Three years after Stuart Morton and Todd Vanneste started slinging deliciously messy Mexican street-food from a former kebab van on Smith Street in Collingwood, they have shifted Frankie's Tortas and Tacos into bricks-and-mortar digs in nearby Fitzroy.

Their customers have been used to perching on milk crates to eat fried fish sandwiches, tacos al pastor and corn chips with guacamole. Now there are proper chairs and high-top stools for up to 40 diners, plus a more ambitious drinks line-up.

The pair gutted the premises' previous fit-out, a burger joint that Morton describes as "a stoned 14-year-old's dream". Now, tiles and tin panelling channel Mexican cantinas.

"This is our passion project," says Vanneste, who also works with Weekdays design studio on hospitality projects including Leonardo's Pizza Palace and Stan's Deli. "We've refitted the entire space on a food truck budget, kept the essence of what Frankie's was but grown up a little bit."

For now, the savoury food menu is the same tight offering as the van but there are new ice-cream tacos in collaboration with Fitzroy North scoop specialists Billy Van Creamy: choose from chocolate and cinnamon or caramel and guajillo chilli.

The drinks menu has taken a massive leap, expanding from soda, beer and Mexican sweet rice milk drink horchata to a funky little wine list, house tap beer, plus a racy selection of tequila and mezcal. The duo have even made their own seltzer in flavours such as tepache, a fermented pineapple drink. Standout cocktails include the Mezcal Negroni and the Nixta Nights with espresso tequila and corn liqueur.

When staffing levels permit, they'll expand the menu further and the duo will consider reopening the currently shuttered Smith Street van site. For now, it's all eyes on Fitzroy. "We're excited to share what we've been working on," says Vanneste.

Open Wed-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-8pm

30 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, 03 9117 6270, tortasandtacos.com.au