MidEast Tacos
How we helped LA's cult fusion restaurant go from popup sensation to permanent storefront — with a digital presence built at startup speed.
From a popup at USC to a cult following across LA.
MidEast Tacos started as an experiment: what happens when you combine traditional Armenian barbecue with Mexican street food? Founded by Armen Martirosyan (of Mini Kabob fame) and Aram Kavoukjian, the concept of falafel tacos on fresh tortillas with house salsas caught fire at USC campus events and Smorgasburg food festivals.
The reviews came fast. TimeOut LA named them one of the biggest restaurant openings to watch. Lines wrapped around the block at Smorgasburg. And then came the moment every successful popup dreams about — a permanent home in the heart of Silver Lake, California.
There was just one problem: they had no website, no online menu, no catering system, and they were opening the doors in two weeks.
Visit Website →Two weeks. Zero digital presence. A restaurant about to open. Most agencies would say "let's start the discovery phase next month." We said "let's build this now."
Two weeks. Zero digital presence. A restaurant about to open.
The constraints were tight, but the brief was clear: a website that captures the energy of the brand, shows the menu, handles catering enquiries, and integrates with their growing social media following.
- No digital presenceNo website, no digital menu, no online footprint of any kind
- Hard deadlineBrick-and-mortar opening in 14 days
- Catering functionalityNeeded request system for corporate and event clients
- Instagram integrationRequired live feed to showcase their already-viral food photography
- Easy menu managementMenu needed to be easily updatable by non-technical staff
A custom WordPress site that captured the brand's energy.
We designed and developed a custom WordPress website that feels like MidEast Tacos — bold, colourful, unpretentious, and a little bit rebellious. The homepage leads with the food, the menu is front and centre, and the Instagram feed pulls in fresh content automatically.
- Custom WordPress themeDesigned to reflect the fusion brand identity, hand-coded for speed
- Interactive menuEasy-to-update menu pages with categories, descriptions, and dietary filters
- Catering request formCustom form with event type, guest count, date, dietary requirements, and spam protection
- Instagram feed integrationAutomatic social content pull so the site always feels fresh
- Press & media sectionShowcasing TimeOut, Eater LA, and other coverage to build credibility
- Google Maps & hoursSilver Lake location with real-time hours and directions
Hand-coded for speed — no page builders, no bloat. Designed to feel as bold as the food.
Categories, descriptions, dietary filters — staff-editable
Event type, guest count, date, dietary needs
Auto-pulling content so the site always feels fresh
TimeOut, Eater LA coverage for credibility
Live before the doors opened.
We delivered the complete website on day 12 — two days ahead of schedule. When MidEast Tacos opened their Silver Lake location, customers could already find the menu, book catering, and share the restaurant with friends. The Instagram integration meant the site was populated with content from day one, no additional photography needed.
Within the first month, the catering request form alone generated over 40 corporate enquiries — revenue that would have gone to competitors with better digital visibility.
Complete website live on day 12 of a 14-day deadline
40+ corporate enquiries in month one
Content from day one, no photoshoot needed
From popup to permanent — online and off.
We went through several web development companies before coming across Synmek, and we were so thrilled (and relieved) to meet them. The team is extremely professional, always on top of everything; super easy to communicate with and very quick on processing any updates on our webpage. Highly recommend working with them!
