Santa’s Sleigh Station Transforms Mystic Taco Shop Into a Christmas Wonderland
At a Glance
What: Santa’s Sleigh Station at Taquerio
Opening Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Season: November 2026 through January 2027
Hours: Sunday–Thursday, noon–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, noon–10 p.m.
Location: Taquerio, 30 Broadway Avenue, Mystic, CT 06355
Featuring: Christmas decorations, holiday-themed food and drinks, nostalgic characters, and the Wall of Mischief Bar
Special Attraction: Gingerbread Man’s Candy Cane Courtyard
Dining: Seasonal menu alongside the restaurant’s taco-inspired offerings
Private Events: Gingerbread Man’s Candy Cane Courtyard available for special-event bookings
Accessibility: Venue listed as ADA compliant
Contact: (860) 245-4420
News 12 Connecticut, Holiday Experience and Menu
Event Description
Santa’s Sleigh Station opens Thursday, November 12, transforming Taquerio at 30 Broadway Avenue in Mystic into a Christmas wonderland filled with holiday decorations, familiar characters, and seasonal food and drinks. The annual transformation turns a former gas station into a festive gathering place where visitors can enjoy tacos, Christmas-inspired creations, and a little holiday nostalgia through January.
The experience isn’t a one-night celebration. Santa’s Sleigh Station operates as a seasonal restaurant, welcoming guests for lunch, dinner, drinks, and special holiday activities throughout the Christmas season.
From Gas Pumps to Santa’s Workshop
For most of the year, Taquerio is a casual Mystic restaurant known for its street tacos and margaritas. Its home is a renovated vintage gas station, a building with an unusual history that gives the restaurant much of its character.
But once Halloween has passed, the restaurant undergoes a remarkable change.
Christmas decorations take over the dining spaces. Familiar holiday characters appear throughout the building, and the atmosphere shifts from a lively taco restaurant to a winter wonderland.
The transformation is built around a playful story involving an elf, a summer vacation, and a very important discovery.
According to the restaurant’s Christmas tale, one of Santa’s elves visited Taquerio during a trip to Mystic and became particularly fond of the tacos. He returned so often that the staff began to recognize him, although nobody realized he was visiting from the North Pole.
Later, a letter arrived from Santa himself.
The elf had discovered something special about Mystic. He believed the happiness and Christmas spirit found at Taquerio could help power Santa’s sleigh.
The restaurant agreed to help, and Santa’s Sleigh Station was born.
A Christmas Wonderland With Familiar Faces
Inside Santa’s Sleigh Station, guests will find decorations and references inspired by generations of holiday stories and movies.
The restaurant’s theme draws on the nostalgia of Christmas past, with familiar characters and playful details throughout the space.
Previous seasons have featured displays of children’s letters to Santa, a reindeer, Christmas movies playing in the dining area, and a specially decorated room inspired by a winter forest.
These details encourage visitors to look around rather than simply take a seat and order dinner.
Families can explore the decorations, recognize characters from favorite Christmas stories, and enjoy a setting designed to feel different from an ordinary restaurant visit.
The experience also appeals to adults who grew up watching holiday classics and still enjoy revisiting those traditions.
Holiday Food With a Sense of Humor
Christmas at Santa’s Sleigh Station extends well beyond the decorations.
The restaurant combines its usual taco-inspired cuisine with seasonal creations that borrow their names and ingredients from holiday movies, characters, and traditions.
Previous menus have featured Grinchamole, Navidad Nachos, and Buddy’s Pasta, a playful nod to the spaghetti dish made famous in the movie Elf.
That particular creation has included maple syrup, chocolate sauce, marshmallows, candy, sprinkles, and a chocolate-covered pastry.
For visitors who prefer something less adventurous, Taquerio’s regular identity as a taco restaurant remains part of the experience.
The seasonal drink offerings have also included frozen hot chocolate and Christmas-inspired cocktails, with selections designed for both the naughty and nice lists.
Examples from earlier seasons include Santa’s Spicy Mamacita and S’more the Merrier.
Specific menu items and prices may change for the 2026 season.
The Wall of Mischief Bar
Adults looking for a holiday drink can visit the Wall of Mischief Bar, another feature of the seasonal transformation.
The bar takes its inspiration from familiar Christmas movies, with playful references to Gremlins, Die Hard, and Home Alone.
It’s a place where the restaurant’s holiday humor becomes part of the atmosphere.
Guests can enjoy drinks while surrounded by decorations that celebrate both traditional Christmas imagery and the less conventional movies that have become holiday favorites.
The restaurant’s seasonal drink menu has previously included cocktails, frozen creations, and nonalcoholic options.
The Gingerbread Man’s Candy Cane Courtyard
One of the newer additions to Santa’s Sleigh Station is the Gingerbread Man’s Candy Cane Courtyard.
The courtyard adds another themed space to the holiday experience and is available for private events and special gatherings.
Guests can also experience the decorated courtyard during a regular visit.
For families, groups of friends, or coworkers looking for an unusual place to celebrate the season, the courtyard offers an alternative to a traditional restaurant setting.
Visitors interested in booking the space for a private event should contact Santa’s Sleigh Station directly for availability and pricing.
More Than Dinner and Drinks
Santa’s Sleigh Station has also developed a tradition of hosting special holiday activities throughout the season.
Previous years have included visits with Santa, character brunches, holiday bingo, an ugly sweater party, and other family-friendly celebrations.
Some events have been designed for children, while others have focused on adults looking for a festive night out.
The restaurant’s 2026 special-event calendar should be consulted for confirmed dates and details.
Even without a scheduled activity, the decorated restaurant offers an opportunity to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere over lunch, dinner, or drinks.
Planning Your Visit
Santa’s Sleigh Station opens Thursday, November 12, at Taquerio, 30 Broadway Avenue in Mystic.
The restaurant lists regular hours of noon to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The holiday experience is expected to continue into January, although a specific closing date has not been announced.
No separate admission fee is advertised for visiting the restaurant. Food, beverages, and private events are priced separately.
In previous seasons, the restaurant welcomed walk-in guests without reservations. Visitors planning a large gathering or hoping to attend a special holiday activity should contact the restaurant for current arrangements.
For anyone who enjoys Christmas decorations, familiar holiday movies, and a restaurant that doesn’t mind having a little fun with the season, Santa’s Sleigh Station offers a different way to celebrate the holidays in Mystic.
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.