Flavour. Quality. Consistency. Tacos. These are just some of the words people are associating with House of Birria – one of Amherst’s newest restaurants.
Mayor Small and Councillor McManaman popped in to the Prince Arthur Street establishment not long ago to see for themselves and congratulate restaurant owner Teilor Gibson by presenting a new business certificate.
During their visit, they asked Teilor what helped her decide to set out on this journey. It all started when she discovered birria tacos online one day and asked her mom, Tina, to make them for her.
“Birria is a Mexican beef or chicken stew,” Gibson explained. “Since my first experience, I’ve tried birria tacos from Halifax to Florida and they don’t compare to what we serve here. I’m hard to please when it comes to food.”
Having high standards and operating with consistency is very important for both Teilor and Tina, so when Teilor decided to open a restaurant, it was a natural decision to invite her mom to work alongside her.
“The opportunity was there and I thought it would be good for me,” Gibson shared. “Opening a restaurant is something my mom always wanted to do, too – and she never had the chance; I had that opportunity and we both love to cook. We both have high expectations with our food, so I think we can please the majority of people.”
“She keeps me on my toes, too – which is nice,” Gibson added with a laugh.
Mayor Rob Small (right) is joined by Councillor Terry McManaman to present a new business certificate to Teilor Gibson, owner of House of Birria restaurant in downtown Amherst.
The menu at House of Birria is built around Mexican tacos incorporating chicken or beef, with the birria dishes being served with a side of lime, cilantro, and consommé (which is all the amazing juice saved from stewing the taco meats). Quesadillas are also a popular item right now, due to their high degree of cheesy grilled goodness.
Alongside the Mexican offerings are some Canadian dishes that aim to satisfy a variety of tastes. Although, there is nothing to worry about for anyone who shies away from heat when they eat.
“There’s nothing on the menu that’s actually spicy,” Gibson shared. “But we do have our house-made hot sauces for everyone who’s interested. There’s nothing to be afraid of here.”
And for anyone with a gluten sensitivity, all of the tacos can be served with a corn tortilla.
It’s the little details that make a restaurant like House of Birria so special, and it took a lot of work for Teilor to get her business off the ground.
“I was planning and working on this for about a year before opening,” Gibson shared. “April of last year was the original target, but due to delays, October 16 was opening day.”
Tacos can be a bit of a messy meal, so House of Birria encourages everyone to adopt a spirit of adventure and come on out to give them a try. Have a seat in their dining room, or place your order to go. Catering services are also available.
Care for a daily special? On Taco Mondays you can buy one taco in a bag (a delightful Dorito experience) and get another for half price; Taco Tuesdays give you the option to buy three tacos and get one free; Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays offer burrito, quesadilla, and nacho buy-one-get-one half-off options, respectively.
We asked Teilor what she thinks is the best part about running a business in Amherst, and she said it’s the people. “Everyone has been so welcoming, and we’re already starting to become some people’s favourite place to eat.”
You can find House of Birria at 26 Prince Arthur Street in downtown Amherst, open Monday-Tuesday, 11-3; Wednesday-Fri, 11-8; and, Saturday, 12-8 (closed Sundays). Find them on Facebook, or call 902-661-6611.
