Habanero’s Will Bring New Mexican Food Options to Coronado

Updated 04/04/2025 – Corrections were made to the spelling of the last name.

It’s all in the family for the Bahri family, who have run the Shell gas station in town for the last 20 years. Brothers Ray Bahri and John Bahri manage the station and convenience mart, while their father Basil is well known around town for his friendly full-service auto repair, smog inspection, and golf cart mechanic services. When they bought it from the Corn family in 2004, it was a 76 gas station, which they converted to Shell eight years ago.

Located in the heart of Coronado at 900 Orange Avenue, the Shell station is open 24 hours a day and is in the process of adding a taco shop called Habanero’s and a second story office space available to rent. Ray said that they began discussing this concept five years ago, going through a three-year planning and permitting process, and then breaking ground in mid-December.

He notes that they wanted to create an affordable and popular food concept and settled on a taco shop as the perfect idea. They have partnered with a chef, whom they have known for 20 years, who is detailed oriented like they are and has a few other locations. Habaneros will offer a full taco shop menu, including breakfast selections, lunch, and dinner.  Designed for grab and go, there will only be a small outdoor covered patio, if patrons want to eat on-site.

Ray’s favorite Mexican food is a carne asada burrito with sour cream, which will be offered, along with California burritos and an assortment of options, including healthy bowls, tacos, homemade salsa and hot sauce choices.

“The focus will be on freshly made food, with quality meats, at affordable prices,” emphasizes Ray, who coincidentally has a background in in the restaurant industry, with an Italian pizza eatery 25 years ago. They also plan to offer delivery on the island, and view their clientele as locals, especially students, and visitors.

If you are like me, you never get tired of Mexican food, and I was pleased to learn that the opening date is slated for this summer.  Other food currently available on-site is in the convenience store, which offers a wide array of snacks and drinks, that Ray says are mostly selected from the trends on Tik Tok. Healthy items are available, and they are noticing younger teens reaching for healthier snacks and drinks.

The gas pumps are open 24 hours a day and the brothers pride themselves on having the latest pumps that are secure for credit cards and offer touch Apple and Android pay.  An added security level uses customized keys to lock the pumps, and there are cameras for facial and license recognition.

Coronado Auto Detail is a separate company, offering car washes and detailing on-site. After the completion of the two-story building with Habanero’s and an office suite, future plans will focus on updating the convenience store and freshening up the property, focusing on the details and deferred maintenance like painting and refreshing the concrete.

I was amazed to discover that there was an abundance of fuel options prior to 1969, when the San Diego-Coronado Bridge opened. The yellow pages from 1967/68 show the many fuel options, with seven gas stations in Coronado, at Cavanaugh Mobil Service at 4th and Orange (now Sinclair’s), Carl’s Texaco at 8th and Orange, Hal’s Union Service at 9th and Orange, Shell Korner Service Station at 10th and Orange, Bob Klinck’s Richfield Service at Orange and C Avenues, Hancock Service Station at 1st and B Avenue, and Standard Station Inc. at 875 Orange Avenue.

Coincidentally, the two remaining gas stations are both undergoing remodeling projects.  The Sinclair station is closed while construction is taking place to upgrade the gas pumps and convenience store, with the addition of a second story. A few months ago, both stations were closed for a few hours and when I asked Ray if there would be any more closures at their station, he said that they only close two days a year, for a few hours for annual state agency testing, with none anticipated for construction.