Yallah Opens New Location with Expanded Menu

Fans of Yallah Taco, the downtown State College food stand that opened last fall, have another Yallah option to choose from with the opening of a second restaurant that builds on the McAllister Alley location. 

The new location at 404 E. Calder Way, which will continue the same Mexican theme, is called Yallah Burrito Company and offers an expanded menu from the Yallah Taco stand that is a late night hotspot. While Yallah Burrito Company will not be open late night like its counterpart, it will be indoors.

Hitham Hiyajneh, owner of Yallah Taco as well as multiple other downtown fast-casual restaurants, said the second Yallah-branded store will allow patrons to come in, see all of the options, and pick what they want on their burritos or other meal, similar to Chipotle or Fiddlehead.

“It will take Chipotle to the next level,” Hiyajneh told Onward State. Here’s a look of the new menu, which has pricing and options similar to Chipotle.

Photo by Nathaniel Pinskey/Onward State

Hiyajneh said Yallah Taco was so busy during its first year that opening a second, expanded location made sense. Yallah Burrito Company will offer a twist to the Yallah Taco menu, including more meats, sauces and other menu options than Yallah Taco.

Underground Burgers & Crepes, another of Hiyajneh’s restaurants that formerly occupied Yallah Burrito Company’s East Calder Way storefront, has moved down the street to 218 E. Calder Way, the former location of the Melt Shack, which just opened last September.

Hiyajneh said the strategic move brings Underground closer to the downtown bars, which is more fitting for a restaurant that has late night offerings. It also conveniently moves Underground Burgers & Crepes, well, underground.

Photo by Kevin Horne

While The Melt Shack has gone away, grilled cheese and some other elements of the menu will be incorporated into Underground’s menu.

Yallah Burrito Company brings another new option to the downtown State College food scene. In addition to two donut shops opening (Duck Donuts and Peace, Love, & Little Donuts), a new sushi burrito restaurant is planning to open on South Allen Street and Federal Tap House recently added another restaurant and bar specializing in craft beer offering.