Situated in The Village at Lexington Gardens is Taco Dia, a contemporary Mexican restaurant that brings the rich and vibrant flavors of Mexico to Newtown and the neighboring community.

The taqueria and sports bar is run by Sal Bagliavio and Executive Chef Forrest Pasternack, who are also known for running the American farm-to-table restaurant Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield.

The goal for Taco Dia, Pasternack said, was to develop an authentic flavor profile by spending time in Mexico.

“We went to San Luis Potosi, which is about three miles south of Mexico City, and we had a tortilla maker made and built there [to use for the restaurant],” Pasternack said.

Taco Dia is 100 percent gluten-free and peanut-free, with Pasternack adding that they use alternatives such as quinoa and corn flour.

Pasternack said he has some family members with Celiac disease, and knows how difficult it is for them to get around gluten.

The menu was also derived from Pasternack and his associate’s trip to Mexico. He said they ate at many different places, from street food carts to high-end restaurants.

“We developed the flavors in our menu based on the ‘all corn’ mentality. In central Mexico, there is not a lot of flour found anywhere, predominately, everything is corn-based. The closer you get to the US, the more flour you see in the cuisine,” Pasternack explained.

The menu features a wide variety of dishes, from tacos, quesadillas, and salads to crunch wraps, burritos, and rice bowls served. Taco Dia also boasts an extensive drink menu, with cocktails, margaritas, cerveza (beer), and specialty non-alcoholic options.

The restaurant’s dessert items, from its churros and chocolate cake to its flan, are delectably sweet, but also gluten-free.

Taco Dia also features specials that rotate weekly, as well as Happy Hour on Mondays through Fridays.

Pasternack said they are constantly tinkering with the menu and looking to improve what they offer. Certain items are added or taken away depending on the season so that way people can always have something new to look forward to.

“Come here and don’t be afraid to try something new,” Pasternack said. “We have a fantastic service staff and can cater to all walks of food aversions or affinities ... it’s traditional techniques with modern flavors.”

As for the aesthetics, Pasternack said he and Bagliavio worked with designer Christian Arkay-Levialler to capture the feelings of a sunrise. The white-cream barn wood walls and furniture are complemented with orange sofa cushions and lighting to make the restaurant feel warm and inviting.

The pictures on Taco Dia’s walls were all taken on Pasternack and his associates’ trip to San Luis Potosi, capturing the scenic beauty of the area from environmental shots to ones of the Museo Nacional de la Máscara.

The ceiling above the bar features orange and gray soundproofing panels, inspired by a music studio Pasternack had in New York City. Between those panels and the barn wood walls and furniture, Pasternack said it helps soften the sound so people can “actually have a conversation” while enjoying their meal.

Opening Taco Dia in August of last year was a big moment for Bagliavio and Pasternack, but the location was far from random.

Pasternack has always held a soft spot for Newtown. His grandmother was the principal of Center Elementary School in Brookfield before later building and becoming the principal of Whisconier Middle School, also in Brookfield.

Being close to his grandmother, Pasternack would often tag along and go to work with her. She enjoyed coming into Newtown and especially loved visiting Lexington Gardens back when it was a large garden center. They would come into the center and buy plants, some of which he still has in his house.

So when they had the opportunity to get the Lexington Gardens property, it was the perfect opportunity to Pasternack.

Now, Taco Dia is celebrating its one year anniversary with a special celebration in-house on August 9 at 1 pm. The event will feature a pig roast cooked outside, an ice luge, giveaways, live music from Johnny Chapman Quartet, and more.

Sample Of The Menu

Brunch: Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am-3 pm, and offered in addition to the lunch menu. Enjoy food such as chilaquilas, a traditional Mexican breakfast dish served with guajillo-sauced soft and crispy tortillas topped with papas, black beans, guacamole, tomatillo, salsa roja, cotija, and eggs in any style. Also enjoy brunch cocktails like the Bloody Maria, a spin on the classic Bloody Mary with tequila, pickled peppers, lemon, and olive.

To Share: Friends, family, and more can dig into appetizers shareable for about two people. From the Sonoran style crispy calamari, served with cilantro-lime aioli, Fresno peppers, and lime wedge to the tlayuda, a Mexican pizza topped with queso, black beans, crema, pico de gallo, jalapenos, cilentro, and cotija, there is bound to be something for everyone.

Salads: The street corn cobb is a hearty dish that features chopped baby romaine, roasted corn, cucumber, cauliflower, avocado, bacon, hard egg, tomatoes, blue cheese with chipotle aioli and chili-lime dressing.

Quesadillas: Quesadillas can be changed and customized to someone’s choosing. They are served with queso, black beans, peppers, and onions and topped with cotija, pico de gallo, pickled jalapenos, crema, and shaved lettuce on default. However, people can add adobo skirt steak, beef birria, shrimp, red pork carnitas, braised chicken tinga, and more to their liking.

Sides: Disco fries are a fun spin on the finger food classic, featuring fries paired with queso sauce, cotija, and birria jus. Also enjoy the seasonal roasted corn and cauliflower, which comes with salsa roja, cilantro, and lime.

Tacos: As the restaurant’s namesake, tacos are served family style and come in many different options. People can fill their plate with the crispy El Americano, with seasoned beef, crema, pico de gallo, jack and cheddar packed into a crispy corn tortilla shell, the crispy baja fish, with mahi-mahi, shaved cabbage slaw, and citrus mayo, and the beef birria, with cilantro, onion, queso oaxaca, cotija, and birria consommé.

Bowls: The base can be changed, as all bowl dishes are served with seasoned rice but can also be subbed with cauliflower rice. Dig into the tuna bowl, which has diced sashimi grade ahi tuna, roasted corn, avocado, cucumber, ginger, radish, carrot, gluten-free soy sauce, sesame, edamame, and chili mayo.

Mains: A fan favorite is the Dia crunch wrap, which is Taco Dia’s take on the typical crunch wrap done with elevated ingredients. The dish has seasoned ground beef, braised chicken tinga, or pork carnitas packed with pico, queso, lettuce, and crema, as well as a choice of disco fries, seasoned rice and beans, or a side salad to complement it.

Drinks: The restaurant’s extensive drink menu features cocktails, margaritas, free-spirits, soft drinks, margaritas, wine, and cerveza (beer). Highlights include the Dia margarita, with mi campo blanco, alma finca, fresh lime and lemon with salt and simple syrup, the Pack-A-Punch, a cocktail with barrel-aged bourbon, house-made grenadine, citrus bitters, and lemon twist, and the Cherry-ade, a mocktail with fresh mint, cherry juice, lemon, and simple syrup.

Dessert: Make a good night great with the fried ice cream, which has vanilla ice cream in a crispy corn chip crust, and served with grand marnier, cinnamon crème anglaise and chili-chocolate sauce. Also try the churros, which are topped with cinnamon sugar and served with Nutella sauce for the perfect dunking experience. Dessert cocktails, such as horchata, Mexican coffee, and the espresso martini are also available.

Taco Dia, 32 Church Hill Road, is open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 am-10:00 pm, Friday from 11:30 am-11 pm, Saturday, 11 am-11 pm, and Sunday 11 am-9 pm. Table reservations, gift cards, and ordering in advance are available online.

For more information, visit tacodia.com, call 203-304-1865, email info@tacodia.com, or follow the restaurant’s Instagram @taco.dia or Facebook @Taco Dia.