IT’S a case of out with the tortellini and in with the tortillas as a prime city centre restaurant goes from Italian and Mexican.

New Road in Brighton has said arrivederci to Italian restaurant Strada after it closed its doors for the final time and hola to Mexican street food restaurant Wahaca.

The group, which has 16 restaurants in London alongside venues in Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol and Manchester, is set to open their 130 cover restaurant in April.

The award-winning chain was founded in 2007 and was inspired by co-founder and Masterchef 2005 winner Thomasina Miers’ travels to Mexico.

The opening puts Wahaca on a collision course with Mexican street food independents La Choza and Carlito Burrito.

Strada closed after more than nine years in the grade II listed site in the Colonnades on the corner of North Street and New Road.

The four-storey building was originally built as terraced houses in the early 19th century.

Wahaca has already successfully applied for permission to fit a new kitchen, floor and toilets to the site.

A second application requesting permission to alter the exterior of the building including replacing a door opening into North Street with a window is still awaiting a decision.

Thomasina Miers, also a food writer for The Guardian, teamed up with fellow Mexico enthusiast Mark Selby to open their first restaurant in Covent Garden in London and the brand has grown from there.

She said: “We cannot wait to dish out proper tacos and tequila to the good people of Brighton.

“It’s a city with an amazing sense of culture, sustainable living and importantly, knowing how to enjoy itself.

“My siblings both live here and have been pestering us about how Brighton needs a Wahaca - we look forward to getting stuck in.”

Aoife Sweeney is co-founder of La Choza which has a restaurant in Gloucester Road and also caters at The Hare and Hounds in London Road.

She said: “It is a little bit worrying but Brighton is known for its support to independents so hopefully that will continue.

“We are not quite sure about what impact their arrival will have on us.

“We certainly wouldn’t mind their extra space.”

Pre-tax profits Wahaca more than tripled in 2013/14.

Backed by Capricorn Ventures, it recorded a £1.7 million pre-tax profit in the year to 29 June 2014, up from just over £400,000 the year before.