Wisco Taco Foxtrot, a casual yet elevated taco restaurant with touches of Midwestern flavor and hospitality, will open Feb. 12 in Southern Pines.

Wisco Taco Foxtrot is inspired by owner Jim O'Malley's Wisconsin roots and his passion for travel. Its name is a nod to its location across from the Moore County Airport and the phonetic alphabet that pilots use for safety. It is designed to be a fun, vibrant gathering place offering scratch-made tacos, creative cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere.

O'Malley, who grew up in Milwaukee, wanted to bring a taste of Wisconsin to North Carolina. 

“With Wisco Taco Foxtrot, I wanted to create a little piece of home — the food, the fun and that Midwestern sense of hospitality — to the Sandhills, which I now call home. It’s a love letter to where I’m from and where I am now,” shared O'Malley in a press release.

Diners can start the meal with queso and guacamole, nachos and taquitos. Tacos come with a variety of traditional fillings: carne asada, barbacoa, carnitas, chicken tinga, al pastor, beans and fried or grilled shrimp and fish. Quesadillas and customizable burritos, salads and rice bowls fill out the entrees.

Woven throughout are touches of Midwestern flavors. Diners can order their queso dip "Wisco style" with diced bratwurst. Cheese curds are available as an appetizer or as a taco filling with beans. The Tailgate Taco has ground bratwurst, cabbage slaw and diced pickles. The Kopp's Burger Taco, a nod to Milwaukee's beloved frozen custard and burger joint, combines ground beef, Wisconsin cheddar, burger sauce, sweet pickles and grilled onion. 

The Midwestern flair continues on the bar menu with a brandy Old Fashioned, a Wisconsin twist on the classic whiskey drink. The Wisco Old Fashioned is made with brandy, cherry, orange bitters and tamarind Jarritos. The drink menu centers on agave-based cocktails, as well as wine and beer, including a Weiss beer made in collaboration with Sanford’s Hugger Mugger Brewing Co. available on draft and four-packs to go.

O'Malley owns O’Malley Development, which has developed subdivisions, apartment complexes and storage units in Wisconsin and North Carolina. He developed The Shops at Tyler’s Ridge off Airport Road where the restaurant is located. For the restaurant, he partnered with Early Bird Night Owl, a Durham, N.C.-based hospitality management firm. 

"As a University of Wisconsin grad who has spent the last 20 years in North Carolina, I felt uniquely qualified to figure out how to integrate a Wisconsin-inspired taco restaurant to Southern Pines. It has been a lot of fun bringing Jim's vision to life," said Craig Spitzer, founder and CEO of Early Bird Night Owl, in a press release.

The 4,000-square-foot restaurant can seat up to 200 guests across a cozy interior dining room, an 80-by-15-foot heated patio and a semi-private room with seating for 24. 

Wisco Taco Foxtrot will be open 4-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Days and hours will be expanded in the future. It is located at 300 Capital Dr., Southern Pines, N.C. 28327. For more information, follow @wiscotacofoxtrot on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or go to wiscotacofoxtrot.com.