Salt & Straw and Taco Bell Bring Back the Ice Cream Taco of Your Dreams
The Tacolate is a childhood classic reimagined with ancho chili ice cream, single-origin chocolate, and Taco Bell–inspired sauces.
Salt & Straw, Portland’s beloved purveyor of wildly imaginative ice creams, has once again proven that no boundary is too bold for dessert. This time, the scoop shop has joined forces with Taco Bell to release The Tacolate—a playful riff on the nostalgic Choco Taco, landing in Salt & Straw shops nationwide on today (October 3rd).
Nearly a decade in the making, the frozen taco features Salt & Straw’s signature blend of craftsmanship and quirk: a hand-pressed waffle cone “shell” filled with cinnamon ancho chili ice cream, dipped in single-origin chocolate, then dusted with toasted brown rice for a satisfying crunch. To finish, each comes with two exclusive Taco Bell–inspired sauce packets—Mango Jalapeño and Wildberry Cinnamon—because even dessert deserves a drizzle of hot sauce magic.
Salt & Straw first teased the treat back in 2016 at their soft-serve offshoot Wiz Bang Bar, then again in 2022 when a limited run of Chocolate Tacolates sold out in minutes. After fans begged for a comeback, Taco Bell’s CEO Sean Tresvant saw the opportunity to partner with Salt & Straw co-founders Kim and Tyler Malek to reintroduce a treat equal parts nostalgic and chef-driven.
“The Tacolate is our love letter to childhood desserts, reimagined with the craft and flavor play that define Salt & Straw,” says Tyler Malek, head ice cream innovator. “It’s been nearly a decade in the works, and we’re thrilled to finally share it with the world.”
Expect lines, merch (yes, there’s a commemorative keychain), and plenty of Instagram posts—the Tacolate is set to be fall’s buzziest dessert drop.