The trusted hospitality team behind local favourites Farmhouse and Oh Boy, Bok Choy is bringing a culinary experience rarely seen in Australia to Stafford by launching a 90-seat authentic New Mexican taqueria rooted in a deep family history.
A Family Legacy
Sancho Taqueria & Tequileria is slated to launch at Stafford Central in early to mid-June 2026. Rather than simply chasing the latest dining trends, owner Amanda Scott has built the venue around her family’s personal connection to the American Southwest. Her father moved to New Mexico as a child, where he fell in love with the local culture and language. He later married Scott’s mother in Albuquerque and honeymooned in Santa Fe, making the region’s food a staple in their household.
Scott shared that her parents’ affection for the region shaped their family history, and now her own children are the third generation to embrace this heritage. She explained that her father’s passion for the area led him to learn Spanish, study in Madrid, and develop a deep appreciation for Hispanic literature. The restaurant actually takes its name from Sancho Panza, the famously loyal sidekick in her father’s favourite Spanish novel, Don Quixote.
The Red or Green Question
Diners will find a menu that steps away from standard contemporary Mexican fare. Instead, the kitchen focuses on the landlocked cuisine of New Mexico, which blends Native American Pueblo, Spanish, Mexican, and American frontier influences. Developed alongside consultant chef Julius Villamor, the taco-heavy menu is largely gluten-free and relies on the traditional Indigenous agricultural staples of corn, beans, and squash.
Visitors will also get to experience New Mexico’s official state question regarding their chilli sauce preference: red or green. Guests can choose a rich and earthy red sauce, a savoury and herbaceous green sauce, or simply ask for “Christmas” to get a portion of both. Everything is made from scratch, favouring deeply charred and smoked flavours.
Traditional regional baked goods will also make an appearance, including pillow-shaped fried pastries known as sopapillas and anise-spiced shortbreads called bizcochitos, which hold the title of New Mexico’s official state cookie. Scott noted that the new location draws heavily on her family’s past cultural connections, local produce, and the expertise of her staff.
Sunset Aesthetic and Curated Spirits
The drink selection focuses heavily on a carefully chosen range of tequila and mezcal. Signature cocktails are named after various New Mexican towns to complement the food. The Pueblo Margarita, for example, mixes reposado tequila with prickly pear syrup, fresh lime, orange bitters, and a chilli-tajin rim to create a colour that looks just like a mountain sunset. Drinkers will even find a map on the back of the beverage menu to help them locate the towns that inspired their drinks.
The design of the space completely avoids common visual clichés like hanging sombreros or chillies. Instead, the bright, understated dining room, bar, laneway, and al fresco areas are decorated in burnt oranges, hot pinks, and ochre undertones to mimic golden hour in the Sandia Mountains. Scott mentioned that the venue will feel like an unexpected escape on an ordinary street, allowing guests to forget their location, and will sprawl out much like their previous restaurant concepts.
Published Date 22-May-2026
