After operating out of a takeout window for nearly a year, a Mexican eatery in East Liberty is leveling up to a full-service restaurant thanks to efforts made by Duolingo Inc., one of Pittsburgh's most prominent tech companies.
Duo's Taquería, which opened in June 2022 on the ground floor of Duolingo's headquarters on Penn Avenue via a now-replaced outdoor walk-up counter, has reopened as a roughly 2,600-square-foot space featuring a bar, dining and event areas that combined can seat up to 130 people who are looking to indulge on authentic cuisine inspired by food from Mexico City.
Led by Chef Marcella Ogrodnik and named after the company's owl mascot, Duo's Taquería currently employs 20 workers and features a new and expanded menu complete with appetizers, entrees, desserts and cocktails.
And even though it operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Duolingo (NASDAQ: DUOL), the restaurant will maintain the mission of its parent company of bringing language learning lessons to the masses.
All of the restaurant's waitstaff are bilingual and the upward-facing side of a person's drink coaster will indicate whether they wish to order their food in English or Spanish. NFC tokens featuring the Duo mascot can be found throughout the restaurant and when patrons tap their smartphones to them, they will see animated language-learning tips appear on their phone's screen. Additionally, an interactive quiz game can be played by those sitting together at a table.
"Our goal with this restaurant is to give back to the Pittsburgh community by providing the best Mexican food in the city," Duolingo CEO and Co-Founder Luis von Ahn said in a prepared statement. "And we know food is a wonderful way to get people excited about learning and speaking Spanish. At Duo’s Taqueria, practicing a little Spanish can be delicious and rewarding."
Duo's Taquería at 5906 Penn Ave. is open for dinner Tuesdays through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., with the kitchen closing at 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Ogrodnik, a Pittsburgh native who returned to her hometown in 2019 to launch the Café Agnes farmer’s market following her experience at Michelin-starred restaurants in California, New York and Spain, designed a menu filled with genuine Mexican cuisine. Item standouts include barbacoa de borrego that features lamb sourced from Elysian Fields Farm and ceviche vuelve a la vida, a dish made with striped bass and avocado. The bar features classic Mexican beverages like margaritas and palomas as well as a tres leches punch, a drink that comes from "the heart of Mexico City's bar culture" scene.
"I really wanted to just bring a taste of [Mexico City] to Pittsburgh," Ogrodnik said when Duo's Taquería first opened as a takeout window. "We're inspired and we're honored that we get to make this food and a lot of our staff as well comes from Mexico and throughout Latin America. … There's a lot of Latin influence that bleeds throughout this entire company right now."
