Casanova Fish Tacos

Mobile Baja-style fish taco catering in San Diego

Casanova Fish Tacos is a catering company based in San Diego County that specializes in Baja-style cuisine. Founded in March 2009 by Chef Hector Casanova, the company operates with a mobile kitchen that allows it to travel to different locations in Southern California. Its focus is on fish and seafood tacos prepared on-site at the event, with fried and grilled options.

History and origin

Hector Casanova established the company in 2009, after being laid off from the San Diego Probation Department during the 2008 recession. With the support of friends, he started the first mobile fish taco business in San Diego. The company states that, after more than a decade, it remains the only catering company in San Diego specializing in authentic Baja-style cuisine.

Specialty: Baja-style tacos and live cooking

The house specialty is Baja-style fish tacos. Chef Casanova developed a signature batter that took him nearly four years to perfect and contains 13 spices and herbs. The fish used is called angel fish or angelito. The company fries and grills on-site, both indoors and outdoors, to ensure freshness. In addition to tacos, they offer sauces and aioli creams made with their own recipes.

Catering services and types of events

Casanova Fish Tacos serves a variety of events through its taco cart and mobile kitchen. Services mentioned include:

• Weddings
• Corporate events
• Graduations
• Private parties (anniversaries, retirements, reunions)
• Quinceañeras
• Community and pop-up events

The service adapts to the event atmosphere and the chef works with clients to integrate the culinary offering. The company also offers a service called Driveway Series, in which clients can host the taco cart in their driveways to serve neighbors and the community.

Dietary options and customization

The company customizes each menu to accommodate dietary needs. It offers 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian options, and beef or pork tacos. Clients are asked to inform about guests' allergies or dietary restrictions to adjust the service.

Service areas

The company serves San Diego County, Orange County, and Los Angeles. Within San Diego County, it is noted that they frequently operate in neighborhoods such as Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Del Mar, Del Cerro, Helix, North Park, Hillcrest, Chula Vista, and El Cajon. The mobile kitchen allows them to serve events outside the county.

Awards and event presence

According to the company's information, it has been nominated as "San Diego's Best" by the Union-Tribune and Sign On San Diego for the past seven years. It also mentions having obtained the #4 spot on the list of best taco stands in the United States by Travel and Leisure magazine. The company participates in events such as the Downtown San Diego Taco TKO, the Del Mar Fish Taco TKO, and the San Diego Bay Food and Wine Festival. It also states that it has served celebrities and professional athletes.

Chef Hector Casanova

Hector Casanova is the founder and chef of the company. He did not attend culinary school; according to his account, his creations arise from experimentation and combining ingredients. He describes himself as a "tacologist" and emphasizes presentation, service, and product consistency. The company has more than 250 reviews on Yelp and maintains a five-star rating, according to the site's information.

Location and contact

Phone: (619) 822-8310 · Email: hector@casanovafishtacos.com