The Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World

Bay Curious

KQED

Places & Travel, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2026

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Pacifica Taco Bell, just outside of San Francisco, is legendary for its beachfront views and retro architecture. But it could never be built today. How did a fast food chain end up with such prime real estate? In this episode we explore it's origins, and how policy about California's coastline has evolved. Additional Resources: It’s the Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World. Here’s Why It Could Never Be Built Today Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Gabriela Glueck. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale and Olivia Allen-Price. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for KQED Podcasts comes from Star One Credit Union. Give your savings account the love it deserves.
0:07.9	When you keep your money with Star 1, you keep more of your money.
0:11.5	Star 1 Credit Union in your best interest.
0:14.8	Support for KQED podcasts comes from Rinse. Rinse knows that mastering the perfect house party table spread takes time,
0:23.1	but so does laundry. So Rinse takes your laundry and hand delivers it to your door expertly cleaned,
0:30.4	and you can take the time once spent sorting and waiting, folding, and queuing to finally pursue your
0:37.1	real passion.
0:38.7	Rolling delicate roses of capacola
0:41.0	alongside meandering ribbons of hamones serrano,
0:44.3	transforming a humble plank of weathered barnwood
0:46.8	into a show-stopping charcuttery spread?
0:49.7	Sign up today at rinse.com.
0:52.3	Rinse, it's time to be great.
0:55.6	From KQED.
0:57.7	We are on Highway 1, officially, coming off 280, onto Highway 1.
1:05.9	And oh my gosh, there she is, the mighty Pacific.
1:18.6	You're seeing like the ocean to your right and all these little like hamlets on your left. And that whole, that's all Pacifica, just a stringlet of various neighborhoods
1:24.6	nicked into smaller valleys.
1:26.6	Bay Curious reporter Gabriela Glick and I are
1:29.3	following directions from question asker Henry Lee. We pass neighborhoods like
1:33.9	Sharp Park and Rockaway Beach on our way to an iconic Pacifica landmark. I love this
1:39.7	drive-in. I mean right now it's like sun-soaked which is actually rare. Usually I
	...

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