The Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World

The Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World

From Bay Curious by KQED

April 23, 2026 · 17 min

About this episode

This episode explores the origins of the Pacifica Taco Bell and the evolution of California's coastline policy.

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

People in this episode

Host: Olivia Allen-Price

Topics covered

  • society
  • culture
  • places
  • travel
  • history

Keywords

  • Pacifica Taco Bell
  • beachfront views
  • retro architecture
  • California coastline
  • fast food chain

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Taco Bell

Books & works: Bay Curious

Places: San Francisco, California

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