having BLDG paint a mural on the north wall of the Walnut Hills restaurant as well.
 
Gomez hopes the new restaurant will be open by June.