Colorado officially welcomes a Taco Bell Cantina, one of only 60 in the world
May 11, 2026, 4:31 PM | Updated: May 13, 2026, 12:23 pm
One of the rarest of all Taco Bells is now in Colorado…the state’s first Taco Bell Cantina is open. The boozy Baja Blasts, however, are not — at least not yet.
The new Taco Bell Cantina at Denver International Airport soft-opened last week in Concourse A near Gate 46, making it one of roughly 60 Cantina locations worldwide and the first in Colorado. A formal ribbon-cutting is planned for June.
But travelers hoping to toast the occasion with a spiked Twisted Freeze or a sangria will have to check back. A sign posted outside the restaurant says alcohol is “coming soon,” and as of Sunday, the Cantina was operating on a limited menu while staff completes the final buildout.
For the uninitiated: a Taco Bell Cantina is not just a Taco Bell with a liquor license. The concept features a redesigned store layout, an expanded shareable menu and a full alcohol program that includes beer, wine, sangria and Taco Bell’s signature Twisted Freezes — boozy frozen drinks built on the brand’s existing Freeze lineup, including an alcoholic Baja Blast.
The approximately 60 Cantina locations globally are concentrated in high-traffic urban and entertainment districts — Times Square, the Las Vegas Strip, college towns. An airport location fits the model: captive audience, high foot traffic, travelers inclined to treat themselves to a margarita before a flight.
The DIA location replaces the airport’s previous standard Taco Bell, which closed to make way for the Cantina conversion. That means the Cantina is now the only Taco Bell at DIA.
Taco Bell announced in October that Colorado’s first Cantina locations would open in Denver — one at the airport and one at a still-unannounced city location.
For now, though, Colorado’s first Taco Bell Cantina is a Taco Bell Cantina without the cantina part. The Crunchwraps are ready. The margaritas are not.
